Table of Contents
Advertisement
General Precautions
• Consult a physician if you find a foreign object in your ear
canal, if you experience skin irritation or if excessive ear-
wax accumulates with the use of the hearing instrument.
• Different types of radiation, for example, from NMR,
MRI or CT scanners, may damage the hearing instrument.
Therefore, do not wear the hearing instrument during
these or other corresponding scanning procedures. Other
types of radiation (burglar alarms, room surveillance sys-
tems, radio equipment, mobile telephones, etc.) contain
less energy and will not damage the hearing instrument.
They could, however, momentarily affect the sound qual-
ity or create strange sounds from the hearing instruments.
• Warning: Do not wear the hearing instrument in mines or
other explosive areas, unless those areas are certified for
hearing instrument use.
• Keep the instruments away from children under the age
of three. Hearing instruments contain small parts that may
present a choking hazard.
16
Important Notice for Prospective
Hearing Aid Users
Good health practice requires that a person with a hearing
loss have a medical evaluation by a licensed physician
(preferably a physician who specializes in diseases of the ear)
before purchasing a hearing aid. Licensed physicians who
specialize in diseases of the ear are often referred to as oto-
laryngologists, otologists, or otorhinolaryngologists. The
purpose of the medical evaluation is to assure that all
medically treatable conditions that may affect hearing are
identified and treated before the hearing aid is purchased.
Following the medical evaluation, the physician will give you
a written statement that states that your hearing loss has
been medically evaluated and that you may be considered a
candidate for a hearing aid. The physician will refer you to
an audiologist or a hearing aid dispenser, as appropriate, for
a hearing aid evaluation.
The audiologist or hearing aid dispenser will conduct a hear-
ing aid evaluation to assess your ability to hear with and
without a hearing aid. The hearing aid evaluation will
enable the audiologist or dispenser to select and fit a hear-
ing aid to your individual needs.
If you have reservations about your ability to adapt to ampli-
fication, you should inquire about the availability of
a trial-rental or purchase-option program. Many hearing
aid dispensers now offer programs that permit you to wear
a hearing aid for a period of time for a nominal fee
after which you may decide if you want to purchase the
hearing aid.
Federal law restricts the sale of hearing aids to those indi-
viduals who have obtained a medical evaluation from a
licensed physician. Federal law permits a fully informed
adult to sign a waiver statement declining the medical
17
Advertisement
Table of Contents
