When Should You Get a Hearing Aid

Usually the hearing impairments that result in the necessity to use a hearing aid do not occur suddenly. In most cases, this is a long process, whose severity of symptoms and characteristics increases with time and eventually makes them recognisable and noticeable to the sufferer. However, many people tend to neglect or belittle their hearing problems, until they start to affect the quality of their life and safety. It is crucial to consult a professional audiologist even if there is the slightest suspicion of a possible hearing loss. If the underlying condition is curable, for example if earwax build up causes the hearing loss, it is absolutely necessary to start taking appropriate actions to properly treat it. One of the initial symptoms that might indicate there is a problem is that the sufferer starts to experience difficulties while having a conversation with other people, as if they speak with an abnormally low voice. At first, it might look like the reason for the troubled hearing lies within the others’ voice pitch or the environment, as the condition may not occur all the time or with everybody. However, when the sufferer is in a noisy environment or speaking with recently acquainted people, whose speech specifics they are not used to, the possibilities for instances of misunderstandings increase. The person may notice a constantly growing necessity to ask people to repeat their words or to start turning up the volume of the TV more and more. Most people may be anxious about the possibility that they are affected by hearing loss. Therefore, the first step and often the most difficult is the acknowledgement of the problem. To have a hearing test carried out is very simple and easy to arrange and can eliminate any doubt either way. Once this step is taken, professional help is available to guide towards the best possible solution. If the condition requires the use of a hearing aid, there are several ways to obtain it. One of the possibilities is to use the services of the NHS and apply for their program providing free of charge hearing aids. The NHS does not offer all types of devices available on the market. Their assortment offers a range of analogue or digital devices and the possible options include body-worn, behind the ear, bone conduction, baha, CROS and BiCROS hearing aids. The change of batteries and maintenance is free of charge. However, the device remains at all times a property of the NHS and in case of damage due to negligence or poor maintenance, the user might be required to pay a certain amount towards reparation. There is usually a waiting list for this service and it might take a few weeks to receive the hearing aid. It is also possible to order a hearing aid from a specialized shop or online, especially if you want to take advantage of the latest technologies and features. A private purchase also allows the customer to choose the hearing aid that will be most suitable for their specific type and level of hearing loss and that satisfies their individual requirements for its design.

• Hearing aids