Disposable hearing aids

By Pam Sowers
HS News & Community Relations

You’re considering quitting church because the minister mumbles. That last comedy at the community playhouse was wasted on you, because you never got the punch lines. Or perhaps “Huh? What?” is your favorite phrase these days.

These are all signs you may have a hearing loss. Dr. Tom Rees, UW associate professor of otolaryngology, says new disposable hearing aids may be the answer for people suffering from mild to moderate hearing loss.

“The disposable is for the person who is just starting using a hearing aid, and doesn’t want to make the financial commitment of buying a digital aid yet,” Rees says. “These are designed for the baby boomers. The cost of a hearing aid is rarely covered by insurance, so fitting an aid is often put off. Now we have a device that costs $40, you use it for about 40 days, and you throw it away when it stops working. Paying $40 every few weeks helps the person decide whether the aid really helps, before making the commitment to purchase a customized digital aid that can cost thousands of dollars.”

Rachel Shannon, the dispensing audiologist at Harborview Medical Center’s Ear Nose and Throat Clinic, says the disposable aids are not the solution for everyone, but may fill a niche for those who have been trying to get by without hearing aids.

“A lot of people don’t want hearing aids because they don’t want to deal with the hassle of cleaning, changing the battery and so on,” Shannon says. “With a disposable, there is no battery to change. Once the battery quits, you just throw it away and get a new hearing aid.”

Rees adds the small hearing aid does not have to be worn full-time to help.

“Say you’re going to a meeting, and you know you’re going to have a hard time hearing what’s going on. This may serve your needs, “ Rees says. “Other times, you’ll do fine without this additional help, but the disposable aid gets you through that situation.”

The alternative to hearing aids can be growing isolation.

Rees says studies show social withdrawal is a side effect of increasing hearing loss. “People make excuses all the time, but what it gets down to is that treatment of hearing loss is maintenance of functional health.”

Another part of the problem is that hearing loss is usually a very gradual process.

“You’re filling in the blanks more,” Rees says. “So it is more of an effort to listen. When someone speaks quickly, or you’re surrounded by noise, you find yourself having to attend more actively to what is going on than you used to.”

The first step in finding out if a disposable hearing aid will help you is talking with your primary-care physician. You need to find a certified audiologist to test your hearing correctly. Then he or she will discuss with you the various alternatives available that meet both your hearing needs and any economic constraints. The audiologist will also fit the hearing aid you choose. Going to a local hearing aid sales office may not get you the competent evaluation you need, Rees says.

“If you had another serious medical problem, you wouldn’t go to a salesperson for help,” Rees adds. “It’s the same thing with hearing - you want to have a competent evaluation, preferably by a licensed audiologist, before you make an investment in something that is so important.”