| If you are surfing the web to get information about | | | | it. That's because the most common type of hearing |
| hearing aids before you buy, you are doing the right | | | | loss is high frequency hearing loss. Which means you |
| thing. The internet has begun to provide competition | | | | can hear low frequency (bass) sounds quite well but |
| to an industry that has a unique and powerful hold | | | | will have trouble hearing the high frequency (treble) |
| over the sale of personal sound amplifying | | | | sounds. A high frequency hearing loss is most |
| instruments. More and more companies are offering | | | | commonly associated with aging, noise exposure and |
| hearing aids, assisted listening devices, starter | | | | tinnitus. |
| amplifiers and a variety of other instruments. From | | | | Conventional hearing aids plug the ear, helping to |
| the simple buy it direct on line to the more | | | | amplify the needed high frequency sounds, however |
| complicated three or four step process; these buying | | | | all sound has to pass through the device so all sounds |
| opportunities are helping a very large and growing | | | | are amplified. To compensate, these devices require |
| market discover that hearing help can be affordable. | | | | individual testing, custom programming and custom |
| The hearing industry has been a highly regulated | | | | fitting to the wearer, making them expensive and |
| industry for no apparent reason. The rational and | | | | often causing annoying side-effects such as, |
| methods implemented to maintain their hold on the | | | | feedback, occlusion, discomfort and more. |
| dispensing of hearing aids and thus control the cost is | | | | The common high frequency loss makes it difficult to |
| beginning to erode. Like our eyes our ears ability | | | | hear soft voices and to discern the spoken |
| diminishes as we age. With the advent of advanced | | | | consonants, therefore understanding what is being |
| medical science we will all live longer and better lives. | | | | said is troublesome normally, and becomes almost |
| But right now there are no pills for the eyes or ears. | | | | impossible when you are in noisy environments. |
| Ready made eyeglass magnifiers have been available | | | | Specifically designed to increase amplification in the |
| for many years. No exams, medical waivers, fittings, | | | | voice range frequencies while minimizing the |
| and associated fees, they are readily available and | | | | amplification of background noise frequencies, the |
| affordable. Senior citizens thanks to new | | | | open ear style provides volume and clarity for |
| developments are now able to easily purchase an | | | | increased speech recognition. Pre-programming the |
| affordable hearing aid and control their own volume. | | | | open ear to provide hearing help for the vast |
| Leading the way the open ear style hearing aid (also | | | | majority and removing the expenses of testing, |
| called open fit) brings a very effective and affordable | | | | office visits, individual programming and custom molds |
| solution to the 3rd most common ailment of aging, | | | | makes sense. |
| (hearing loss is only behind arthritis and hypertension). | | | | Anybody who is having hearing difficulty needs to |
| The open ear style is a very small, highly | | | | see a medical doctor and find out if simple |
| sophisticated, 100% digital hearing device that | | | | amplification is appropriate for their condition, as you |
| provides comfortable, clear and natural sound quality | | | | do with any ailment. Hearing aids are becoming |
| while being nearly invisible when worn, and it does | | | | available in two categories: those that require a |
| not plug the ear. The open ear style incorporates the | | | | professional for programming or fitting (molds etc.), |
| best of amplification technology and universal fit | | | | and those hearing aids that do not need a |
| components into an instrument designed to help you | | | | professional for fitting. For the last category, the |
| hear and understand speech. The open ear can also | | | | open ear style will lead the way and become just like |
| be manufactured and distributed affordably. | | | | other items over the counter that do not require a |
| The open ear style benefits: | | | | professional or a prescription. |
| *No occlusion effect - the plugged sensation of | | | | The hearing industry argument that hearing |
| traditional hearing aids. | | | | amplification should not be readily available for health |
| *When you wear the open ear own voice sounds | | | | or safety issues holds no water. Has anyone ever |
| natural. | | | | died using a generic hearing device? IPOD users put |
| *Most include advanced feedback cancellation which | | | | plugs into their ears, and the sounds they produce |
| helps eliminate the whistling that can occur with | | | | sometime exceed 120Db - a dangerous level. Open |
| traditional hearing aids. | | | | ear hearing aids deserve the same uninhibited access |
| *Helps you hear and understand conversations in | | | | by consumers. They will not work for everybody but |
| noisy rooms and listen to the TV without disturbing | | | | will allow the majority of more than 25 million seniors |
| others. | | | | that need hearing help, but cannot afford it, an |
| *It is difficult for anyone to see the device. | | | | opportunity to improve their lifestyle. |
| *No custom ear molds required. | | | | They deserve it. |
| Many of us can hear speech we but can't understand | | | | |