Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids - FAQ

Do hearing aids work?
Yes, without question. And today’s digital technology is remarkable, too. But the product itself is not solely responsible for patient satisfaction. The proper taking of an ear impression, venting, product selection and computer programming are keys to long-term success with a hearing aid. These are determined by the choice of a skilled clinician. The other keys to success are patient education, motivation and realistic expectation.

I have heard it takes six weeks to six months to adjust to hearing aids. Why?
If your hearing has slipped over time, the sudden jump back to normal hearing will seem unnatural. Time is needed for your brain to adjust to sounds it has forgotten. You may have experienced a similar learning curve moving from eyeglasses to contact lens, or from trifocals to no-line progressive lenses. At NewSound, we have a step-by-step “warm-up” method which guarantees your success.

Will hearing aids amplify sounds and damage my hearing?
No. At your fitting a safe maximum volume level will be preset by the clinician using a calibrated computer. The hearing instruments will not amplify beyond the safe, preset level.

Two of my friends wear hearing aids. They paid different amounts and they both go to the same clinician. Why?
Hearing aid products may look the same on the outside, but the electronics on the inside can be very different. The oldest technology (analog) is the least expensive because research and development costs have been absorbed over the last 30 years. The newest digital hearing aid technologies (multi-channel, multi-memories, multi-microphones) have more than a billion dollars in research and development costs to date. This technology mimics the human ear and costs more, but for many is the better long-term value, delivering the best user satisfaction.

How can I be sure that I truly have a hearing problem? Is it all subjective, or is there an objective way to know?
Audiology is an exact science. In much the same way that a dental X-ray can clearly show a cavity in your teeth, or a blood test can show numerical values of cholesterol, prostate and thyroid, the Audiometer will show a picture of your hearing system. If you had the test conducted today in your hometown, and next week by a different clinic across the country, your results would be the same. While normal vision is considered to be 20/20, normal hearing is established by the common level of conversational speech.

After age 50, a hearing test should become a part of your annual health routine. A hearing check-up can take from 20 minutes for a basic pure-tone test to an hour and a half for a full audiological exam. At NewSound, your hearing clinician will provide you a copy of your Audiogram, which will clearly identify the type, degree and symmetry of your hearing. And, you may not need hearing aids. Call today to schedule a FREE hearing check-up.

Call 1-800-991-HEAR to reach a NewSound Hearing Aid Center near you, or click here to see a list of our locations.