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| If you have never worn or experienced hearing aids before, then the decision to purchase them may seem overwhelming
at first. Twenty years ago, it was much easier to understand hearing aids because
there were fewer options available. |
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Now, research has led to many different circuit
types, styles and options. We suggest you use the following information as a tool
to guide you through the decision making process. Working with your audiologist,
our goal is for you to be an informed consumer and make decisions that are best
for you as an individual. |
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Q: What are the four important guidelines to choosing a hearing aid?
Q: What are my hearing aid circuit options?
Q: How do I choose between Conventional and Digital Hearing Aids?
Q: What are Digital Hearing Aids?
Q: What are Conventional Hearing Aids?
Q: Are there other types of hearing help to consider?
Q: Which hearing aid style is best?
Q: Do I need one hearing aid or two?
Q: Can my use of the hearing aids be tested?
Q: What is Hearing Aid Service? (Value Added Plan)
Q: Do Hearing Aids have warranties?
Q: Now that I am more informed, where do I go from here?
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Q: What are the four important guidelines to choosing a hearing aid?
A: There are four (4) important guidelines to follow in choosing a hearing aid...
1 -- Everything we do in our practice is based on a 30-day evaluation period; so don't worry
about making a long term and expensive mistake.
2 -- The initial fitting of hearing aids is the BEGINNING of a process,
not the end. In other words, we just need to get started so we can begin the adjustment period.
Routinely, we see our patients back for adjustments during the first
month after fitting. The adjustments we make are based on your experience with the devices
in the "real world" outside our offices.
3 -- Insurance may or may not pay for hearing aids. Some will pay us directly;
some will only pay you. We will discuss insurance with you if you have any specific
questions. If your insurance is one that we do not have a contractual relationship
with, then you may need to call your insurance representative to obtain accurate information
about your specific policy. If we do not have a contractual relationships with an insurance carrier,
payment is expected on the day of the fitting. We will then submit the claim for you, and
reimbursement from your insurance company will come directly to you.
4 -- Medicare does NOT pay for hearing aids. |
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Q: What are my hearing aid circuit options?
A:
The first and most important decision that you need to make in this process is to define your specific goal for hearing
rehabilitation. With that answer in mind, we'll work together to match the best value and sophisticated circuit options in a hearing aid
to meet your individual lifestyle. The circuit options you choose will determine how the hearing aid
performs for you in these popular areas of concern in the chart below. |
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| COMMON HEARING AID CONCERNS |
CIRCUIT OPTION SOLUTION |
| Crowd Noise |
Digital Noise Reduction |
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Directional Microphones |
| Squeal Sounds |
Digital Feedback Suppression |
| Hi/Lo Amplifying Management |
Automatic Volume Adjustment |
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Q: How do I choose between Conventional and Digital Hearing Aids?
A:
There are 2 general categories of hearing aid technology...100% DIGITAL technology or CONVENTIONAL technology.
Within each general division, there are numerous options and various levels of sophistication. When comparing hearing aids, it is critical that you compare "apples
to apples" and make sure of your terms. For example, a "digitally programmable" hearing aid is not the same as
a "100% digital" aid.
Our feeling in this practice is if you are thinking about getting into some of the more
sophisticated devices, it makes more sense to go into digital. As digital aids have been on the market
longer, the manufacturers have introduced lower price models. It is possible to get digital sound quality
at a lower price than many of the "computer programmable" conventional aids. |
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Q: What are Digital Hearing Aids?
A:
This is the newest (and best) hearing aid technology available today. You may have heard of
the word "digital" in other areas of electronics recently. There are digital cell phones, digital television,
digital records, digital movies, etc. And now there are digital hearing aids!
100% digital means that the sound is actually changed into numbers (digits) once it enters the hearing aid.
The sound can then be manipulated and processed digitally and the hearing aid receives its operating instructions
digitally. We use "smart" technology; the aid can actually be programmed to make decisions about what is amplified
and what is suppressed! When sound is digitized, it is broken down into its smallest parts and then manipulated
to make sound more audible and understandable. The resulting amplification is a truer representation of sound as
it is sent to your ear and brain for processing. This can be done without adding any more noise to the system and
without distorting the original sound.
After the sound is digitized, it is divided into multiple frequency (pitch) bands. These bands usually correspond
to the same frequency bands we test in the hearing evaluation. Each of these bands are precisely adjusted to meet
your hearing needs based on a prescription derived from the hearing test. Each frequency band is adjusted
automatically to control the perception of loudness while reducing the effects of many background sounds. The highest
frequency bands provide excellent audibility of both soft and loud speech signals. This enables you to understand soft
speech sounds and assures comfort for sudden loud sounds.
This type of device is a full computer that is housed in a case that looks like a hearing aid, and is computer
"soft-ware driven". Various computer software programs can be loaded onto your computer to do many more automatic
functions than traditional hearing aids. Some of the software packages available are feedback suppression,
noise reduction, directionality and automatic volume adjustment. As software improvements are developed,
these improvements can be "down-loaded" into your instrument during an office visit.
Digital hearing aids are priced from $1250.00 to more than $3000.00 per aid. The lower priced digital aids
have the clean, crisp sound of digital amplification, however some of the automatic software is not as
sophisticated. Some digital aids have a manual volume adjustment in addition to the automatic volume
adjustment, which some previous hearing aid users prefer.
Most digital hearing aids have multiple programs and are extremely adjustable for fine-tuning or to accommodate
changes in your hearing. This technology is continuing to evolve or improve, and many of these changes are
computer software enhancements. |
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Q: What are Conventional Hearing Aids?
A:
Conventional hearing aids of today are much more sophisticated than the ones of a few years ago.
There is a price range of $900.00 to nearly $2300.00.
The low-end conventional hearing aids are made at a factory and the "prescription" cannot be changed much
if your hearing changes or for fine-tuning. There is some limited automation available.
The next step up in the conventional line of hearing aids is known as "computer programmable".
These types of aids can be called "hybrid" devices. That is, they are conventional hearing
aid circuits that have some computer chips integrated into the circuit that allows the aid
to have more automation and an adjustable "prescription". The higher-level "computer programmable"
aids have multiple programs for use in various listening environments. |
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Q: Are there other types of hearing help to consider?
A:
Sometimes a hearing aid does not solve all of your communication and hearing needs.
Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) help specific problems and for specific situations. Examples of
these devices are telephone amplifiers, T.V. amplifiers, alerting devices, etc.
Generally speaking, if you are having a specific problem even after being fitted with
your hearing aid system, there is technology available to help. Let your audiologist know!
There is more information on these services at our SERVICES LINK. |
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Q: Which hearing aid style is best?
A:
Once you have selected a circuit, you then need to decide what style is best.
The style simply means the package that will house the circuit. This determines (to some extent) how the aid will
look and how easy it will be to operate. You cannot determine the type of circuit by what the aid looks like. All
circuits can be put in most hearing aid packages. The decision of style of aid is based on your
priorities and what you are willing to sacrifice for perceived cosmetics. Many of the pre-conceived
beliefs are misconceptions or based on misinformation.
Generally speaking, the worse your hearing is, the stronger your hearing aid has to be,
and the stronger a hearing aid has to be, the larger it has to be. One of the important
goals of a successful hearing aid fitting is enough power without feedback. Feedback is
the squealing noise that you probably have heard from other aid wearers. Feedback is
largely a fitting problem. If the patient was fit with the appropriate style, rather
than the style they think they want, and then most of the "squealing" problems would be
eliminated.
If you have a fairly severe hearing loss, but you refuse to wear anything but the small canal
type of hearing aid, then you will not be able to have as much power before feedback and are
consciously making the decision to sacrifice optimal hearing for perceived cosmetics. |
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Q: Do I need one hearing aid or two?
A:
(Assuming both ears are hearing aid candidates)
It is well established and documented that two ears working together are far superior to one,
for various reasons. Localization of sound and improved communication in difficult listening
situations are primary benefits. Wearing one aid is like wearing a monocle instead of modern
glasses.
There is good evidence that if a hearing loss is left untreated, auditory deprivation may occur,
making it even harder for rehabilitation to be effective when you finally decide to add a device
to the unaided ear. This auditory neglect may also lead to depression, withdrawal and pre-Alzheimer's behavior. |
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Q: Can my use of the hearing aids be tested?
A:
With many of our patients, a small microphone can be placed at your eardrum with your hearing
aid in place. When that microphone is activated, we can measure what you actually hear through
the aid: voice, sounds, music, noise, etc. and display it visually on a computer screen in real time during your visit.
Adjustments to fine tune your quality of hearing can be made at that time and results double checked for improved hearing!
This technique is called LIVE SPEECH MAPPING and is another example of "cutting edge" hearing
technology at Hearing Associates, Inc. If you are interested in learning more about LIVE SPEECH MAPPING (LSM)
ask your Audiologist at your next office visit or click to our SERVICES LINK. |
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Q: What is Hearing Aid Service? (Value Added Plan)
A:
We make every attempt to provide you with all of the services you need
to make your hearing aid experience a success. Both our professional and office staff is
trained to provide you with the service you expect. Charges for all services are included
in the cost of the hearing aid, during warranty.
After the warranty period has expired, you will be charged reasonable fees for office
services and the manufacturer will charge for factory repairs. Service policies are
available to cover those costs on an annual basis.
Valued Added packages can be purchased at the time of the hearing aid fitting that provide
and extend manufacturer warranty, extended in-office service, and batteries as part of the
initial payment for the hearing aids.
The Value Added Plan comes automatically for patients who purchase binaural (2) PREMIUM level hearing aids.
This includes...
- One 48 pack of Batteries
- Battery Club Discount Coupon
- All clinical services for two years (excluding cerumen management and testing)
- ReStore premium electric hearing aid drier
- Cleaning Tools
- Oto-Ease Lubricant (if indicated)
- Priority scheduling for appointments
- 30 day adjustment period
- Select models also include a full four year factory repair warranty and four years of loss/destruction insurance.
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Q: Do Hearing Aids have warranties?
A:
It is important to understand the WARRANTY OR GUARANTEE that comes with your hearing instrument.
Remember that our concept of a hearing aid fitting is a total care package. Hearing aids are very "service intensive".
They need ongoing service, maintenance, adjustment and repair. Some of this is done in our office and some needs to be done
at the manufacturer. A part of our care package is insurance against loss or destruction. You have a very expensive
appliance and would be very upset if it were to be lost or destroyed. It does happen, even though you may be
thinking "...it will never happen to me!".
Our office policy is that anything we need to do in the office is done without charges as long as the manufacturer's
warranty is in effect. Therefore, if you have a 2-year manufacturer's warranty, we will service your aid in our
office for that 2-year period without charge. (This does not include necessary diagnostic hearing examinations.)
Generally speaking, most "low-end" products come with a 1-year repair service warranty and 1-year loss and
destruction insurance. "High-end" products usually come with 2 years on both. There is usually an option to
extend that warranty period with most manufacturers on high end products. Be sure to addresses the warranty issue
with your audiologist before or at the time of your fitting. |
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Q: Now that I am more informed, where do I go from here?
A:
After you have read this information and are ready to proceed, call and make an
appointment with your audiologist. If you still have some questions, your audiologist will answer
them and work you through the decision making process at that time. The next steps, after all
your decisions are made, are to take silicone impressions of your ears, put down a deposit, and
order the devices. Your new hearing aids can generally be fit about 7-10 days after the
impressions are taken. |
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