Do you lean in closer to the speaker when you’re having a conversation? Is it easier to understand someone when you can see their face when they are speaking to you? Do you ask people to repeat themselves? Do you turn the television up to hear it? Do you accuse others of mumbling? Well guess what, it is probably your problem to fix with hearing aids.
There are now a myriad of choices for buying hearing aids. If you are just noticing that it’s getting a little harder to hear, then maybe you can get by with Over The Counter (OTC) hearing aids. You can buy an OTC hearing aid at a store like Walgreens or Best Buy, and even get one online. The cost is quite minimal. OTC aids may be an option for up to 90 percent of people with hearing loss—those with mild-to-moderate problems. These will help those people who just need the volume turned up on what they hear.
If your hearing loss is beyond that level, then you will be helped better by seeing an audiologist and getting prescription hearing aids. Beyond volume these can be adjusted for various situations such as in a theater, a restaurant, a car, at the television, and more. These providers test your hearing and evaluate your needs, and help you decide on the hearing aid that might be best for you. They also program the device you select so that it’s set up for your specific hearing profile— and provide follow-up adjustments as needed.
Like prescription hearing aids, OTC devices come in two basic shapes: in the ear or behind the ear. In-the-ear aids tend to be smaller, sometimes small enough to fit completely inside the ear canal. Behind-the-ear aids consist of connected pieces: a case that contains the device’s hardware and sits behind the ear, and a receiver that sits in the canal or an earbud.
Whatever kind you decide on, remember to try them for a while. They all take getting used to and should let you return them for at least a month. NOTE: Hearing aids can range from about $200 to $10,000 and they’re usually not covered by insurance. But, whatever the price, they are worth it to keep you socially active rather than isolated!
