Who makes the best hearing aids?
Hearing Aids are a confusing, expensive, and very much undesirable addition to someone’s life. There are many different types of hearing aids on the market, with companies continuously inventing newer, improved hearing aids everyday. It’s difficult to consider all the various aids at the same time and who are the best suppliers. Consult your physician for additional information:
Conventional Hearing Aids are the aids that almost everyone has. They include digital and analog, behind-the-ear (BTE), in-the-ear (ITE), in-the-canal (ITC), etc. – pretty much all the hearing aids most people have ever heard of.
The following companies produce conventional hearing aids:
Micro-Tech, Oticon, Rion and Sonic Innovations.
Implantable Hearing Aids are different from conventional aids in that either a portion of the aid or the entire aid are implanted within the body. They are a fairly recent addition to the hearing aid world; they provide superior hearing support for people with certain hearing loss characteristics but there are both advantages and disadvantages to them.
Suppliers of implantable aids include:
Envoy, INSONUS, Soundbridge, SOUNDTEC and TICA.
Inexpensive Aids – There are currently several attempts to provide hearing aids at a greatly reduced cost. These aids can’t generally replace conventional hearing aids, but they may be appropriate for some people with mild to moderate hearing loss.
Inexpensive and Disposable Aids – In the past several years we’ve seen the arrival of several inexpensive hearing aids that may offer an alternative to the more traditional hearing product. These tend to have restricted features and are not suitable for everyone. But they may be just the thing for those with mild to moderate hearing loss who can use them.
Songbird Hearing Inc. is an American company based out of New Jersey that is the maker of the world’s first disposable hearing aids. The battery is built into the hearing aid and after the allotted hour or time usage the user simply replaces the entire aid. The beauty of these is that you do not have to purchase batteries because as soon as the battery dies, new hearing aids are used. They are also very easy to maintain because there is no need for repairs. However they are one-size-fits-all so some people may not be able to wear them because of their ear size. They are also only suitable for those with mild hearing loss.
What are the Best Digital Hearing Aids?
Hearing aids have developed massively over the last 10 years with the onset of digital technology. But how are you to know the best digital hearing aids to get? This was my first question when I started looking at getting a digital hearing aid.
The problem is that there are so many brands of digital hearing aids out there and each company has numerous models. Of course you should look to your hearing specialist for advice, but at the same time it’s good to be armed with some information yourself about the different brands and models so you can ask the right questions. The decision will be that much easier.
So with that in mind, here’s a quick rundown of the most popular brands:
Rexton is known for manufacturing a large variety of both digital and analog hearing aids. They divide their hearing aids into 3 groups: the Arena is their basic model and the cheapest; the Targa is a mid-level hearing aid with an adaptive noise reduction feature; and Calibra is their most sophisticated model, and also the most expensive.
Siemens has been around for 125 years and has one of the most respected names in the hearing aid business. Among its least expensive models are the Cielo and Artis, both of which include digital noise reduction. A step up, but still reasonably priced are the Intuis and Phoenix models. These models come with a high tech micro computers and background noise reduction technology. If you want the best digital hearing aid that Siemens has to offer then you can look at their Acuris and Centra models.
Beltone is another long-standing company, having been founded in 1940, and is another one that enjoys an excellent reputation. Like Rexton and Siemens it offers three different levels of digital hearing aids: if you are on a budget then you should consider the Basic as Beltone’s low end model. For middle of the road models you should check out Access and Mira. Both have technologies to recognize human voices, ways to deal with feedback and do a good job of reproducing human voice sounds. One of the best Beltone hearing aids is the Linq and Edge which have nine digital channels to help hear human conversation clearly while eliminating background noise.
There are many other brands out there as well, but as a starting point we recommend you check out Rexton, Siemens and Beltone as companies with great long standing reputations and a wide range of digital hearing aids to meet almost any budget.
What is the best battery for hearing aids?
Hearing aids require a lot of power and energy. For this reason, zinc air batteries are most often used because they produce a large amount of energy despite their very light weight and small size.
Each hearing aid requires a specific battery size. A few years ago the hearing aid battery industry responded to customer feedback and adopted a new colour-coded system to help customers better remember and match their battery with their aid. Hearing aid battery sizes can now be identified on all battery manufacturers’ packaging using the following colors:
* Red – Size 5
* Yellow – Size 10 (230)
* Orange – Size 13
* Brown – Size 312
* Blue – Size 675
How long a hearing aid battery lasts depends on how much energy and power the hearing aid needs, how often you use it and what type of hearing aid it is. Some batteries may last days while others can last weeks. Consult your hearing professional and read through information supplied by your battery manufacturer to ensure that you follow the steps to maximise the life of the batteries.
Battery Tips
* Always keep hearing aid batteries away from children and pets.
* Never place or carry batteries near metal objects such as coinage as it may cause them to short-circuit, which can cause leakage or explosion.
* Zinc air batteries have a peel-off tab that exposes the battery to air. The tab should only be removed when the user is ready to replace the battery, because putting the tab back on has no effect since the battery has already been activated.
* To maximize the life of your hearing aid battery, it is best to read all literature and manuals to ensure maximum safety and efficiency.
What kind of payment plans are available for hearing aids?
Hearing aids are expensive. It can be no surprise that it is estimated only 1 of 5 adults who could benefit from a hearing aid wears one. It’s not just a matter of vanity and denial, but cost. A pair can cost thousands of dollars, and insurance often doesn’t cover it. Even Medicare, the federal insurance for people 65 and over and the disabled, doesn’t cover hearing aids in most cases. Medicaid often does and must for children.
Some private health care plans cover the costs of audiologic tests, a hearing aid evaluation, and even partial or full coverage of a hearing aid. Check with your health insurance company or your benefits manager to find out exactly what audiology services your policy covers. You may wish to advocate for inclusion of audiology services in your plan if not included.
Some nonprofit organizations provide financial assistance for hearing aids, while others may help provide used or refurbished aids. Contact the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders’ (NIDCD’s) Information Clearinghouse with questions about organizations that offer financial assistance for hearing aids.
If you will be paying for your own hearing aids then you need to shop wisely. Siemens is the largest maker of hearing aids in America but their models tend to be very expensive, while the popular Beltone hearing aids are cheaper and often more readily available in stores.
One of the first questions that first-time buyers have is whether they need a hearing aid for both ears. The degree of hearing loss in each ear can vary greatly, especially in cases where the loss has been caused by an accident. But most people with age-related hearing loss experience it in both ears. In this case it is usually better to get an aid for each ear.
Do remember that the cost of purchasing a hearing aid does not start and end with the price of the hearing aid. In fact there are several aspects of a hearing aid sale that will cost you more than the hearing aid themselves. You need to ask questions about price, restock charge, how long the hearing aid is likely to last, the cost of maintenance and repair, length of factory repair warranty, cost of batteries etc. It’s well worth shopping around.
And what if you buy hearing aids and can’t adjust to using them? Laws in almost 2/3 of the states require a trial period for all hearing aid sales. Most audiologists provide a trial period even if it is not required by law. You may choose to try a different make or model if the first choice is not satisfactory. If you decide to cancel your purchase during this trial period, there may be a nonrefundable fitting charge for professional services and your custom earmold. You should discuss these policies with your audiologist prior to purchase.
How Do Hearing Aids Work?
Hearing aids are very good, but they are not perfect. They work by amplifying the functioning part of your hearing, but they can do nothing to restore the hearing that has been lost. It’s important to understand this: successful hearing aid use does not mean hearing everything you hope to hear. It means hearing much better than you otherwise would hear.
Every hearing aid has three parts: a microphone or microphones that pick up the sound, an amplifier that boosts the sound, and a receiver that delivers the amplified sound into the ear. It is essential to understand that a hearing aid is only an aid that takes advantage of your residual hearing (the hearing that is working). It will not restore normal hearing.
All hearing aids contain the same parts to carry sound from the environment into your ear. However, hearing aids do come in a number of styles, which differ in size and the way they’re placed in your ear. The type of hearing aid recommended will depend on several factors, including physical limitations, medical condition, and personal preference. Some are small enough to fit inside your ear canal, making them almost invisible. Others fit partially in your ear canal. Generally, the smaller a hearing aid is, the less powerful it is, the shorter its battery life and the more it’ll cost.
Why do people need hearing aids?
Hearing aids can be useful in improving the hearing and speech understanding of people who have suffered hearing loss that comes from damage to the small sensory cells in the inner ear, called hair cells. This type of hearing loss is called sensorineural hearing loss.
The damage can happen as a result of illness, aging, or injury from noise or certain medicines. A hearing aid magnifies sound vibrations entering the ear. Surviving hair cells detect the larger vibrations and convert them into neural signals that are passed along to the brain.
The greater the damage to a person’s hair cells, the more severe the hearing loss, and the greater the hearing aid amplification needed to the make up the difference.
When you suffer from hearing loss, probably the first thing you recognize is that it’s becoming more difficult to follow conversation, in particular when there’s competing background noise. You get frustrated because you think people speaking to you are mumbling, and you have to ask them to repeat themselves. When this happens often, you may start to avoid social situations because of the embarrassment.
In addition, friends and family may complain about how loud you listen to the TV or stereo. There are many signs of hearing loss and if you suspect you are suffering from it, then do be sure to have tests done so you can be accurately diagnosed and given treatment and support. A proper diagnosis is also important to ensure that it is not a symptom of another ailment or disease.
If you think you might have hearing loss and could benefit from a hearing aid, visit your physician, who may refer you to an otolaryngologist or audiology. An otolaryngologist is a physician who specializes in ear, nose and throat disorders and will investigate the cause of the hearing loss. An audiologist is a hearing health professional who identifies and measures hearing loss and will perform a hearing test to assess the type and degree of loss.
The hearing aid that will work best for you depends on the kind and severity of your hearing loss.
