Introduction
Hearing Aid Secrets Revealed!
Nobody likes spending more than they should — and for good reason!
Having a properly fit hearing aid allows you to reconnect with your family and friends through better hearing and focus on the important things in life.
Industry Secrets and Lies
Many hearing aid practices make confusing and misleading claims about what they can do.
To avoid choosing the WRONG hearing aid practice to purchase your hearing aids from, costing you money, time, and stress, it pays to learn some basics about hearing aids first.
The “Consumer Awareness Guide for Purchasing a Hearing Aid” will teach you everything you need to know about the right way to purchase a hearing aid, so you can rest assured you are getting the value for your money while hearing better.
You will get the inside information on:
- How to avoid three hearing aid purchase rip-offs
- Four costly misconceptions about hearing aids
- Which hearing aid selection method is best?
- What is the right way to fit hearing aids?
- Six mistakes when choosing a hearing aid dispenser and how to avoid them
- The importance of price and value
- The importance of hearing better
- Four steps to being properly fit with hearing aids
This guide has been written for you to better understand the hearing aid industry so you can make an informed and intelligent decision.
Hearing Aid Rip-offs
1. When it’s TOO cheap…
We all like a bargain, but there is an old saying that if something is too good to be true, it usually is. Some hearing aid practices advertise low prices as the bait for their false and misleading advertising. They offer an unbelievably cheap price for hearing aids, then once you come in for an appointment, they pressure you into buying something more expensive and extras you are going to need in order to hear well. It’s like going to buy a car and then being told that you will have to pay extra for the wheels and brakes!
A proper hearing aid evaluation and fitting takes time to do it right, so expect to pay a reasonable amount for a properly fit hearing aid done by a professional. If a deal seems too good to be true, look elsewhere, because otherwise you might end up paying more money for someone else to fix the problem and help you hear better.
2. This hearing aid is the best…
This is a common statement you will see in advertisements from most hearing aid practices.
Remember: The best hearing aid selection and verification method for you is the one that focuses on your brain-hearing connection to achieve your listening goals!
For instance, if you require a hearing aid that helps you have a normal conversation at a restaurant, then a basic hearing aid is not for you. So, before you choose to purchase a hearing aid, identify your objectives and then select the method that best reaches those objectives.
Not only that, technology in hearing aids has evolved over time, so what might have been a great hearing aid a couple of years ago may have been improved upon by now. For this reason, it pays to go to a hearing aid practice that stays up to date on cutting edge technology from multiple hearing aid manufacturers and does not make sweeping claims about having the “best” hearing aid.
3. All hearing aids are basically all the same…
Once upon a time, many people believed this was true. Their hearing aids were programmed by hearing aid dispensers who had no knowledge of how to correctly program a hearing aid. These days, we know this is false. By taking the time to do a proper brain-hearing evaluation and fitting of your hearing aids by a Doctor of Audiology, the results of hearing better and meeting your listening goals can be achieved!
Hearing Aid Misconceptions
1. I’ve heard that it doesn’t matter where you purchase hearing aids, as long as they are cheap.
Many people have the attitude that they will save money by purchasing an inexpensive pair of hearing aids because once they are programmed for your hearing loss, they are all basically the same.
This is a myth!
Hearing aids are not all the same. Each hearing aid manufacturer has their own proprietary algorithms that consider your hearing loss along with many other factors to deliver sound to your ears. But in fact, it is your brain that processes this sound and understands it as speech.
Hearing aids are not a one-size-fits-all solution. Price should be a consideration when purchasing hearing aids but the hearing aid selection, verification and fitting are critical to you actually hearing better with your investment!
2. My friend has hearing aids and hates them and said I should never even try them.
Another common misconception is that because someone else had a bad experience with their hearing aids, you will too.
There are many factors that come into play when fitting a hearing aid, and therefore everyone’s experience is different. Every person has different hearing loss, different ear canals, different listening needs or lifestyle, different hearing aids, etc. Hearing aid success depends on doing a proper brain-hearing evaluation, hearing aid selection and verification. By taking the time to do a proper brain-hearing evaluation and fitting of your hearing aids by a Doctor of Audiology, the results of hearing better and meeting your listening goals can be achieved!
3. It doesn’t matter who fits me with a hearing aid as long as it works.
A hearing aid dispenser and a Doctor of Audiology are not the same!
A Doctor of Audiology holds a doctoral degree in hearing science and is an expert in all aspects of hearing healthcare, including the fitting of hearing aids. A hearing aid dispenser has a high school or two-year degree and has received training and passed their state examination for the dispensing of hearing devices only.
It is critical that you be smart about this when purchasing hearing aids. When given the choice, you should always choose a hearing healthcare professional that adheres to the highest educational standards possible, so you get the best results possible from your hearing aids. You will be glad you did your homework!
4. Hearing aids don’t really help you hear well in background noise.
Many hearing aid practices can fit you with a hearing aid based on what types of situations you need help hearing in. However, just because you purchase a pair of top-ofthe-line hearing aid with state-of-the-art noise reduction features does not mean that it is actually going to help you hear better in background noise. That’s because they are just looking to sell you a hearing aid and not actually take the time to evaluate your brain-hearing and verify what hearing aid is best for you.
It is important to choose a practice that adheres to best practices in hearing aid selection, verification and fitting. If you don’t, then it is likely that you won’t hear well in background noise with your new hearing aids.
You should look for a practice that works with at least three different hearing aid manufacturers. As part of the hearing aid selection process, you should be tested in noise with different hearing aids to establish which one helps you hear the most clearly. Testing in noise is the only way to find the best hearing aid for you.
Which Hearing Aid Selection Method is Best?
So, from all the hearing aids available today, which is the best option for you? Let’s look at what is considered best practice for hearing aid selection…
Comprehensive Hearing Evaluation
A hearing assessment or hearing evaluation is a process of determining whether you have any hearing impairment and to what degree. There are many different types and causes of hearing loss, so a comprehensive hearing evaluation is the first step in establishing the right care plan for you.
Health History: The first step in the hearing evaluation is to take a through case history. Understanding your audiologic history, your medical history, and related health conditions and understanding what specific situations you are having difficulty hearing in lays the foundation for a Doctor of Audiology to understand your unique hearing. In addition, completing a hearing screening like the Hearing 13 Handicap Inventory (HHIE-S) and the Characteristics of Amplification Tool (COAT) help them get a more complete look at how hearing loss is actually affecting you.
Otoscopic Inspection: Before any hearing examination, your ears need to be checked for wax. If you have wax in your ears, it can affect the results of the hearing assessment, so it’s essential that your ears be clear before testing.
Typmanometry and Impedance Testing: This test allows the audiologist to measure how well your eardrum is vibrating when sound strikes and how well the tiny bones of the middle ear are functioning to transmit those vibrations to the cochlea, the organ of hearing. This test also measures the pressure in the space behind the eardrum containing those bones. Tympanometry helps diagnose issues like ear infections or fluid behind the ear which can cause a conductive, or often temporary hearing loss.
Brain-Hearing Assessment: Next, the audiologist performs a hearing test to measure the sensitivity of your hearing across the full range of speech sounds. The test measures the quietest sound that can be heard, typically from 250 Hertz through 8000 Hertz. Speech testing is also performed in order to assess your brain’s ability to understand speech at a comfortable listening level. This hearing test is also termed an “audiogram.”
Cognitive Assessment by Cognivue™
This interactive screening tool measures 5 key performance areas of brain function including, memory, visual-spatial ability, executive function, reaction time, and processing speed. It is intended to determine if hearing loss is potentially contributing to any cognitive decline. The results of this screening will help make better-informed decisions regarding the need for additional testing and to recommend the best treatment option for your hearing loss.
Being able to identify cognitive decline and then do something about it, is a critical piece to treating your hearing.
Hearing Aid Selection and Verification
After your comprehensive hearing evaluation, the Doctor of Audiology should thoroughly explain the results with you. This should include explaining how you hear, the benefits of binaural hearing, what your listening lifestyle is, and explaining the hearing audiogram as it relates to what specific situations you are having difficulty hearing in.
If you are a candidate for hearing aids and agree that you want to try hearing aids to help you hear better, the following test is critical in determining what hearing aid will actually help you hear better in noise!
A QuickSIN™Test evaluates your ability to hear in environments with lots of background noise, like a loud restaurant. First, the audiologist will program hearing aids from different hearing aid manufacturers (it’s critical that you try out more than one brand when doing this test) to get a much more complete picture of your hearing ability. During the QuickSIN™ Test, you’ll listen for certain keywords in a sentence in the midst of background noise to measure how well you can hear in a noisy environment.
As we mentioned earlier, each hearing aid manufacturer has their own proprietary algorithms that influence the way that sounds is delivered to your ears. But in fact, it is your brain that processes this sound and understands it as speech. The QuickSIN™Test allows the audiologist to accurately determine what is the right hearing aid for you to ensure that you will hearing well in noise.
If your hearing aid provider isn’t taking the time to truly understand what you need in order to hear well, it’s likely that you won’t hear as well as you can. Following these best practices in audiology will ensure that your investment is the right one for you.
How to Know if Your Hearing Aid is Actually Fit Properly
Now that you know how to determine what is the right hearing aid for you, how do you ensure that it is actually fit properly so you can finally hear and understand conversation again?
Hearing Aid Fitting and Verification
So, you ready to be fit with your new hearing aids and begin the journey of better hearing. But how do you know that the sounds your new hearing aids are giving you are accurate to help you hear better? Since everyone’s ear canals are different sizes and shapes, it’s important to verify that your hearing aids are actually providing the right amount of hearing correction.
A Real Ear Test measures the sound pressure level in your ear canal when wearing hearing aids. These measurements allow the audiologist to verify that the hearing aids are amplifying sound accurately for your hearing loss to ensure an accurate fit of your new hearing aids.
Without this test, there is no way to verify that your new hearing aids are delivering the right amount of sound to help you hear and understand speech again.
The Importance of Price and Value
Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.
There are a wide variety of places that you can get hearing aids, types of providers that can fit them for you, and prices to choose from. Hearing aids are an investment in your brain’s hearing health, and so it pays to also invest in where you buy them from.
To ensure optimal performance of your hearing aids so that you hear well with your investment, it is important to take extra care by choosing an audiologist who adheres to best practices in hearing aid selection, verification, and fitting in order to achieve an optimal result. Your hearing aids should also be cleaned periodically, depending on how much ear wax and sweat you produce, so that it continues to work properly. Working with a skilled and knowledgeable audiologist who understands your unique listening needs is essential to your hearing aids working well for you.
Overall, it pays to spend a little extra to receive much better care and service. Now that’s value for your money!
The Importance of Hearing Better
Studies have shown that people with poorly fit hearing aids just don’t wear them.
Nothing is more frustrating than paying a lot of money for hearing aids and then leaving them in your drawer because they did not help you hear better.
If all you are after is an inexpensive pair of hearing aids, you’ll be able to find a pair for a very cheap price. But be warned: just because you bought a pair of “hearing aids” does not mean that they are going to help you hear better.
If you really want your hearing aids to give you back the confidence to have a normal conversation and never say “what” again, you need to do the research on which hearing aid practice is adhering to best practices in hearing aid selection, verification and fitting. Hearing aids that are not fit this way will not truly help you hear better and understand words.
Only by choosing an audiologist who adheres to these best practices in hearing aid selection, verification, and fitting, will you be sure that your new hearing aids truly help you hear better.
Using an audiologist who adheres to these best practices may cost a little bit extra, but what you spend now on getting your hearing aids properly fit will save you a lot of money in the long run. This is because properly fit hearing aids will perform better and last longer.
Don’t forget that incredible feeling of hearing the wind going through the trees or the birds chirping while having your morning cup of coffee outside or having a normal conversation without missing a thing. This is what better hearing is like.
Four Steps to an Accurately Fit Hearing Aid
If you’re considering purchasing a pair of hearing aids, it’s a good idea to follow these four simple steps:
1. Make a commitment to get your hearing tested.
It’s something we can put off again and again, but every day we put it off, we are one day further away from having a normal conversation with other people.
2. List your hearing goals.
Do you just want a hearing aid that is inexpensive, or do you want a hearing aid that is actually going to help you clearly hear the sounds that you’ve been missing again? A cheap option will certainly give the appearance that you are trying to hear better, but you’ll need a real professional audiologist if you want to truly hear conversation with out missing a thing.
3. Ask the hearing aid practice questions.
Make sure you ask these questions of your hearing aid practice, such as:
- What is your hearing evaluation process?
- What types of verification methods do you use when recommending a hearing aid?
- How do you verify that when I am fit with hearing aids, they are programmed correctly?
- How long will it take once I order hearing aids to be fit?
- Do you offer any guarantees?
- What training does the person I am seeing have?
By finding out the answers to these and other questions, you’ll be in the best position to ensure you get good value for money and are pleased with the outcome.
4. Get a quote in writing.
Once you’ve chosen the hearing aid practice that seems the best fit for your needs, ask for a written price quote to ensure that you are both on the same page in terms of the cost of the hearing aid and any additional services.
At Hearing Doctors of New Jersey our proprietary H.E.A.R. Method™ ensures:
1. A proper hearing aid evaluation and fitting done right.
2. Only use cutting edge technology from multiple hearing aid manufacturers.
3. Take time to do a proper evaluation and fitting of your hearing aids by a Doctor of Audiology, so you hear better and your listening goals are achieved.
4. A customized brain-hearing solution.
5. A proper evaluation and fitting of your hearing aids by a Doctor of Audiology, so you hear better and your listening goals can be achieved!
6. You will only be seen by a Doctor of Audiology that holds a doctoral degree in hearing science and is an expert in all aspects of hearing healthcare, including the fitting of hearing aids.
7. We are not just looking to sell you a hearing aid. At Hearing Doctors of New Jersey we adhere to best practices in hearing aid selection, verification, and fitting so you never miss another word – guaranteed.
