October 21, 2005 --
One of the weaknesses of MenieresInfo.com has long been a lack of
information about hearing technology. Hearing impairment caused
by Meniere's Disease and possible hearing assistance through hearing
aids, cochlear implants, and the like, are, in our opinion, widely
underreported aspects of Meniere's Disease. We have added this
Hearing Technology Page, on which we direct visitors to Meniere's
Disease patient David Copithorne's excellent coverage of this subject
at his website HearingMojo.com.
Visit HearingMojo.com for the
latest in hearing technology news and reviews, including hearing aids,
cochlear implants, tax policy, and other leading edge issues.
(This is not advertising and we receive no compensation for listing
this excellent site.)
Search
HearingMojo.com for "hearing aid." Click
here.
Search
HearingMojo.com for "cochlear implant." Click
here.
Cochlear implants "still aren't a panacea." Click
here.
When
looking for hearing aids, start with websites of the "seven sisters."
Click
here.
David
Copithorne, publisher of HearingMojo.com, suffers from Meniere's
Disease. Click
here.
David
Copithorne, publisher of HearingMojo.com, uses a pair of super-powerful Widex
behind-the-ear [BTE] aids. Click
here.
Hearing Aids.
Hearing aids help some but not all
Meniere's Disease patients. One thing to keep in mind is to tell your
hearing aid dispenser that your
hearing loss is due to Meniere's Disease and the extent to which your
hearing fluctuates. Hearing aids vary from simple, relatively
inexpensive analog devices to complex, programmable, digital,
high-tech, expensive devices.
Generally speaking, there are two
kinds of hearing loss: conductive and sensorineural. Conductive
hearing loss results from an impaired sound pathway from the outer ear
to the inner ear. Sensineural hearing loss results from impairment of
the auditory branch of the vestibulocochlear (8th cranial) nerve. Hearing loss from
Meniere's Disease results from destruction of the hair cells on the
end of the auditory branch in the inner ear. The sound reaches the
inner ear, but there are no hair cells to receive them and to transmit
them to the brain. Therefore, hearing loss from Meniere's
Disease is sensorineural. See Dr. Timothy Hain's information
here.
We think that the only way to figure
out whether a hearing aid will help
any particular person is for that person to get one and try it out.
Fortunately, most U.S. states have laws that provide for a trial
period, during which one can get all or most of the cost of the
hearing aid returned. However,
professional fees of doctors and audiologists are generally not
refundable.
Click here
for information from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.
Sources of Hearing Technology
Products. This will be a not-very-complete list of websites for
hearing technology products, selected as we run across them.
This is news, not advertising, and we receive no benefit from any of
the sites listed below.
SoundClarity.com.
Sales of many types of hearing technology products.
Click On These Icons to Link to
Specific Topics