Can Hearing Aids Restore Hearing Completely?

An approximate 15% of Americans, ranging from babies to the elderly and many in between, experience hearing loss or diminished hearing. This is a big percentage of the population! Hearing loss can be caused or exacerbated by a variety of factors, including but not limited to heredity, outside factors, injury and illness and hearing loss can be mild to severe with symptoms varying from balance issues to affecting speech. 

Wearing hearing aids

Many Americans have found that using a hearing device or hearing aid has vastly improved their hearing and quality of life as it relates to their hearing loss. You can obtain a hearing aid by scheduling an appointment with an audiologist, who will then administer a hearing test, give you an exam and consultation and then diagnose your hearing loss and go over treatment options. While there are some other treatments available, including surgery, these are generally rare and the vast majority of those with diminished hearing end up with a hearing aid or device. 

There are some who put off getting a hearing test or hearing aid because of various factors, including expense, stigma and other factors. While your concerns are valid, we urge you to reconsider and get a hearing test. Treatments such as hearing aids can vastly improve your hearing and are surprisingly affordable. Your audiologist will help you navigate the costs and choose a device that is right for you. And many hearing devices are virtually invisible, easy to use and wear, depending on the type you choose. 

Choosing a style 

There are a number of different styles, sizes, brands and types of hearing aids on the market to choose from, and you can obtain them from your audiologist as well as purchasing them independently online. Despite the wide variety on the market, there are three main types of hearing device that you’ll likely choose from. 

These styles include:

Behind the ear (BTE),  which connects to a device inside your ear via a clear plastic tube, inside the ear (ITE), which connects with a thin electrical wire, is small and smooth and fits easily inside the ear and in the canal (ITC), which is one unit comprised of both speaker and receiver and has manual controls. 

Your audiologist will go over each of these types in detail, including which is right for your specific hearing loss, pricing and payment plan information and much more. Together, you’ll choose the right hearing device for your specific need. Hearing aids are easy to use, easy to wear and surprisingly affordable. They are very effective, partially restoring hearing for users. Millions of Americans have found great success with them. 

Making adjustments

One question that is often asked when choosing a hearing aid is, will this hearing device fully restore my hearing? or, will the hearing aid get my hearing back to normal? The short answer is No. While hearing aids are incredible devices with cutting edge technology, and can partially restore your hearing, making your hearing loss much less profound and improve your quality of life exponentially, one thing they cannot do is completely restore your hearing. They can partially do so, amplifying the sounds you hear and improving hearing greatly. They can get you as close to normal as possible, but they can’t restore hearing fully. 

Even if they don’t fully restore hearing, hearing aids vastly improve life for those dealing with hearing loss. They make it easier to hear various sounds and frequencies, which also helps with speech, balance and while you’re hearing isn’t 100% restored, you’ll hear a much larger percentage of sounds than you did before, making them an absolutely worthwhile investment and treatment for your hearing loss. Most people who have hearing aids say that they’ve experienced wonderfully restored hearing and rely on the hearing aid greatly. 

If you’re interested in obtaining a hearing aid, first contact an audiologist or hearing specialist, such as the team at Clifton Springs Hearing Center and schedule an appointment for a consultation and hearing test. An audiologist can determine which type of hearing aid is right for you based on the results of the hearing test and consulting with you on your hearing loss. They will go over payment options, pricing and more, helping you choose the perfect hearing aid for your specific needs and budget. 

Hearing aids have vastly improved the hearing of children and adults alike, all over the United States. With three main types and dozens of varieties available, there is a hearing device out there that is perfect for you. Learn more about these hearing devices and schedule a consultation by contacting the Clifton Springs Hearing Center at 315-496-4314.