You deserve to hear the world as clearly as possible and your local audiologist can’t wait to help make that happen.
The process of getting hearing aids is painless, and an audiologist will work their hardest to help improve your quality of life and allow you to interact with the world around you.
What should you expect when getting hearing aids?
The first step is calling your local audiologist and scheduling an appointment for a hearing test. During this exam, the doctor will conduct a series of tests to determine your current level of hearing. None of these tests are painful, and the whole process usually takes about an hour. The doctor will make a determination about whether hearing aids are appropriate, and if so, will explain the options for different models and price points.
WHY ARE THERE SO MANY OPTIONS?
Diversity is the spice of life, and every person’s hearing loss and life circumstances are different. Some hearing aids work better for severe hearing losses. Some can better address aesthetic concerns, and can even be completely invisible when worn! Some hearing aids offer features that not everyone needs, but others desperately want, like the ability to wear them while working out or in the shower.
Before going in to determine your options, think about what in your life is really important. If you’re an athlete or a musician, make sure your audiologist knows so they can cater your device to your lifestyle. If the look of hearing aids doesn’t appeal to you, bring it up in your appointment so discrete options can be explored. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on your new devices, economic base models are absolutely available.
What if they don’t sound right?
It can take our brains up to six months of regular hearing aid usage (about 12 hours a day) to completely adjust. That being said, it often takes a few programming appointments to get your hearing aids perfectly adjusted to your brain. Hearing aid professionals are never bothered by a patient wanting adjustments… you’re the reason we stay busy! If any sounds are uncomfortable, annoying and especially if they’re painful, your audiologist wants to know. Those problems can be fixed and your comfort is essential.
The most common problems that patients experience after receiving their new devices are discomfort with the fit, high pitch sounds being too loud or too quiet, or problems understanding speech. Another common problem is your own talking or chewing being too loud. All of these issues are signs that something is slightly off with the programming of the devices. Just come in to your audiologist’s office and they’ll make sure you leave hearing as you should!
Why are hearing aids so expensive?
Hearing aids are certainly an investment and we’ve all seen the magazine advertisements for hearing devices that are much cheaper than the hearing aids you’ll receive from an audiologist. Why is this?
First, the hearing devices advertised for anything less than $1,000 are hearing amplifiers, not hearing aids. Amplifiers increase the volume of every pitch at the same rate, but most hearing losses need certain pitches to be made louder than others. In short, amplifiers won’t actually fix the hearing loss and make the patient hear as they should, they just make everything louder. Hearing amplifiers are like a weak multivitamin, whereas hearing aids are a potent medication.
Hearing aids are very precise and they require a lot of education to prescribe and program. Because of this precision, hearing aids are often life-changing and allow a person to feel like themselves again. This precision also means there are many tiny mechanical parts that are vulnerable. The cost covers repairs for anything that might malfunction in the first few years you own your devices and may even give you a discount if you lose one or both of them. Beyond the protection of the physical device, the cost also covers any visits you need to make to the office in order to make sure your hearing aids work perfectly for you.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, hearing loss can be scary, but investing in yourself and visiting an audiologist will help bring you out of the unknown. You deserve to hear the world as clearly as possible and your local audiologist can’t wait to help make that happen.
The world is full of so many beautiful sounds. You deserve to hear them all! QCBN
By Sage Taylor
Sage Taylor is a hearing aid tech at Trinity Hearing Center. Trinity Hearing Center is located at 1330 N. Rim Dr., Suite B in Flagstaff. For more information, visit the website at TrinityHearing.net. Taylor is a hearing aid technician with a passion for improving the lives of others. He may be reached at 928-522-0500 or at audio@trinityhearing.net.
Trinity Hearing Center is located at 1330 N. Rim Dr., Suite B in Flagstaff. For more information, visit the website at TrinityHearing.net. Jeff Lane is a doctor of audiology with a passion for improving the lives of others. Dr. Lane may be reached at 928-522-0500 or at audio@trinityhearing.net.
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