No reason to wait to buy a hearing aid
Dr. Tia Flynn | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 13 years, 6 months AGO
Why should I buy a hearing aid if it is just going to be considered obsolete in 90 days?
Hearing aid manufacturers are always in a race to come up with the newest technology. This does not mean that you shouldn't get a hearing aid when you need one. There is no reason to wait. Yes, the manufacturers keep improving aids and almost every year they come out with some fantastic new advances but if someone needs to hear they need to hear NOW. Hearing aids don't really become obsolete they just get old and wear out. Just because there are continual circuitry improvements that does not mean that hearing aids become obsolete. An example of obsolete would be when the aids age to the point that circuitry can no longer be accessed because of software advancements. I have only had one pair of old aids that I was unable to reprogram due to the fact that my new computer could not use the software from 10 years ago. That patient really needed new hearing aids anyway.
The hearing aids that have been out that past decade have been really, really good compared to aid of the past (before digital). If one waits for the next best circuit they are depriving their brain from hearing now. Friends and family are frustrated with repeating themselves to you now. Don't put it off. Thinking new aids become obsolete right away is just another excuse to keep denying the problem.
Another reason why not to wait is it is an election year. Everyone wants to hear what is going to happen around election time!
I don't think a hearing aid is obsolete until it is too old or weak to work for you or if the circuit goes bad and the circuitry has been discontinued. It is always recommended to get new hearing aids every 5 years because aids just wear out and the hearing loss usually gets worse and needs a stronger circuit anyway.
Dr. Tia Flynn is a certified audiologist and has been in business for more than 12 years. Every Tuesday morning from 9 a.m. to noon, Dr. Flynn provides free hearing screenings at 1601 Third St. in Coeur d'Alene. (208) 664-2767. Visit www.affordablehearinginc.com for a free copy of the consumers guide to hearing aids and watch helpful videos.
ARTICLES BY DR. TIA FLYNN
How long does it take to get hearing aids?
It depends on what style of hearing aid you are purchasing. If you are purchasing one of the new mini BTE’s (Behind the Ear) your hearing health care office may have some in stock that you may take home that day. There are generally two types of mini BTE’s. One is an open fit model, which has a selection of tubes, and tips that can usually fit anyone’s ear shape. The other type is a receiver in the canal, which also has a selection of receivers, and dome tips that can usually fit anyone’s ear shape. Some offices stock these types of aids but you usually have to special order the color that matches your hair.
About age-related hearing loss
Presbycusis is the medical term for age-related hearing loss. Causes of presbycusis include changes within the inner ear (damage to the tiny hair cells that pick up sound), changes in the middle ear (stiffening of the tympanic membrane and ossicles), complex changes along the nerve pathway leading to the brain, and cognitive changes in the brain.
Ask your audiologist: Free hearing help and repairs for the holidays!
Every holiday season I give back to the community by giving away a free pair of digital hearing aids to a deserving individual. I will also provide free in house repairs by appointment and bringing in a copy of this article. Everyone deserves to hear during the holidays! The holidays are usually the most important family gatherings of the year. Many people with hearing loss get left out of family conversations around the dinner table if they do not have hearing aids or if their hearing aid(s) are broken.