Contrary to popular thought, a hearing loss isn’t actually a loss of sound volume. When hearing loss occurs, it affects a person’s ability to hear certain frequencies. Some types of sounds may be crystal clear, while others are more difficult to hear.
Hearing loss can be caused by a number of reasons. Some include genetics, physical injury, illness and excessively-loud noise. In most cases, it’s a normal part of growing older and with the right support and treatment, it won’t affect your quality of life. Find out more about hearing loss.
The decision to use a hearing aid is a personal one. Some people mistakenly believe they don’t need a device, while others are concerned with the expense, appearance, and comfort.
Most people wait an average of seven years from the time they are told they have a hearing loss to the time they get a hearing aid. Sadly, this delay can sometimes mean relationships, social skills, speech and even memory are diminished.
If a hearing aid has been recommended to improve your hearing, then why not visit us at Acoustic Hearing Clinics and we’ll talk you through your options. Modern hearing aids now come in a range of styles, sizes, and prices to suit a variety of lifestyles.
Many people wear their hearing aids only for certain events like going out for dinner, to the movies or to work. It’s actually important to wear your hearing aids all day, every day because it helps stimulate sound-processing in the brain. A common way of describing this is: use it or lose it. Basically, if your brain isn’t continually processing certain sounds, then the ability to hear these sounds at all is diminished over time.
With proper care and maintenance, hearing aids usually last around five years or more. Exposure to dust, heat, and moisture may affect the lifespan of the aid.
Hearing aid prices range from free (if eligible for a rebate), up to several thousand dollars. The price is affected by the technology of the device and whether it includes any extra technical features. We stock a wide range of hearing aids at Acoustic Hearing Clinics to suit all budgets.
Real ear measurement (in simple words) is the fine-tuning of your hearing aid to your specific hearing requirements. These adjustments help make your hearing aids comfortable, to a point where you won’t even notice wearing them! We perform real ear measurement at all of our clinic locations.
Wearing a new hearing aid can take some getting use to. You’ll likely hear some background sounds that you haven’t heard for a while. This may be a bit alarming, but your brain will learn how to process and prioritise these with time.
Try wearing your hearing aids for short, regular periods of time to start. Use your aids in quieter environments before visiting noisy, crowded places. Slowly but surely, you will start to hear sounds in balance. And don’t forget you can always contact us to discuss any problems you’re having.
