Sound Advice

Hearing Aids: Pick Function Over Fashion

Even though hearing loss is a life-changing disability, it's easy to be influenced by how a hearing aid looks as opposed to how it works. Hearing patients can make the cosmetics-only fitting mistake based on one or more of the following thought processes:

• Denying the hearing loss: Patient decides, "Smaller hearing aids are for small disabilities."
• Associating hearing loss with aging: Patient decides, "Smaller hearing aids are for younger people."
• Reducing the challenge of a hearing loss: Patient decides, "Smaller hearing aids require fewer life changes."
• Accepting advertised message that cosmetics are more important than function: Patient decides, "The manufacturer knows exactly what people need."
• Concluding that more technology is better: Patient decides, "The more techno-gadgetry, the more the hearing aid will help."
• Rationalizing that an inconspicuous hearing aid worn by one person is the best hearing aid for everyone: Patient decides, "If that hearing aid worked for my dear friend Martha, it will work just as well for me."

When your audiologist examines you for a hearing aid, focus on the tasks he or she is assigning to you, without focusing on which hearing aid is being recommended. Do not tell your audiologist which hearing aid is best for you before your hearing is examined and recommendations are made. Remember, audiologists work with both function and form. That is, they have the skills to both improve what you hear and recommend the hearing aid that has the best possible cosmetic appearance for you.

For questions, or to schedule an appointment, please call us at 770-425-1095