Hearing Aids and The Digital Revolution

Dr. Dawn Dion verifying the prescription of the hearing aid using Real Ear Measurements

The digital revolution has made a huge impact on the way hearing aids look and work. They can be so small that they are virtually invisible, or even so "cool" looking that you will want everyone to see them. They can also more accurately mimic the way you used to hear before you experienced hearing loss.

Digital Hearing Aid Features

Some hearing aids have added features to improve audibility of speech and noise, sound comfort, and/or sound quality for specific difficult environments.

• Your digital hearing aid will be programmed with a computer to meet your individualized needs.
• Dual microphones allow you to hear better in noisy situations. Some can even identify the source of the noise and reduce it!
• Noise reduction, can keep loud sounds comfortable and is especially important for patientes with intolerance of loud sound.
• Open technology that keeps the ear canal unobstructed eliminates that "talking in a barrel" effect.
• Feedback cancellation does just that It cancels feedback BEFORE you hear it as an annoying whistle.
• Telephone coils pick up the magnetic output of the telephone to allow patients to converse on the phone with no whistling or squealing from their hearing aids.
• Bluetooth connectivity devices allow the patient to hear other electronic devices, such as cell phones, MP3 players, computers, etc., through the hearing aids without use of extra wires or cables.
• FM devices can be helpful when listening in large groups and extreme noise.

Most patients need one or more of these features. Your audiologist will determine which features are suitable for your hearing loss to help you achieve your best hearing possible.

Digital Hearing Aid Technology - Click Here for a Video

There are so many options available to you! There are four technology levels Economy, Basic, Advanced and Best. Each level offers digital hearing solutions based on your level of hearing loss, lifestyle and budget. Click here to compare the various levels of digital hearing aid technology.
Find out what it sounds like before you buy! Call for your FREE demonstration today!

Hearing Aid Styles

Are there different styles of hearing aids?
There are three basic styles of hearing aids. The styles differ by size, their placement on or inside the ear, and the degree to which they amplify sound.

• Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids consist of a hard plastic case worn behind the ear and connected to a plastic earmold that fits inside the outer ear. The electronic parts are held in the case behind the ear. Sound travels from the hearing aid through the earmold and into the ear. BTE aids are used by people of all ages for mild to profound hearing loss. A new kind of BTE aid is an open-fit hearing aid. Small, open-fit aids fit behind the ear completely, with only a narrow tube inserted into the ear canal, enabling the canal to remain open. For this reason, open-fit hearing aids may be a good choice for people who experience a buildup of earwax, since this type of aid is less likely to be damaged by such substances. In addition, some people may prefer the open-fit hearing aid because their perception of their voice does not sound "plugged up."
• In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids fit completely inside the outer ear and are used for mild to moderately severe hearing loss. The case holding the electronic components is made of hard plastic. ITE aids usually are not worn by young children because the casings need to be replaced often as the ear grows.
• Canal aids fit into the ear canal and are available in two styles. The in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aid is made to fit the size and shape of a person's ear canal. A completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aid is nearly hidden in the ear canal. Both types are used for mild to moderately severe hearing loss.

Because they are small, canal aids may be difficult for a person to adjust and remove. In addition, canal aids have less space available for batteries and additional devices, such as a telecoil. They usually are not recommended for young children or for people with severe to profound hearing loss because their reduced size limits their power and volume.

Hearing Aid Technologies:

Oticon Hearing Aids
Phonak Hearing Aids
Widex Hearing Aids
FM Technology
Bluetooth Technology