Loop NM - See Who has Hearing Loops Installed

     Recently Looped:  Planetarium, Lensic Theater in Santa Fe, and Church of Christ in Rio Rancho

Hearing Loss Association of America: (find local chapters):  

     Albuquerque Chapter:  hlaanm@juno.com /  (505) 554-7186
     Las Cruces Chapter 
     Santa Fe Chapter:  johnhooper.ref@gmail.com / (505) 603-2994

Oasis

     3301 Menaul Blvd NE #18, Albuquerque, NM 87107

      https://www.oasisnet.org/Albuquerque-NM

     (505) 884-4529

NM Technology Assistance Program (NMTAP): 

      http://www.tap.gcd.state.nm.us/

     (505) 841-4464 

     (877) 696-1470 

Answers to your questions:

Hearing aids by mail:  It is highly recommended you don't purchase devices that "look like" hearing aids but promise to save thousands of dollars.  Rule of thumb with anything is that if it seems to good to be true, it is.  You should always try before you buy when purchasing any type of listening device.  Consider a conversation amplifier if you are unable to spend thousands of dollars on traditional hearing aids. 

Behind the Ear, or BTE, hearing aid accessories:  The best accessory for a behind the ear hearing aid is a T-Coil, which is built into the hearing aid, and a neckloop.  A neckloop is worn around the neck and can be plugged into any audio source. The sound travels through the neckloop and is then fed into the hearing aid wirelessly.  The most popular way to use a neckloop is with a cell phone.  Neckloops can have a built in mic and can have bluetooth technology.

Invisible hearing aids:  most of our clients want their hearing aids to be hidden so others don't know they are experiencing a hearing loss.  The best advice we can give any client is to self disclose.  It is much more awkward to pretend there is no hearing loss, than to have an awkward conversation due to misunderstanding what was said.  If you are seeking some colorful hearing aids, consider companies like Phonak, Audibel, Resound, BellTone, Oticon, Siemens, Kirkland, and Nexear.

Compare hearing aids:  visit Consumer Reports for some insight to hearing aids and comparing features.  If you need to better hear when in a restaurant or in a classroom, you may want to consider an FM system, which lets you hear up to 100 ft away.

Sudden partial hearing loss: this occurs most often between the ages of 30-60, occurs suddenly or over a period of several hours, is not gender specific, and usually affects one ear. 30% of the time the sudden hearing loss is discovered in the morning, when waking up. There is a 50 - 60 percent chance of recovery.  Steroids often help in the recovery from sudden partial hearing loss or, if a viral cause, antiviral medications may help. If due to inner ear pressure a diuretic may assist. What's most important is early treatment and avoidance of loud noise for the affected ear. A personal amplifier may be of asistance in teh home or workplace.

Top rated hearing aids:  we get asked this question a lot for anything we provide "what do you recommend".  What we recommend is whatever works for you.  Every need, hearing, vision, expectation, etc. is different.  Try before you buy and find a specialist that you can have a long term relationship. You are highly encouraged to discuss T-Coils and their benefits. See businesses that are T-Coil friendly.  

Free loud ring tones for hearing aids: it's not always about volume - volume has its limitations.  Consider tone/pitch of your ringer.  You may also want to consider finding a cell phone that has a good vibration feature. You can also be shaken awake if you are using your cell phone as an alarm clock. 

Hearing going in and out:  this may be the sign of deteriorating hearing health.  You are encouraged to seek out an Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist or an audiologist in your area. One cause may be due to your Eustachian tube is not working properly, like when landing/taking off on an airplane. If Meniere’s Disease, the hearing loss may last for days, not minutes/hours. If recently exposed to loud noise, you may experience a temporary change in hearing which will gradually return to normal. Wax build up will also cause a temporary loss as the jaw moves and moves the wax within the ear. If you find your hearing loss to be more permanent, consider alerting systems for the home to know when a telephone is ringing, someone is at your door, or when a baby is crying. 

Hearing aid battery replacement:  Your hearing aid should beep as the battery is running low.  To preserve battery life, be sure hearing aid is turned off completely by opening the battery door.  You can also use a battery tester that will often carry an extra battery. Be sure the battery positive side is facing upward.  If you do not have a battery tester, you can cup the hearing aid in your hand and bring up to your ear.  If the battery is squealing, you still have battery life. 

Ear hearing problems:  consider your lifestyle, budget, and need. Create a list of what you would like to better hear, i.e., telephone, TV, office environment, classroom, one on one conversations, public venues, etc.  Not one solution is a fix all and be leery of fix all recommendations.  You may need to consider more than one solution or become better informed on what one solution may accomplish effectively.   

How often do I need to change my hearing aid batteries:  the smaller the battery the lesser the battery life.  Smaller batteries need to be changed about every 5 - 7 days.  Larger batteries may last two weeks or more. 

Music effects hearing:  hearing is measured in two categories, volume (decibles), and pitch (frequency).  Generally speaking, we all experience higher frequency hearing loss first due to the hair folliclesicals within the inner ear dying off.  Low frequency loss is generally due to a qualifying event, such as gun shots, plane engines, standing next to a loud speaker, etc. Decibal/Volume loss does not occur straight across the board, which is why we sometimes have clients that are not having a good experience with their hearing aids.  It can sometimes be difficult to increase volume for one frequency and not another.  See this short video for a visual of what we call the "speech banana" to better understand your hearing loss and how amplifiers work. 

Where to buy hearing aids:  we always recommend buying local and finding a specialist you offers folliclesow up visits as part of your purchase.  They should also be aware of T-Coils and their benefits, and assistive technology that can work in conjunction with your hearing aid purchase. 

Hearing loss Tinnitus: Tinnitus is sound that occurs without a sound source, occurring as result of neural brain activity.  Sound may be in the form of humming, cricket-like, ringing, or buzzing. It can occur in one ear or both and can be consistent or intermittent. Most common causes include: loud noise from shooting/machinary, head injury, side effect of medication/aspirin, or may be a natural part of aging. Almost 40% of people experience Tinnitus through at least 80% of their day. Unfortunately, there no current cures for Tinnitus with the exception of middle ear Tinnitus which surgery may help.  Masking your Tinnitus through sound generators which can be worn/not worn and may in the form of a hearing aid may offer relief from the Tinnitus experience. 

Best hearing aids consumer reports:  visit Consumer Reports.com.

Hearing Aid Exams:  make a list of your top five expectations.  Are you trying to hear in a classroom, restaurant, or when at home.  Is hearing over the telephone top priority or is hearing the television top of your list.  Each situation is a bit different and will be important in determining if a hearing aid is going to provide the solution you are seeking. 

Medicare covers hearing aids:  Medicare Part B will cover some of the preliminary/ear health need, however, will not pay for hearing aids.  See The Hearing Loss Association of America's site for additional help.