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Darlene Zscheck and Hillsong music
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Robin Mark
Sandi Patty
Paul Wilbur
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Christ Church Choir
Chris Tomlin
Michael W. Smith
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WBM may 2011
While hearing aids are fully customizable and
can begin working the minute you put them on,
they are not a fix-it and forget-it solution. Frequent
communication with your provider to adjust the
settings and fit will help to fine tune the device to your
needs. And, even if you wear it for some time with no trouble,
modifications may be required if your hearing changes. “It is a collaborative
process,” says Gagliardi. So, be sure to choose a provider you like
and with whom you have an easy time communicating.
New technology
As with any technology
these days, hearing aid
design and effectiveness
is changing rapidly. And,
aside from the aesthetic
improvements new technology
provides—devices
are getting smaller and
more invisible each generation—
hearing aids are
more adaptable than ever.
Wireless devices may
be synchronized to video,
audio or computer appliances
to receive audio
output directly to the hearing
aid. While watching
television with a group,
the audio is being played
directly into the device so
there is no longer a need to
turn up the volume that’s
bothersome to others.
Next on the horizon,
say Madden, Hamm and
Gagliardi, is Bluetooth
technology. “We’ll be able
to program the device
to respond to your cell
phone,” Gagliardi explains.
“When the phone rings,
your hearing aid will serve
as your phone earpiece.”
Surgical Options
While not yet the most common
technique for correcting
hearing loss, surgical treatments
are becoming more and more
prevalent. Dr. George Brinson of
Wilmington Ear, Nose and Throat Associates, PA,
says that cochlear implants are a good option for
people who have gotten to the point where hearing
aids are no longer effective. “We can implant a
device that directly stimulates the hearing nerve,”
he explains, “helping children and adults with
progressive hearing loss that is sometimes genetic.”
Fellowship trained in Otology/Neurotogy,
Brinson says that most of the surgeries he performs
are for older adults, but that often, people
in their 70s and 80s are reluctant to consider surgery.
“I tell them that at this stage of life, many of
their activities involve visiting and conversing. If
they can’t do that, it can be very isolating.”
Cochlear implants work for specific candidates
only, based on FDA guidelines that identify people
with a certain level of hearing loss and are based
particularly on the amount of distortion or lack of
clarity the patient is experiencing. However there
is another surgical option: implantable hearing
aid devices. These devices are invisible on their
own, but must be connected to an external device
to function. Certain hearing loss candidates may
benefit more from hearing aid implants than from
traditional hearing aid devices.
A trained professional can help determine
the best approach. Dr. Brinson suggests, “If
you have been turned down as a candidate for
implants, check back with your doctor every
few years.” He says that FDA guidelines change
and so can hearing loss levels. “There could
come a time when you are a candidate for one
of these treatments.”