When it comes to hearing aids and hearing amplifiers, people are often confused on which ones to choose. They don’t know the basic difference between the two. The personal sound amplification products or hearing amplifiers make the sound louder, you can read in detail in the blog. But the major drawback of hearing amplifiers is that it is not recognized by FDA as medical devices. It is the reason that it is not recommended by the audiologist as hearing loss treatment.
On the other hand the hearing aids are FDA approved medical devices for treatment of hearing loss. The audiologists or trained and licensed technicians. The FDA has set some guidelines for hearing aids to safeguard the patient’s safety. So you should always make sure that you understand the difference and working of the products and don’t buy inferior quality hearing aids that can harm you.
Hearing Aids Vs Hearing Amplifiers:
Hearing aids can be quite expensive and this is the reason people often choose hearing amplifiers over them. Hearing amplifiers are often marketed as one for all hearing solutions, but it is indeed a misleading claim. Like every human being has a unique fingerprint, the hearing loss also is unique and different from person to person.
So the hearing solution would be different for each person. This is the reason that only a hearing aid which has been prescribed by a professional who is licensed should be used. Hearing amplifiers may seem to you like a quick, cheap and better option but in reality may make your hearing problem worse.
Hearing Amplifiers Are Not Helpful In Clarifying The Speech:
The amplifier has only one function to make the sound louder. It does not consider your level of hearing loss. Plus the voice that is made loud is not clear also. Not many are aware of the fact that to clearly understand the speech there should always be a proper balance of frequencies. Furthermore there are certain more limitations or errors in hearing amplifiers:
- They are not customized for one’s hearing loss.
- They can differentiate between noise and speech
- There is no wind noise reduction or feedback cancelation
- It is no value for money
These are the factors which have pushed FDA to not recognize it as a hearing aid and audiologist to ban it.
What Are The Harms Of Using Hearing Amplifiers?
At the point when used to treat hearing misfortune, hearing amplifiers can accomplish more damage than anything else. Hearing amplifiers are intended for individuals with ordinary hearing. In case your hearing is alright, you may profit by utilizing a hearing intensifier in testing settings. In any case, for somebody with hearing misfortune, basically intensifying all sounds can really create additional harm to the hearing ability.
Do Hearing Amplifiers Have Any Positive Aspect?
Of course hearing amplifiers are great for many activities. It is only not good for people who have hearing handicaps. But on the other hand it is really beneficial for people who want to hear enhanced sounds. Like for example people who are into bird watching like to hear the sounds of the bird clearly, they can use the hearing amplifiers. The music or theater lovers who would like to hear the artists or musicians play more clearly can use these for enhanced sound quality.
Do You Need A Hearing Amplifier Or Hearing Aid?
Well it all depends on what you need. If you are having hearing trouble, which is affecting your daily life, like you are having trouble understanding the speech or TV, then it is best to visit a hearing specialist and get tested. They can test and determine the severity of your problem and can recommend hearing aid if needed. But if you just want to hear birds more precisely and closely in your birding hobby then you can just get the hearing amplifier.
It is all about your need and choosing the correct product according to that need. But if you are facing hearing loss problems and having trouble with your hearing, it is always advisable and safe to use the hearing aid, too after consulting with a trained and licensed hearing expert. Hearing is one of our senses, so one should never take risk. RK Audiology is known for providing high-quality hearing aids in Austin.
Conclusion:
If the assistance required is for hearing loss then definitely one should always go for hearing aid, after consulting your hearing expert. Even the FDA and audiologist never vouch for hearing amplifiers for hearing loss or hearing problems. So buying a hearing amplifier for hearing loss is not only not advisable but also dangerous. If you want to use the enhanced sound for fulfilling your hobbies like bird watching, theater or music then a hearing amplifier would be the best product for you. So it all boils down to the need of the end user.
