Wearing hearing aids is less noticeable than having untreated hearing loss

Chances are you or someone you love has hearing loss. According to the Hearing Loss Association of America, hearing loss is the third most common physical condition after heart disease and arthritis. The good news is that nearly 95% of people with sensorineural hearing loss can be treated with a simple solution: hearing aids.

There is often a negative social stigma associated with hearing aids as many people groan at the thought of needing amplification. Vanity usually comes into play. People are often in denial or worry that hearing aids will make them look “older” or “handicapped.” They often feel they “aren’t old enough” or “don’t have enough hearing loss” to warrant hearing aids.

The Better Hearing Institute shares that only 35% of people with hearing loss are older than age 64. This means that close to six million people in the U.S. between ages of 18-44 have hearing loss, and more than one million are school age.

The bottom line: hearing loss affects ALL age groups.

The truth of the matter is that untreated hearing loss is far more noticeable than wearing hearing aids.

If you miss a joke, don’t understand what is being said during a meeting, respond inappropriately in conversation, nod in agreement when you don’t understand what is being said or ignore a family member because you cannot hear them, these type of responses make your condition more apparent than even the largest hearing aid. These experiences may also give people concerns about your mental acuity, your attention span and/or your ability to communicate.

A recent patient who admitted his initial vanity was surprised when “no one even noticed!” As an active golfer, grandfather of nine, and an important member of his workforce, he opted to move forward with a sleek pair of behind-the-ear hearing aids without telling any of his friends or coworkers. He later laughed when he reported, “no one visibly noticed me wearing them. They were actually more concerned because they realized I could finally hear what they were saying, without requiring repetition!”

Hearing aids have come a long way in terms of size, technology and features available. At Heartland Hearing, we encourage our patients to focus on the people and conversations in their everyday lives. These are the reasons that treating your hearing loss is so important. There’s no right or wrong age to move forward with amplification. If you have hearing loss, it’s important to treat your hearing loss as soon as possible. Most patients are pleasantly surprised with the small size, comfort and discreet hearing aid options available today. Quite honestly, in addition to hearing “I wish I had done this sooner,” our patients usually report back, “These are so comfortable I forget that I’m wearing them!”

How much do hearing aids cost?, December 25, 2015

Better hearing is an investment, both emotionally and financially. One of the first things a first-time patient wants to know is, “How much do hearing aids cost?”

The honest answer is: It depends on what you need for your lifestyle.

Hearing aid manufacturers invest hundreds of millions of dollars each year in research and development (R&D) in order to produce the best technologies available. Hearing aids are incredibly small and amazingly intelligent all thanks to research and development.

Every hearing aid manufacturer offers entry-level, mid-level and high-end technology. As the level of technology increases from basic to high-end, the number of features within the device also increases, and therefore, so does price.

Additionally, when you choose to purchase hearing aids you are not merely paying for the devices alone, you are paying for the customer service and follow up care provided. If you choose to think of hearing aids as a simple commodity, you are doing yourself a great disservice. Hearing aids are complex medical devices that go hand-in-hand with improving your overall healthcare. The most successful patients understand that having hearing loss and wearing hearing aids is a long-term, on-going partnership between the patient and audiologist. The pair works together over infinite years to continue fine tuning, ensure maintenance of the device, and monitor progression of hearing loss and make changes to the hearing aids as your lifestyle and/or hearing loss changes.

The national average for a pair of hearing aids ranges between $4,500 and $6,500. Most people wear their hearing aids 18 hours per day, 7 days a week and 52 weeks out of the year. When you take the total price divided by several years of daily use… the cost is equivalent to a cup of coffee per day!

Unfortunately, many people make price the priority when buying hearing aids, often shopping around for the lowest price possible from untrained providers. Statistics show that this typically leads to patient dissatisfaction and people who purchase inexpensive hearing aids replace them with more appropriate and effective devices within two years, while those who initially invest in both quality hearing aids and superior service replace them every five years!

The first step is to get your hearing tested and explore your options with a professional audiologist. At Heartland Hearing in SW Cedar Rapids, your first consultation is complimentary. Call 319-409-5786 or email us to schedule an appointment today.