Hearing should be checked annually, just like vision or teeth. Hearing evaluations with us are completely free, with no insurance billing or copay. Our environment is extremely stress-free and relaxed, you will not find any high pressure sales tactics or gimmicks with us. Honesty and integrity are the core values of our business. You can be assured that you will get an accurate and unbiased evaluation.

You probably won’t ! Other people will notice when you do not understand as well, so pay attention to those who are close to you.

Those who want to keep their hearing at its best and stay active should take advantage of today’s improved technology. Our approach is very individualized. We tailor our recommendations to you the individual, and will work with you to decide if you are ready for hearing technology.

An estimated 40 to 50 million people in the United States experience tinnitus. It is unknown what exactly causes tinnitus. Tinnitus is usually described as a ringing in the ear or a variation of hissing, roaring, whistling, chirping or clicking. Some tinnitus is normal, but tinnitus may also indicate that there is damage to some of the hearing structures. Loud noise exposure is known to cause tinnitus, both temporarily and permanently. Some medications and diseases of the inner ear can also cause tinnitus. Additionally, advancing age has also been associated with tinnitus. If you experience bothersome tinnitus, call today for a free evaluation to determine how we might be able to help.

Modern hearing devices are quite different from what you may think of as a “your parents” hearing aid. State-of-the-art technology options packaged in small electronic devices that are worn in or behind the ear makes sounds louder and speech clearer so that a person can listen, communicate, and participate more fully in situations that make it harder to understand, such as background noise. However, only about one out of five people who would benefit from a device actually uses one. We hope to change this by making the entire experience better, and reducing the high costs of devices.

Any hearing device has three basic parts: a microphone, amplifier, and speaker. The device receives sound through a microphone, which converts the sound waves to electrical signals and sends them to an amplifier. The amplifier increases the power of the signals and then sends them to the ear through a speaker. Modern devices have digital chips that can run personal computers, and make millions of calculations per second to maximize hearing performance in complex environments.

A hearing instrument magnifies sound vibrations entering the ear. Surviving hair cells detect the larger vibrations and convert them into neural signals that are passed along to the brain. Recent studies show that individuals who could benefit from hearing technology but choose not to wear them are increasing their risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. This was the case even for individuals with mild hearing difficulties. It is thought that this startling link is due to lack of stimulation of the brain cells because the ear is not able to transmit the signals to the brain. Wearing hearing technology is critical to preserving healthy brain functioning.

Not getting hearing aids was linked to the following results in major research studies:

• Auditory deprivation, or “use it, or lose it”- losing more of your ability to understand speech if left untreated.
• Several studies have found links between untreated hearing loss and increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
• Brain atrophy (disintegration) was much more likely even with MILD hearing loss when left untreated.

There is not one “best” hearing instrument on the market. A hearing instrument that works well for one person may not produce the same result for another person since everyone has different listening needs and hearing. Each major manufacturer makes a product that is highly comparable to other manufacturer’s products. The “best” hearing instrument for you is one that can meet your lifestyle and needs, offers you a good warranty and service, and one that your audiologist is experienced in fitting.

No hearing instrument can completely eliminate background noise. In fact, background noise is ‘normal’. Most of the time background noise is speech, which is the exact same signal that the hearing aid is trying to amplify. Some hearing instruments can lessen the effects of non-speech noise by using specific microphones and/or technology. Background noise is a nuisance for everyone, even people with normal hearing.

Our brain hears better in both quiet and noise with two ears. In noise, our brain is designed to cancel out some of the noise and help us listen to conversation when both ears are working together. Hearing equally with both ears also helps find the direction of a sound. In our busy daily activities we need to hear where sounds are coming from for our own protection as well as for our enjoyment, i.e. being able to find the bird singing in the tree or hear the car coming from a certain direction. Hearing equally with both ears also makes listening less stressful and gives you a more natural sound quality.

Yes. Hearing aids are incredibly sophisticated devices that are exposed to a damp, waxy environment on a daily basis. Because of this, as well as normal wear and tear, you can expect to face occasional repairs during the lifespan of your hearing instrument. Establishing and maintaining a good preventative maintenance schedule at home and with regular visits to your audiologist’s office can significantly reduce the number of repairs. Usually a repair comes with a 12-month warranty if the repair occurs outside the manufacturer’s standard warranty period.

Yes. Typically, the hearing aid manufacturer you purchased your hearing aid through provides a warranty that covers repairs for the first two years and will replace a lost or damaged hearing aid one time during the first two years for a minimal fee (about $300). Extended warranties are typically available for you to purchase after the first two years, but may be provided for free depending on the promotion and/or model you select.

Today’s devices, when taken care of properly, can last between seven and ten years. However, digital technology changes and improves quickly. Users of hearing aids often find that it is beneficial to upgrade their hearing aids every three to five years to take advantage of the improvements in technology. The benefits experienced by technological advancements can be worth the cost.

Many people don’t realize that they need time to adjust to wearing hearing aids. They think that adjusting to new hearing aids is just like putting on new glasses and having instant clear sight. Some things you need to expect while adjusting to your new hearing aids are:

• Hearing aids will not give you normal hearing
• It takes time to adjust to wearing hearing aids
• Some sounds may seem loud
• Hearing aids cannot fix fuzzy or distorted hearing
• Hearing aids won’t always let you hear well in noise
• You need to be psychologically ready to wear hearing aids
• Most importantly, a new user needs to be patient and allow time for appropriate adjustment, as hearing aids cannot restore hearing to “normal”.

Buying hearing aids on the Internet can sometimes save you several hundred dollars. But these savings can come at a cost. Buying a hearing instrument online will bypass the medical clearance required by the Food and Drug Administration as well as the custom services needed to fit the device to an individual’s needs. Professional follow-up is very important because a poorly adjusted hearing aid can be uncomfortable or even damage the ear. A set of unused hearing aids that sit in a drawer are no bargain. The Internet can be useful for researching the various kinds of hearing aids on the market today and for keeping up with new technology. If you do decide to buy online, be sure to thoroughly investigate the vendor’s reputation, return policy and warranty.

There are a lot of factors that contribute to the pricing of hearing instruments. There is never an easy way to avoid the sticker shock. But understanding what goes into the production and maintenance of all assistive listening devices can help. While the actual size of hearing aids hasn’t really changed over the last 20 years, the technology that goes inside them has changed tremendously. These technology advancements have allowed hearing aids to evolve from a basic amplifier to a sophisticated miniature computer chip that can be housed in a small, damp space on a daily basis and in all types of adverse environments. Daily use of these devices in such environments has forced hearing aid manufacturers to have incredibly stringent reliability and durability standards for every aspect of every hearing aid. In addition, manufacturer warranties are provided for both new hearing aids and out-of-warranty repairs on hearing aids. Lastly, and probably most importantly, the personal fitting and professional knowledge of hearing health care professionals should be considered invaluable. A certified audiologist has a bachelor’s degree and at least a master’s degree and some even have a doctorate degree, usually in the form of an AuD (Doctor of Audiology) or a PhD. The minimum background of education as well as the requirements for keeping up with all the changes and technological advancements not only fulfill licensing requirements but also helps the professional provide appropriate and knowledgeable amplification information to each individual.

The following suggestions will help you care for your hearing aids:

• Keep hearing aids away from heat and moisture
• Replace dead batteries immediately
• Clean hearing aids as instructed
• Do not use hairspray or other hair care products while wearing hearing aids
• Turn off hearing aids when they are not in use
• Keep replacement batteries and small aids away from children and pets

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) supports more than 30 grants for scientists to conduct studies on hearing aid research and development. These studies cover areas such as the application of new signal processing strategies and ways to improve sound transmission and reduce noise interference, as well as psychological studies of the impact of abnormal hearing function on speech recognition. Other studies focus on the best way to select and fit hearing aids in children and other difficult-to-test populations, and on reducing bothersome aspects such as feedback and the occlusion effect. Further research will determine the best ways to manipulate speech signals in order to enhance understanding.

Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf (AGBell)
3417 Volta Place, NW
Washington, DC 20007-2778
Voice: (202) 337-5220
Toll-free: (800) 432-7543
TTY: (202) 337-5221
FAX: (202) 337-8314
Internet: www.agbell.org

American Academy of Audiology (AAA)
8300 Greensboro Drive, Suite 750
Mclean, VA 22102-3611
Voice/TTY: (703) 610-9022
Toll-free: (800) AAA-2336
FAX: (703) 610-9005
Internet: www.audiology.org

American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS)
One Prince Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Voice: (703) 836-4444
TTY: (703) 519-1585
FAX: (703) 683-5100
Internet: www.entnet.org

American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association (ASHA)
10801 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852
Voice: (301) 897-5700
Toll-free: (800) 638-8255
TTY: (301) 897-0157
FAX: (301) 571-0457
Internet: www.asha.org

Hear Now – The Starkey Hearing Foundation
4248 Park Glen Road
Minneapolis, MN 55416
Toll-free: (800) 648-4327
FAX: (612) 828-6946
www.sotheworldmayhear.org

Hearing Loss Association of America
www.hearingloss.org