Alison M. Grimes, Head, Audiology Clinic, Assistant Clinical Professor, Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, discusses hearing aids, which are amplifiers, rather than a cure for hearing loss, and often avoided by patients because of stigma and cost. They can however be the key to maintaining a social life and properly- fitted hearing aids do work.

Hearing aids are amplifiers, they do not restore hearing or provide perfect hearing, and patients avoid them because of stigma and cost, but their advantage is they allow social interaction.

Reference:
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Frachet B, Poncet-Wallet C, Ernst I, Quéruel F, Eshraghi A. [Management of hearing impairment in adults] Rev Prat. 2009 Oct 20;59(8):1097-101. French.

Palmer CV. A contemporary review of hearing AIDS. Laryngoscope. 2009 Nov;119(11):2195-204.