We Address Your Unique Hearing Challenges with Prescriptive Hearing Technologies
When someone mentions hearing aids, do you instantly imagine those bulky, frustrating devices your parents or grandparents wore?
It’s time to erase that image from your mind. Today’s advanced hearing aid technology is as different from those old hearing aids as your smartphone is from those old brick cell phones.
Many of the same digital and nano-digital innovations that have made your smartphone so powerful and easy to use have been integrated into hearing aids as well, making them smaller, lighter, and more discreet to wear while enhancing their capacity to deliver crisp, natural sound.
However, even the most advanced technology does not provide all the answers to addressing your hearing challenges – it requires partnering with the right professionals who know how to integrate all the tools and resources needed to provide the better hearing outcome you’re looking for.
The Hearing Care Element at Visalia Hearing Center
Today’s technology makes it possible for hearing aids to come in a variety of sizes, colors, costs, and designs with varying levels of processing power and features. This is beneficial in the sense that there is a better chance of finding the perfect fit for you.
However, you’ll need some help choosing the one that takes your specific needs preferences into account. That’s why the audiologists at Visalia Hearing Center will guide you through a series of steps to help you understand the pros and cons of your preferences. You will hear us repeatedly say that the perfect hearing aid does not exist, but it is our job to find the one that will get as close to perfect as possible.
When reviewing your hearing aid options, we highly encourage you to have a spouse or friend accompany you. Whether you’re aware of this or not, your loved ones are living with your hearing just as you are. They often contribute invaluable insight into the challenges you’re facing, have a good understanding of what motivates you, and assist you in the decision-making process.
Once you’ve made your choice, we offer a 45-Day Return Privilege so you can use the technology in your own world to make sure you are hearing reasonably well in the situations that are important to you.
We fit prescriptive hearing technologies that are personalized to the unique auditory system and individual preferences of each patient by using a checklist of criteria that includes:
- Power/volume required to address your specific level of hearing loss
- Processing power needed to optimize the demands placed on your auditory system
- Your manual dexterity and visual capabilities
- Skin sensitivities
- Anatomical/medical considerations
- Your wearing discretion and cosmetic concerns
- Previous amplification experience
- Budget limitations
We go beyond just helping you choose the right hearing aid. By exceeding audiologic best practices guidelines, performing real-ear verification, offering preventative maintenance, troubleshooting, repair, and ongoing education, we help you get the most out of your hearing aids so you can take advantage of technological breakthroughs in a rapidly changing industry.
Real-Ear Measurements:
The Key to Fitting Your Hearing Aids
Real-ear measurements (REMs), also known as probe microphone measurements or speech mapping, are the method of verifying and ensuring that the gain/volume settings of prescriptive hearing aids are correct.
This process does not merely rely on the user’s subjective perception of sound; rather, it provides an objective assessment of the sound levels delivered to the eardrum. REMs quantify the performance of the prescriptive hearing aids while the user is wearing the devices in their ears, removing the guesswork when programming your hearing aids.
REMs allow doctors of audiology to account for the unique characteristics of each patient’s ears, including the size and shape of the ear canals. Research suggests that patients prefer the settings of hearing aids that have been programmed using real-ear measurements.
The Gold Standard for
Hearing Aid Fitting
All professional audiology associations, including The Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA), the American Academy of Audiology (AAA), the American Auditory Society (AAS), and the California Academy of Audiology (CAA), endorse this practice as the gold standard for prescriptive hearing aid fittings.
Real-ear measurements embody the adage “trust but verify.” While Visalia Hearing Center trusts our hearing aid manufacturing partners, it is our job as your audiologist to verify that you, our patient, are in fact getting what you’re paying for.
Greater Confidence for Our Patients
Executing real-ear measurements is a meticulous process that involves multiple steps. It takes about five to 10 minutes for each ear and leaves the patient feeling confident that their hearing care is in the hands of a team that truly wants them to hear at their best.
By following best practices, like incorporating real-ear measurements, the team at Visalia Hearing Center is committed to ensuring that our patients get the most out of their prescriptive hearing aids. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you’re interested in scheduling an appointment.
Hearing Aids From Industry-Leading Manufacturers
As an independent hearing center, we aren’t tied to any specific brand of hearing aid. That means we can offer a broader range of hearing aid models and styles from industry-leading manufacturers like:
Hearing Aid Styles Available to Choose From
Behind-the-Ear (BTE)
They look like the old analogue hearing aids, but don’t let that fool you. Today’s BTE hearing aids are lighter and more streamlined, and their digital processing power embarrasses the performance offered by their ancestors. BTE hearing aids receive and process sound in a unit that rests behind your ear and transmits sound via acoustical tubing to an earmold or open-canal earpiece.
Suited to address all levels of hearing loss, the available features of BTE hearing aids include custom-formed earmolds (domes) for a more comfortable fit and open-canal earpieces to eliminate the “plugged up” feeling some users experience. They come with traditional batteries or a rechargeable option, and you can choose the color that you’re most comfortable with as well.
Receiver-in-Canal (RIC)/Receiver-in-the-Ear (RITE)
RIC/RITE hearing aids are lightweight modified BTE devices that also process sound in a behind-the-ear unit but deliver sound to a receiver (speaker) placed inside the ear canal in place of acoustical tubing.
Also suited to address all levels of hearing loss, you can choose an open-fit design or custom earmolds as well as the color you prefer. Some patients may also be able to take advantage of the mini version (the size of the tip of your index finger, weighing under two grams).
In-the-Ear (ITE)
ITE instruments combine processing and speakers into a single unit. They can range in size from an invisible unit that fits deep inside your ear canal to a full-shell model that is molded to fit the contours of your outer ear canal
Their size determines the processing power available to address various levels of hearing loss, as well as the size and longevity of the batteries they use. One benefit of ITE hearing aids is that they don’t have to compete for space behind the ear with your glasses or an oxygen cannula, and they provide varying levels of wearing discretion.
ITE devices also come in rechargeable models and you can select the color you prefer. There are four styles of ITE devices available, including:
Full-Shell ITE
The molded shell of this style is custom fit to the contours of your outer ear canal. It provides the highest level of processing power of ITE devices, able to deliver clear sound for all degrees of treatable hearing loss. It has larger batteries that last longer and requires easy, manual adjustments.
In-the-Canal (ITC)
A smaller version of the full-shell device, ITC hearing aids are custom molded to fit farther into the ear canal instead of the outer ear. They are suited for individuals with mild to mildly severe hearing loss and include the capacity to customize external controls to fit your needs. Their batteries are a bit smaller and have a shorter service life.
Completely-in-the-Canal (CIC)
Going deeper still, CIC devices fit deeper into the ear canal than ITC devices, requiring them to be inserted and removed using a tiny clear plastic post.
Those who lack fine dexterity may struggle with this style of hearing aid, but those who are able to manage them will enjoy a greater level of comfort and wearing discretion. They are well suited for individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss who have a very active lifestyle.
Invisible-in-the-Canal (IIC)
If wearing discretion is a priority, IIC hearing aids may be your choice. Designed to fit near the second bend of the ear canal, they are also inserted using a tiny post and are 100 percent invisible. They do not have manual control but can be adjusted using a smartphone. They are a good choice for those who are very active, have the manual dexterity to handle them, and have mild to moderate hearing loss.
Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids: What’s Our Stance?
Up to this point, we have not discussed OTC devices for a variety of reasons. For those who are curious, over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids are low-cost, entry level, do-it-yourself style solutions designed to give the public an easily accessible choice to address their hearing challenges. Like all decisions we make, though, pros and cons exist with OTC hearing aids.
If you’d like to get a better understanding of or have questions about over-the-counter hearing aids versus prescription devices, we’ve got you covered with the answers.
A Key to Choosing the Right Hearing Aid: Proper Analysis of Your Auditory System
There are plenty of hearing aid salespeople who offer free 5-minute hearing tests, and people now have the capacity to self-diagnose, thanks to the availability of smartphone hearing tests. In fact, over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids require no form of testing at all.
However, quickly glossing over what’s going on and jumping straight into hearing aids is not the best course of action if you’re searching for a long-term solution to your hearing challenges. As we all know, it isn’t the hearing aid that has the biggest impact on helping you optimize your hearing; it’s the team of professionals you choose to work with.
Visalia Hearing Center offers an accurate, in-depth, and unparalleled approach to analyzing auditory systems, as well as a dedicated team of professionals to support patients on their journeys.
In addition to proper hearing aid fittings using real-ear verification, we provide ongoing support with pre-scheduled preventative maintenance tune-ups, as well as insightful professional advice, troubleshooting, and in-office repairs to help you get the most out of your hearing treatment package.
Before choosing any level of hearing aid technology, know the truth about your hearing by scheduling an auditory system analysis by using the adjacent form.
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FAQs
about Auditory System
Analysis
Can’t find what you’re looking for?
How do I know if I need hearing aids?
Turning the television louder than others prefer, frequently asking others to repeat themselves, and feeling frustrated when it comes to trying to understand a conversation in a noisy restaurant or at a social event are some of the most common signs of hearing loss. Another telltale sign is if a friend or family member is commenting about your hearing (they’re living with your hearing, too).
However, knowing the truth about your hearing requires thorough and accurate testing by a doctor of audiology. After a proper analysis of your auditory system, a doctor of audiology can answer this question.
Will hearing aids cure my hearing loss?
No. The primary (but not the only) cause of hearing loss is damaged cellular structures in the inner ear (cochlea).
Since hearing aids only process and amplify sound to “aid” your hearing and are not fixing cellular structures, they cannot restore the natural functioning of your ear. However, hearing aids slow the deterioration of your hearing, help manage tinnitus, and reverse or prevent cognitive decline.
How long do hearing aids last?
Most hearing aid wearers choose to upgrade their hearing technology every four to six years, depending on a variety of factors, including changes in their hearing levels, changes in their listening demands, how well they’ve cared for their devices, and technological advances since their last fitting.
If your hearing aids are > five years old, we can confidently state your hearing isn’t optimized, and you will hear better with upgraded hearing technology!
Do hearing aids use special batteries?
Yes. Most hearing aids fit today use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which are fully encased inside the hearing aids. These batteries can only be replaced at the factory, and each manufacturer has different battery shapes and sizes for their devices.
How long do hearing aid batteries last?
Different rechargeable batteries offer different battery lives; when a lithium-ion battery is new, most manufacturers claim a full charge will last a little under 24 hours, while others offer almost 36 hours of charge.
Battery life for any hearing aid is dependent on the power needed to treat the hearing loss, as greater hearing loss requires more battery power, and how much Bluetooth streaming the hearing aid wearer does, which drains the battery faster.
At the end of the day, you can be confident that your rechargeable batteries will allow for a full day’s worth of charge. Simply charge them overnight when you’re not wearing them, and they’ll be good to go the next day, like your phone or computer.
What about disposable hearing aid batteries? Are they special, too?
Yes. Modern hearing aids use zinc-air batteries designed to perform well in the warm, moist environment of your ears. There are numerous sizes for different devices, which are usually fairly easy to find in pharmacies, grocery stores, or your audiologist’s office.
How long do disposable aid batteries last?
There is no simple answer to this question. Disposable hearing aid battery life depends on several factors, like the type/size of battery (10, 312, 13, 675), how many hours per day you wear your hearing aid, how much Bluetooth streaming the user does, the presence of moisture, and battery quality/freshness. With smaller batteries, replacement every 3-5 days is common, while larger batteries may last 2+ weeks.
How will it take to get used to my hearing aids?
The adjustment period is different for each person. The amplification of sounds your brain hasn’t heard for a long time shocks the central auditory system in your brain, requiring time to relearn how to process the sound signals.
The 45-day period we offer our patients is ample time to adjust to your hearing aids and be able to determine if they are providing the best solution for your hearing challenges.
Wait, so I won't hear perfectly with my hearing aids on day one?
That is correct. There is a learning curve your brain goes through before it can optimize the sensory information the hearing aids are delivering. Quality audiologists will create a “training wheels” program and will methodically ramp up the amplification as your brain gets stronger and readapts to sound.
What can I do to get used to my hearing aids as smoothly and quickly as possible?
There are two factors that really drive the learning curve. The first is how long you waited before treating your hearing loss. The earlier sound is reintroduced, the quicker and easier it is for your brain to readapt. The second factor is how consistently you use your hearing aids once you’ve been fitted. The more the devices are worn, the quicker and easier it is for your brain to readapt. At a bare minimum, it requires an average of eight hours per day of usage to reach the optimized hearing outcome.
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