Hearing Loss & Hearing Aids

Hearing Loss

• More baby boomers showing signs of hearing loss.  
  • More than 31.5 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss—approximately 1 in 10 individuals.  It may reach 44 million by 2030.  Much of that looming surge is a baby-boomer phenomenon.
  • Among Americans ages 46 to 64, about 15 percent already have hearing problems, according to a survey by the Better Hearing Institute.
  • Two out of three people with hearing loss are below retirement age.
  • Sixty percent of people with hearing loss are male.
  • Only 12 percent of physicians today ask patients if they have any hearing problems.
  • Only one in five people who could benefit from hearing devices currently wear them! 
• Hearing loss doesn’t just affect hearing.
  • Hearing loss is associated with short-term memory loss.  According to a recent study at Brandeis University, older adults with mild to moderate hearing loss expended so much cognitive energy on trying to hear accurately that it diminished their ability to remember a short word list.  As a result, their cognitive functioning was poorer than those individuals of the same age that had good hearing.
  • Hearing loss leads to stress and fatigue because it requires so much effort to listen to what someone is saying—particularly in a noisy setting.
  • The National Council on the Aging (NCOA) reported that hearing loss in older persons can have a significant negative impact on quality of life.  In the NCOA’s survey of 2,300 hearing-impaired adults, age 50 or older, those with untreated hearing loss were more likely to report depression, anxiety, and paranoia and less likely to participate in organized activities, compared to those who wore hearing aids.
• But progress is being made on many fronts.
  • Advances in digital technology have dramatically improved hearing aids—they are smaller than ever with far better sound quality.
  • Top-of-the-line models feature "directional" or "high definition" hearing.  These devices use two microphones and an algorithm to enhance sound coming from the front (the person you are talking to), while tuning down sound coming from behind (the rest of the noisy party).
  • The creation of devices using Bluetooth communication technology can turn select hearing aids into wireless, hands-free headsets.
  • A promising advancement related to the use of Bluetooth technology is the ability to make hearing aids compatible with cell phones.
  • Nine out of ten hearing aid users report improvements in their quality of life, according to a survey by the Better Hearing Institute of more than 2,300 consumers.

What To Expect

          When you arrive at H.E.A.R.S. Audiology, you will be greeted by a friendly, knowledgeable staff that is ready to devote the necessary time to testing your hearing.  Your choice to have a hearing evaluation is important--it is the first step to improving the quality of your communicative life!

          Based on the results of your evaluation, our Audiologist will determine the proper management for your hearing loss.  If deemed appropriate, you will learn about your hearing adi options based on the degree of your hearing loss, your lifestyle, the physiology of your ear, and your budgetary needs.  Our staff will answer any and all questions you have in order to ensure that you have all the information necessary to make a sound purchase.

          H.E.A.R.S Audiology strives to maintatin the highest rating in customer satisfaction by offering hearing aids with advanced digital technology at reasonable prices with unrivaled personalized service.

About Today's Hearing Aids

          Modern breakthroughs in digital technology and miniaturization mean you get the best of both worlds: small, well concealed hearing aids with unequaled clarity and performance.  You’ll be amazed at how well these miniscule hearing aids work, and how comfortable and discreet they are.  It used to be that you had to choose between a powerful but obvious hearing aid, or an inconspicuous but "wimpy" hearing aid.  Not anymore.

          The term DIGITAL is used so often today, it can be confusing. When the term "digital" is used when referring to hearing aids, it generally means the hearing aid is 100% digital. In other words, the hearing aid is indeed a "complete computer." 100% digital hearing aids have been commercially available since the mid-1990s and they are wonders of modern technology. 100% digital hearing aids can process sound using incredibly fast speeds. Interestingly, most 100% digital hearing aids have some analog components, such as the microphone and the receiver. 100% digital hearing aids transform analog information into a digital signal and process the sound to maximize the speech information you want to hear, while minimizing the amplification of sounds you do not want to hear. Financing is available, and we make house calls. Contact us today!

More information on Baby Boomers, Hearing Loss, and Hearing Devices



ITE (In-The-Ear): ITEs are often the most comfortable and easiest to operate, and are the largest of the custom made styles.

ITC (In-The-Canal): This popular, discreet hearing aid is smaller than ITEs and requires good dexterity to control the volume wheel. 

CIC (Completely-In-The-Canal): The smallest, most discreet custom hearing aid available sits deeply in the ear canal and requires a "removal string" to pull the hearing aid out. CICs do not usually have manual controls due to their size.

BTE (Behind-The-Ear): BTEs are the largest hearing aids and are very reliable.  They have the most circuit options and typically offer more power than custom made units.  Resting on the back of your ear, BTEs are connected to the ear canal via plastic tubing that attaches to a custom ear mold that replicates the size and shape of your ear.


OPEN FIT/RIC (Receiver-In-The-Canal): These virtually invisible hearing aids have a tiny, clear tube or speaker which enters the ear canal and connects to a small case that rests on top of the ear.  Leaving the ear mostly open, this style is one of the most natural-sounding and cosmetically appealing options on the market.

You Should Know...

          Hearing aids are designed to improve your hearing sensitivity, but can not "cure" your hearing loss.  Please be patient when you are first fit with your hearing aids, which will need adjustments during the first few months.  These adjustments will allow your hearing aids to best serve you in a variety of different listening situations (when background noise is present, in quiet, etc.).  Please do not get discouraged as your hearing aids are tweaked to provide you with the ultimate benefit!