Your outside ear is really only there to collect and concentrate sound waves, which vibrate the air in your auditory canal. Air passes the vibration to the eardrum. The hammer bone, inside, is attached to the anvil and stirrup bones, which vibrate the oval window and the round window. This causes fluid to move in the cochlea, which encloses the Organ of Corti. This organ is covered with thousands of tiny hair cells which bring about chemical changes that change electrical potential to create nerve impulses. As you can tell, that little ear on the side of your head is just the beginning of the hearing process, which is a complex bodily instrument! There’s more to the hearing process that what was just explained, and the Beltone company has known this for many years.
Beltone hearing aids have been around for at least 67 years, starting in 1940. Their models of digital hearing aids are of a wide variety. The shell styles include Beltone One!, (which is a mini behind-the-ear hearing aid), Beltone Corus, Beltone Linq, Beltone Access, Beltone Edge, Beltone Mira, Beltone Arca, Invisa (in the canal), Petite (in the canal), and the Opera Plus (in the canal).
Beltone has helped countless generations and brought hope and encouragement to many families and individuals who have relied upon their services. They provide other needs besides hearing aids, such as amplified cordless phones, loud alarm clocks, Blue tooth ear sets ($145), neckloops ($150), phone modules ($50), and personal listening systems ($170-$200).
Beltone’s listening systems help you hear in public places such as theaters. It can be hard to hear in public places even when you aren’t hearing challenged. But those who are were limited for a long time to reading lips and interpreting actions when attending theaters, concerts, and other public events. This has caused them to miss out on much of the understanding they needed for proper processing of the information presented to the audience.
Hearing impaired people were also challenged in the way of waking up in the mornings, even with hearing aids. Many people don’t feel a need to sleep with their aids, but when they did have to; they found the older aids uncomfortable for night time relaxation. A timer would be put on an overhead light so that when the light came on, the person would be awakened by the brightness. This wouldn’t work for the person who can sleep through anything! Even so, the timers couldn’t be taken on trips. Wake up calls wouldn’t help since the person couldn’t hear the phone or a knock on the door. But there are devices now that vibrate, like Beltone’s wake and shake alarm clock, which sells for $70. It incorporates a vibration and a flashing strobe that comes on upon the time the alarm is set.
Beltone reaches as far as New England, Canada, and all across the United States; although, one drawback to finding a Beltone representative might be with the challenge of availability in small areas.
Batteries for hearing aids are sold by Beltone, but you can also find them many times in stores. Pharmacies usually carry hearing aid batteries. Typical name brand batteries can sell in a package of 4 for $6. Eco-Gold batteries sell in a package of 6 for $6. You can even order batteries from AARP magazines. They usually sell in bigger bundles than in a store, such as 42 for $25, and offer a refund on the unopened packages if you aren’t happy with the product.