Hearing is essential for comprehending the world around us, but many problems lead to hearing loss. According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), as many as 60.7 million people over 12 (44.1 of that number are adults over 20) struggle with hearing loss in the U.S. alone. Statistics indicate that the number could double by 2060, but approximately 70 million people are now deaf globally.
The data also shows that as little as 16% of people with hearing loss under 69 have anything to help improve their quality of life. If you’re trying to cope with decreased hearing, you can use a range of devices. But, if you have to choose between hearing aids or hearing amplifiers, which one is the better option?
People living in the Kissimmee and Orlando, Florida, area dealing with hearing problems can find help with Drs. Wade Han, Elvira Livigni De Armas, and their medical team at the Florida Ear Nose Throat & Facial Plastic Surgery Center.
Your hearing system is the process of sound traveling through the outer, middle, and inner ear into the auditory nervous system to reach your brain, and different forms of damage can affect one or more parts of that system:
This hearing problem stems from something that prevents the conduction of sound passing through the outer and inner ear.
This results from gradual damage to the inner ear, though there is a type that happens quickly, known as sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL). It can occur all at once or over a few days.
A combination of both types of hearing issues, affecting the outer, middle, and inner ear.
When people are getting help for hearing problems, this is the solution most people are familiar with, which can be applied to the outside or inside of the ear as needed. It functions using three basic parts: a microphone that picks up the sound and converts it to electrical signals picked up by the amplifier, which it then sends to your ear with a tiny speaker. They use disposable or rechargeable batteries and are ideally suited for people with sensorineural hearing problems ( inner ear and auditory nerve damage).
They can be bought over-the-counter for mild to moderate hearing problems or custom-fitted for any severity.
This device can make sounds easier to hear, but isn’t a medical device. It is designed to amplify sounds in a given environment using wearable equipment and can be purchased from manufacturers, but is more suited for bird watching or hunting. Despite making sounds louder, it doesn’t necessarily make them clearer, doesn’t have customizable options like noise or feedback cancellation, and they don’t separate speech from other noises.
Worse, hearing amplifiers can do more harm than anything else, as amplifying noises for people with hearing problems runs the risk of increasing hearing loss.
Hearing aids can be expensive, but the long-term benefit to your hearing is profound. While hearing amplifiers will make sounds louder, they won’t necessarily help you hear better. If you’re struggling to hear things clearly and need a device to help, make an appointment with Drs. Han, Livigni Dr Armas, and the Florida Ear Nose Throat & Facial Plastic Surgery Center today.
