Hear, Here

By Dr. Dawn MacMillan, Audiologist Hearing aids are wonderful tools to assist those with hearing loss! They can make things louder when needed, brighter-sharper-clearer if that's what is needed. Modern digital hearing aids are based off a prescription, your hearing test, so your Audiologist can program in precisely the sounds you need. Instant-fit and over-the-counter (OTC) options cannot do this as they are typically programmed to a particular hearing loss shape and configuration. This is bad because it means some sounds you need to hear will be UNDER-amplified while other sounds are OVER-amplified, leading to dissatisfaction with the sound quality and for most, poor wearing habits. To get the most out of your investment, here are five tips to maximize success with hearing aids:  1.        Learn how your hearing aids work . Spend some time with your Audiologist, and really learn how hearing aids work.  A hearing aid fitting appointment ...

This is going to be a much more personal, passionate post than past blog entries. The issues discussed below are obstacles I face everyday as a Doctor of Audiology and they aren't solved by slapping a widget on someone's ear and yelling "next!". I hope you will stick with me through it and return frequently for other entries regarding hearing healthcare. I fit numerous sets of hearing aids each week. Most of them on new users who have never worn hearing aids before. I always encourage my patients to bring someone with them to this visit. I find people respond better when they have a familiar voice to hear first through their hearing aid versus MY voice that they may not be familiar with beyond our first visit at their hearing test and subsequent hearing aid evaluation. I find that most people do not bring a communication partner with them. Whether is is because their adult children don't live here or are at work and can't break away or because they are tr...