Prescription Hearing Aids with On-Going Support By a Hearing Professional
Tragically, most people continue to get hung up on the outdated stigma attached to hearing aids because they envision those ugly, bulky, and frustrating devices their parents or grandparents used to wear. However, today’s hearing aid technology is far different from what it was a decade or two ago.
Like cell phone technology, hearing aid technology has rapidly progressed over the past couple of decades, allowing manufacturers to produce devices that are smaller, lighter, more stylish, and more discreet but with much greater processing power. Modern hearing aids produce natural sound clarity, control background noise, eliminate feedback, and enhance speech.
We Partner with Major Hearing Aid Manufacturers
We provide a broad range of choices in order to help our patients find the right device to fit their unique needs and lifestyle with hearing aid solutions from brand name manufacturers, such as:
Our Selection Process
and Ongoing Support
What Our Delighted Patients Say
Frequently Asked Questions
Are hearing aids right for me?
Have your family and friends been telling you to get your hearing checked? Do you struggle to communicate well with others, is it a challenge to keep up with your active and independent lifestyle, or is it becoming difficult to enjoy conversations in a noisy restaurant or at a social event?
If you’re experiencing these and other challenges related to your hearing, hearing aids can help limit any damage that has already occurred while making it possible to get back to living the quality of life you’ve gotten used to, thanks to better hearing, but your first step is to know the truth about your hearing with a comprehensive hearing assessment.
Can a hearing aid cure my hearing loss?
How long do hearing aids last?
Do hearing aids use special batteries?
How long do hearing aid batteries last?
How long does it take to get used to hearing aids?
Getting used to hearing aids varies from one person to the next. Your brain undergoes traumatic shock when processed sounds from your hearing aids arrive in your brain’s central auditory system, so your brain needs some time to acclimate and relearn how to process new sounds, sounds it hasn’t heard in a while, and amplified sounds.
Manufacturers typically allow a 60-day trial period, which is ample time for most people to adjust to their hearing aids and evaluate their benefits. Your hearing care provider will provide you with ongoing adjustments, counseling, technical support, and coping strategies while you go through the adjustment process.
Why do hearing aids cost so much?
In-the-Ear (ITE) Hearing Aid Styles
Full shell models sit flush within the outer ear bowl. Their size allows the maximum number of additional controls and features such as directional microphones, which require space on the outer portion of the instrument. They use a larger battery size than the smaller styles and can fit a larger receiver with enough power for even some severe hearing losses. Because of their flexibility, they’re widely recommended for mild-to-severe hearing loss.
ITC instruments sit inside the lower portion of the outer ear bowl, making them comfortable and easy to use. Because they’re slightly larger than CIC models, they have a longer battery life and can host additional features such as directional microphones for better understanding in noisy environments and controls, such as volume controls. They fit mild and moderate hearing losses.
A smaller custom style, CIC instruments fit deeply and entirely within the ear canal. They work for those with a mild-to-moderate hearing loss and offer high cosmetic appeal, as they’re nearly invisible when worn.
The smallest custom style, IIC instruments sit invisibly in or past the second bend of the ear canal. IIC devices are specifically designed for mild-to-moderate hearing loss.
Behind-the-Ear (BTE) Hearing Aid Styles
BTE hearing aids include a processing unit that rests behind the ear. This style transmits processed sounds from the processing unit to the earmold, eartip, or speaker by using acoustical tubing or small electrical wires, depending on the specific type. They usually have greater processing power than ITE devices and have manual programming buttons and/or dials.
BTEs with earmolds fit mild through profound hearing losses. Their longer shape follows the contour behind the outer ear and can house many features. Processed sound passes through acoustical tubing to an earmold that can be custom formed to match the contours of the outer ear canal.
Mini BTEs hide behind the outer ear and have ultra-thin tubing to discreetly route sound into the ear. The tubing connects to a soft tip that sits in the ear canal but doesn’t occlude it. Known as “open fitting,” airflow and sound enter the ear naturally around the tip while amplified sound enters through the tip.
RIC models are mini BTEs that have the speaker of the instrument incorporated in the ear tip instead of in the main body of the instrument. RIC instruments fit mild-to-severe hearing losses. This hearing aid style looks similar to the Mini BTE when worn on the ear.
Schedule an Appointment
The increase of online and OTC hearing aid dispensers and easy access for people to self-diagnose and self-treat their hearing challenges have increased the risk of worsening the damage to your hearing by using the wrong or poorly programmed device. The safer option is to consult with a licensed audiologist like those at Utah Ear Institute for a comprehensive, professional hearing assessment, proper device selection, proper fitting, and ongoing support.
If you are looking to solve your hearing challenges rather than exacerbate them, start a hearing care partnership with our doctors of audiology by submitting the adjacent form to schedule a hearing assessment.
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