The latest advancement in hearing aids, according to several news articles both in newsprint and on websites, is the Integrated Signal Processing or ISP.  It effectively integrates a person’s hearing, what has not been lost, and filters through whatever atmosphere they are, in other words filtered through the noise, to maximize their hearing.

According to many published reports, hearing loss may not be reversed; however it could be managed with the help of state-of-the-art hearing aids.  Just as a DC dentist would recommend dentures to a person who has lost their teeth, an audiologist would recommend a hearing aid to a person losing their hearing.

There are three types of hearing loss: Sensorineural, conductive and mixed hearing loss. Sensorineural happens to be the most common type of hearing loss experienced by millions of people and is commonly referred to as nerve loss or nerve damage.  This is described as the auditory nerve and the inner ear not properly communicating or transmitting signals to the brain.  Conductive hearing loss often times can be medically treated, for example a hearing loss due to an ear infection.  And mixed hearing loss have both Sensorineural and conductive hearing losses.

When considering purchasing a hearing aid, it is wise to read hearing aid reviews either in medical journals or through Internet website articles.  An audiologist will test a person for hearing loss and then recommend various hearing aids, giving the person the opportunity to try out the various brands of hearing devices.  Many brands of hearing aids are no bigger than a dime and fit comfortably within the ear canal so that no one can see that you are wearing a hearing aid.  Advancements in technology have allowed scientists to create hearing devices that are so tiny and comfortable, yet work remarkably well to help delete static and white noise so that a person’s voice or a sound comes in crystal-clear.

Many published reports state that from age 18 to 44, approximately two out of every 10 adults experience a hearing loss.  From ages 45 to 64 this number increases to three out of every 10 adults experience a hearing loss. After age 65, four out of every 10 adults will experience some degree of hearing loss.  These statistics do not include those people who are born deaf because hearing aids do not help but profoundly deaf, only the hard of hearing.

It is important to have children tested for hearing loss at an early age, then at regular intervals of between five to seven years.  Because hearing loss happens so slowly, many people do not realize the extent of their hearing loss. It is usually the people around them, friends and family, that notice their hearing loss before they do.