Your community hearinghealth newsletter from

Audiology and Hearing Aid Center, LLC

65 W. Street Road, Suite B-104 • Warminster, PA 18974 • 215-672-4327 • www.audiohac.com

Hearing Aids Can Seriously Impact RelationshipsNearly 36 million Americans suffer from hearing loss—and you may be one of them, especially if you’ve noticed a negative change in your relationships.

Common signs of hearing loss include misunderstanding words, turning up the television volume, and embarrassment in social situations from not being able to keep up with conversations. The inability to hear can cause isolation, withdrawal, frustration and can lead to the breakdown of communication within close relationships. Many spouses feel neglected and ignored. And those people who suffer from hearing loss are more likely to have depression and anxiety, as reported in a study by the National Council on Aging in 1999.

This study asked respondents and their family members to describe how hearing aids had enhanced their lives. Hearing aid usage showed strong evidence for improving quality of life for people with hearing loss, including higher earning power, enhanced personal relationships and social life, a greater sense of independence, reduction in anger, frustration, depression, anxiety and self-criticism, and less occurrence of pain. Shockingly, only 1 out of 5 people with a hearing loss wears a hearing aid, according to The National Institute on Deafness

and Other Communications Disorders. Today’s hearing instruments are lightweight and discreet, with cutting edge digital technology. Also available are cochlear implants, which provide an invisible solution for severe to profound hearing loss.

If your hearing loss is negatively impacting your relationships, social life, or work performance, we can help! Call us now and we’ll determine the hearing device that best fits your hearing needs and lifestyle.

Reminder: it’s important to have your hearing checked at least once per year! If you haven’t already done so, call today to schedule your appointment!

Q: Why did the traffic light turn red?

Have you

heard?

A: You would too if you had to change in the middle of the street!When it comes to your hearing health, don’t settle for any funny business -- trust our professionals to help you make an informed decision. Let us continue to prove why we’re your neighborhood choice for hearing health!

Take a moment andlisten. What do you hear? Often we are too busy in our lives to notice all of the sounds around us,let alone realize howthey are affecting us!

Annual Hearing Evaluations: Often patients ask us “when should I schedule my next hearing test?” Our answer is complicated. A routine hearing test is not covered by Medicare unless it is considered a medical necessity (i.e. a change in hearing is noted, tinnitus, dizziness or vertigo occurs, a patient has diabetes, cardiovascular problems, or other health issues which may contribute to hearing loss). At AHAC we believe that an annual audiogram IS valuable for all patients, even though we may not be able to bill insurance. This evaluation, then may be the patient responsibility and can provide important information which can be used as an integral part of a hearing health care plan.

Insurance Benefits: Many patients may not be aware of an insurance benefit that covers a portion of the hearing aid costs. If you have Federal Blue Cross, Aetna, Cigna or Keystone 65, you may be eligible for hearing aid benefits!

Did you know that giraffes keep their ears clean by licking them with their extra long tongue?

FREE Captel Phone available for any patient with qualifying hearing loss. Please contact us for details!

215-672-4327

Are Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids Better?If you or a loved one suffer from hearing loss problems, you may be considering purchasing over-the-counter hearing aids instead of going to see a licensed hearing care professional. While some items are suitable for buying over the counter, hearing aid devices aren’t among them.

See a Licensed Hearing Care Professional for All Your Hearing Aid Needs.

Here are just a few reasons why it’s a bad idea to buy an over-the-counter hearing aid:• Everyone’s hearing loss is different, so hearing aids need to be fitted to address an individual’s specific hearing needs. Not to mention, without a proper hearing aid fitting, they will most likely not be comfortable in the ear.

• A certified hearing care professional will perform a proper hearing assessment, hearing aid fitting, as well as follow-up care to ensure long term success.

• With so many advances in hearing aid technology and a multitude of hearing aid features, you need a knowledgeable hearing care professional to explain the different available options to you.

• Tailor-made hearing aids are programmed by a professional to address an individual’s areas of weakness; OTC hearing aids are not.

• When purchasing OTC hearing devices, you won’t have a professional to show you how to clean and maintain the device, remove and replace the batteries, or even troubleshoot simple problems – all benefits you get when working with a professional to get fitted for a “real” hearing aid.

• If you suffer from hearing loss, it may be linked to an unknown health issue, such as infection, blockage or underlying medical problem, and attempting to treat the symptom of an undiagnosed medical illness with an OTC hearing device could leave an underlying condition unaddressed. (Plus, if the issue is as simple as excessive earwax you may not need a hearing aid!)

• Unlike prescribed hearing aids, OTC hearing aid devices cannot help your brain process sound optimally; they usually just amplify sounds.

• The improper use of OTC hearing aids can cause hearing damage or aggravate existing damage.

65 W. Street Road, Suite B-104 • Warminster, PA 18974 • 215-672-4327 • www.audiohac.com