Hearing Aids
Hearing Aid Evaluation
The Interview
The first step in determining what will help you hear better is our comprehensive interview regarding your hearing history. You can rank the demands you put on your hearing and list the situations in which you find yourself struggling to hear. We will ask you about your priorities in addressing your hearing loss, e.g. the number one person you need to understand better, the places in which you need function better, your hearing on the phone, in a car, for TV, at meetings, restaurants, etc.
Do it together
Otoscopic Examination Of The Ears
The Hearing Assessment
The next step is the hearing test. The results of your hearing evaluation will provide our audiologists with data describing the range of sounds you can hear well and those that are not audible. We will review the test results with you and relate them to the hearing problems you experience in life to give you a foundation for understanding what is at issue and how we will remedy the issues.
We will determine if the hearing loss can be improved medically and if so, we will refer you to a physician for treatment before discussing hearing devices. Our audiologist uses many tests to determine if you have a medically-treatable condition. Most hearing losses cannot be corrected with medical treatment, but you are always welcome to seek consultation by a physician before proceeding. If your hearing loss is not amenable to medical treatment, we will proceed to a discussion of hearing devices and treatment plans.
The Plan
When You Get Your Hearing Aids
It takes about an hour for us to program and prepare your hearing devices using our advanced software. We use your hearing test results and create amplification settings for different environments. As the situation changes around you, the hearing aids adjust automatically to optimise their performance. After we insert the aids in your ears, you will listen to a variety of sounds including speech in quiet and with background noise. We can make a wide range of adjustments to the hearing aids while they are in your ears using wireless connections to our computer systems.
First-time users may need less amplification on day one than at 15 or 30 days post-fitting. We often raise the amount of amplification you use over a period of days or weeks to ease you back into all the sounds of life. We counsel you about how to insert and care for the aids, and how to change batteries. We give you batteries and the supplies you’ll need. We activate the warranty for you at that appointment. You will schedule your first follow-up visit before you leave that day.
Hearing Aid Fitting
Once you have selected your hearing aids after an evaluation, your audiologist will program them, based on a prescription, to meet your hearing needs. The audiologist will explain how to use the devices, how to put them in the ear and how to remove them, how to change batteries and how to care for and clean the devices. It is also a good idea to bring family members or close friends to the hearing aid fitting so they can help remember all the information that is given and be a support to you.
When you put the hearing devices in for the first time, you may have different emotions about the sounds you hear – this is normal and to be expected. The goal of the hearing aid is to make every day sounds audible and comfortable, but the sound you hear should be clear and pleasant. Small changes can be made to the hearing aids at your first fitting if there are things that you feel should be adjusted right away. The audiologist will do some testing to make sure the hearing aids are giving you enough sound where you need it.
Attitude is one crucial key to success with hearing aids. Hearing aid studies have shown that people who have a positive attitude do better with hearing aids. If you, as well as your spouse or family, approach your hearing aid fitting with a positive outlook you will have a much better listening experience more quickly. Keep in mind that it may take some time to get used to the sounds you were missing, and by working closely with your audiologist, you will get the most out of your new hearing aids.
Real Ear Testing
While seated in our test booth, a tiny tube called a probe microphone is inserted in your ear canal close to the eardrum before we insert your hearing aid and turn it on. Calibrated sounds or speech is then played in the test booth through a calibrated speaker. The sound is detected near the eardrum by the probe microphone as your hearing aid amplifies it, and recorded. We analyse the graphs of these measures to determine if speech is audible and comfortable.
During programming, certain frequencies may be under- or over-boosted by the hearing aid. Probe microphone measures allow the audiologist to see where in the range of amplified sounds that this occurs. We can then make the necessary adjustments to your hearing aids to correct these problems. When the amplified sounds fall within certain levels, we can be sure that speech is audible and comfortable. Real Ear Testing (or Probe Microphone Measures) is an objective means of verifying the accuracy of the settings in your hearing aids.
After the Fitting
We recommend follow-up appointments every 12 months, or sooner if problems arise. We will inspect your ears, professionally clean and service your hearing aids, and discuss add-on products such as Bluetooth devices or remote microphones as the needs arise. If your hearing changes, we will retest you, and we can usually re-program your hearing aids to accommodate the new level of hearing loss.
Hearing Aid Repair
We recommend follow-up appointments every 12 months, or sooner if problems arise. We will inspect your ears, professionally clean and service your hearing aids, and discuss add-on products such as Bluetooth devices or remote microphones as the needs arise. If your hearing changes, we will retest you, and we can usually re-program your hearing aids to accommodate the new level of hearing loss.
Custom Earplugs
Sudden or prolonged exposure to noise can cause damage to your hearing and is one of the leading causes of hearing loss. Hearing loss from prolonged noise exposure is often detected too late resulting in a permanent hearing loss. Hearing loss from noise exposure may start as ringing in the ears after a loud concert or after using a power tool. Even if the ears don’t ring, if the noise is repeated, the damage to the ears adds up to cause a permanent hearing loss.
Although over-the-counter earplugs offer some protection, custom-made earplugs provide a comfortable fit that is designed specifically for your ears. With a good fit, you are likely to get better protection for your hearing and will be inclined to use them whenever you are in high noise environments.
In some environments, a combination of custom earplugs and headphones are recommended to provide maximum noise reduction to preserve your hearing. Your audiologist can recommend the proper combination of custom earplugs and sound reducing headphones.
Making Custom Earplugs
Standard Custom Earplugs
Musicians Ear Plugs
Musicians prefer Musician’s earplugs because they retain good sound quality while practising and performing. They are designed to reduce the overall sound levels without compromising the music quality. Specialised acoustic filters can reduce sound by up to 10dB, 15dB or 25dB without distorting the integrity of the sound. There are three acoustic filters to choose from, each with the ability to filter conversational sound and other non-damaging noise.
Musician’s Ear Plugs Are Not Just for Musicians. They Are Also A Popular Hearing Protection Option For:
- Sound crews
- Recording engineers
- Band teachers
- Concert-goers
- DJs
- Airline personnel
- Athletic coaches
- Motorcyclists
- Medical professionals
- Construction workers
- Industrial workers
- Truck drivers