{"id":5727,"date":"2022-11-04T15:58:46","date_gmt":"2022-11-04T15:58:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sfaudiology.com\/?p=5727"},"modified":"2022-11-04T15:58:46","modified_gmt":"2022-11-04T15:58:46","slug":"over-the-counter-hearing-aids-increase-accessibility-to-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sfaudiology.com\/over-the-counter-hearing-aids-increase-accessibility-to-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids Increase Accessibility to Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span>If you\u2019ve heard of over-the-counter hearing aids, then you may have also heard you don\u2019t need a prescription to purchase them. While they are convenient to buy and often cheaper than the prescription hearing aid alternative, patients will benefit from a licensed medical professional&#8217;s oversight. They can function as a self-serve option, but did you also know that the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3665209\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span>top three reasons for hearing aid abandonment<\/span><\/a><span> were background noise, lack of benefit and poor sound quality across ten different studies? Those are all common issues, and they can all be addressed by a hearing specialist.<\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>What Are the Benefits of Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Increasing the accessibility of hearing loss treatment is one of our team\u2019s top priorities. According to one study, almost 86% of Americans 50 and older with hearing loss <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3564585\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">do not wear hearing aids<\/a>. Untreated hearing loss has been linked to isolation, cognitive difficulties and increased falls.<\/p>\n<p>If over-the-counter hearing aids are a good fit for you and might make treatment a reality, we\u2019ll help determine which model will serve you best. Typically, over-the-counter hearing aids benefit adults who are experiencing mild to moderate hearing loss and only need sound amplification.<\/p>\n<p>While these devices may work well for some, certain patients should always receive prescription hearing aids. The National Institutes of Health <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nidcd.nih.gov\/health\/over-counter-hearing-aids\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recommends prescription hearing aids<\/a> for people who do not hear louder sounds or struggle to hear conversations in quiet settings.<\/p>\n<p>Our hearing care providers will also work with the following groups for prescription hearing aid fittings:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Children younger than 18<\/li>\n<li>Adults with dementia<\/li>\n<li>People who experience sudden hearing loss, a big difference between one ear and the other or tinnitus in one ear, which are potential signs of a medical problem<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>A Hearing Care Provider Plays an Important Role<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A hearing care provider does more than provide you with hearing aids. Every patient\u2019s needs are different, and whether you opt for an over-the-counter or prescription model, our provider will customize the device, so it best fits your hearing lifestyle. They&#8217;ll teach you how to use your new hearing aid so you can begin this new phase of your life with confidence.<\/p>\n<p>Our providers will also determine if your hearing loss is caused by a more serious medical connection and connect you with the appropriate care.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, our providers offer ongoing support as you navigate hearing loss treatment. Your hearing loss may change with time and require adjustments to your hearing aids. Our team can do that for you.<\/p>\n<p>Bottom line, when you work with one of our providers, you have a partner for your hearing loss journey. You aren\u2019t in it alone.<\/p>\n<p><strong>An Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid May Be the Best Fit For You<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Every patient is unique. Some might benefit from the customization of a prescription hearing aid, but others may work well with an over-the-counter model. No matter which category you fall under, we\u2019re here to support you.<\/p>\n<p>Call us today to schedule your appointment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019ve heard of over-the-counter hearing aids, then you may have also heard you don\u2019t need a prescription to purchase them. While they are convenient to buy and often cheaper than the prescription hearing aid alternative, patients will benefit from a licensed medical professional&#8217;s oversight. They can function as a self-serve option, but did you&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","schema":"","fname":"","lname":"","position":"","credentials":"","placeID":"","no_match":false,"name":"","company":"","review":"","address":"","city":"","state":"","zip":"","lat":"","lng":"","phone1":"","phone2":"","fax":"","mon1":"","mon2":"","tue1":"","tue2":"","wed1":"","wed2":"","thu1":"","thu2":"","fri1":"","fri2":"","sat1":"","sat2":"","sun1":"","sun2":"","hours-note":"","locid":"","rating":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sfaudiology.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5727"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sfaudiology.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sfaudiology.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sfaudiology.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sfaudiology.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5727"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sfaudiology.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5727\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5730,"href":"https:\/\/sfaudiology.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5727\/revisions\/5730"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sfaudiology.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5727"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sfaudiology.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5727"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sfaudiology.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5727"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}