Disposable Hearing Aids
Recently
made available to the general public, disposable
hearing aids offer a
conventional analog sound quality with possible savings in cost. They
are designed for people with mild to moderate hearing loss but do not
offer a permanent solution to hearing loss.
Sometimes billed as "one size fits all," disposable hearing
aids actually fit about 80% of adult male ears and about 60% of adult
female ears.
How disposable hearing aids work
MOST disposable aids have a very soft "mushroom" cap that fits
about halfway into the ear canal, just reaching the bony part
of the ear canal. When the aid fits properly, an acoustic seal is obtained
which minimizes feedback (whistling).
Disposable hearing devices come with
a number of possible "prescriptions" that a hearing health care
professional can select according to a patient's hearing loss.
Hearing loss must be accurately assessed prior to a hearing health care
professional choosing the device; otherwise the wrong 'prescription' may
be selected. The disposable hearing device lasts for 30 to 40 days at
which time the encapsulated battery expires. At this point, the user simply
disposes of the old one and purchases a new replacement device.
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Advantages of disposable hearing instruments
- You can have a hearing device immediately after a hearing test. There
is no waiting period for manufacturing the device.
- It does not
require battery changing.
- Because of their short life expectancy, mechanical
and electrical breakdown or blockage with earwax is not as
likely, and if it does occur, the device can either be returned to the
audiologist for a full refund or thrown out and replaced.
- No additional costs for battery
replacements, repair and maintenance, or insurance.
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Disdvantages of disposable hearing instruments
- They have a short life expectancy.
- They do not offer a custom fit. (Physical
fit may not be suitable for some ears causing discomfort and/or
feedback from the instrument.)
- Acoustic programming not nearly
as flexible as programmable and digital hearing aids.
- They are not a long-term solution
to hearing loss. By the tame you replace your disposable hearing
instrument once a month for two years, you could have already
paid for a custom hearing instrument with a life expectancy of 5+ years.
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Costs of
digital hearing aids
Disposable hearing aids usually sell for $40 a piece, averaging out to
about a dollar per day of use per ear.
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