Advanced Hearing Aid Technology

Advanced Hearing Aid Technology
To Meet Your Specific Needs

Do you still think of those ugly, bulky, and frustrating devices your parents or grandparents used to struggle with when someone mentions hearing aids?

Eliminate that outdated stigma from your mind because today’s hearing aid technology is nothing like it was even ten years ago.

Just like the improvements to your smartphone and other digital devices, hearing technology has rapidly progressed over the past couple of decades, allowing hearing aid manufacturers to produce smaller, lighter, more stylish, and more discreet devices.

Though in a smaller package, modern hearing aids pack a lot of processing power, provide for more natural sound clarity with the capacity to control background noise, might include long-lasting rechargeable batteries, and offer the capability to link your hearing aids to other digital devices, like your cellphone, television, and computer.

Hearing aids with latest features at Provincial Hearing
Hearing Aids in Hands

Our Hearing Aid Specialist Will Help You Choose

Because today’s technology also makes it possible for hearing aids to come in a variety of different sizes and colours, costs, designs, levels of technology, and features, you’re apt to become overwhelmed by all the choices available. To help put your mind at ease and sort things out, our hearing aid specialist will guide you through the selection process by helping you consider your unique needs and preferences, like:

  • The processing power needed to address your specific level of hearing loss
  • Your manual dexterity and visual capabilities
  • Your budget limitations
  • Your wearing discretion and cosmetic concerns
  • Skin sensitivities
  • Anatomical/medical considerations

 

At Provincial Hearing, we understand that paying upfront is not always possible, sometimes not preferable and could be the catalyst to further delaying the treatment of your hearing loss.

That’s why we have created five different ways that you can invest in your hearing care.

Would You Like a Second Opinion?

If you have been given advice relating to your hearing, been diagnosed with something that you feel may not be accurate, or you’ve received a quote on a set of hearing aids that was more than you were expecting, then you may benefit from getting a second opinion.

With a reputation that has seen us trusted by thousands of people for over 50 years, you can simply complete the form on this page, and we’ll be able to offer our professional opinion and help to ensure that what you’ve been told is accurate, and ensure you’re making the best possible decision.

FAQs About Hearing Aids

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Q. How will I know if I need a hearing aid?

A. Your family will probably notice that you’re struggling with your hearing and are advising you to have your hearing checked. Difficulty communicating well with others, struggling to keep up with your typical lifestyle, and frustration when it comes to trying to understand a conversation in a noisy restaurant or at a social event are other indicators. However, the only way to know the truth is to consult a hearing instrument specialist for a professional, comprehensive hearing assessment.

Q. Will a hearing aid cure my hearing loss?

A. No. Hearing aids help make it easier to hear through sound processing and amplification, but they are “aids” and cannot be expected to restore the natural functioning of your ear. However, hearing aids slow down the progression of hearing deterioration, reverse or prevent cognitive decline, and help correct issues with balance and vertigo.

Q. How long will my hearing aid last?

A. Five to six years is the normal service life you can expect from a hearing aid. Some can go beyond that with plenty of TLC, regularly scheduled maintenance, tune-ups, and repair, but most hearing instrument specialists recommend upgrading every five years in order to take advantage of cutting-edge technologies in a rapidly changing industry.

Q. Do hearing aids use special batteries?

A. Yes. Modern hearing aids use zinc-air batteries made specifically for hearing aids. The various sizes for different devices are usually pretty easy to find in pharmacies and grocery stores.

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Q. How long do hearing aid batteries last?

A. The service life of a hearing aid battery can depend on various factors like the type of battery, how many hours per day you wear your hearing aid, the presence of moisture, and battery quality. Weekly changes are common with smaller batteries, while larger batteries tend to last two to three weeks.

Q. How long does it take to get used to a hearing aid?

A. Each person’s adjustment period is unique. The amplification of new sounds or sounds your brain hasn’t heard for a long time is a shock to the central auditory system of your brain, requiring time to acclimate and relearn how to process the sound signals.

Most manufacturers allow a 60-day trial period, which is ample time for most people to adjust to their hearing aids and evaluate their benefits. During this time, your hearing instrument specialist will help you adjust with coping strategies and ongoing support to help make things easier and speed up the process.

Q. Why do hearing aids cost so much?

A. Hearing aids are sold in relatively low volume (about 1.7 million hearing aids for some 30 million people with hearing loss), which means that manufacturers sell them at a higher cost to recuperate production costs. Research and development for new hearing aid technology are considerable, representing the highest cost of production, while the industry standard one to two-year warranty for replacement and repairs also adds to the purchase price.

Hearing Aid Styles

Behind the ear hearing aid

Behind-the-Ear (BTE)

Though BTE hearing aids look like older analogue hearing aids, don’t let that fool you. Besides being lighter and more streamlined, their digital processing power far exceeds that of their ancestors. Custom-formed earmolds for a more comfortable fit and open-canal earpieces to eliminate the “plugged up” feeling some users experience are features that make BTE hearing aids the most flexible, adaptable, and powerful hearing instruments available for all levels of hearing loss. Available as:

  • BTE
  • Mini BTE
  • Power Plus BTE

 

RIC hearing aid

Receiver-in-Ear (RIC)

RIC hearing aids are modified BTE devices that feature a comfortable, open-fit design suited for nearly all types of hearing loss. The main difference involves the location of the instrument’s speaker, which is in the ear tip instead of in the main BTE body. Similar to BTE styles, they are small, lightweight, and packed with powerful technology to serve those with mild to severe hearing loss. Available as:

  • Micro RIC
  • RIC

 

In the ear (ITE) hearing aid

In-the-Ear (ITE)

ITE instruments combine technology and speakers inside a single moulded shell custom fit to the contours of your outer ear canal. Full-shell in-the-ear technology produces powerful, clear sound for all degrees of treatable hearing loss and is a great choice for those who wear glasses or use an oxygen cannula. The ease of adjustment, larger batteries with a longer life, rechargeability, and broad choice of colours are among the advantages of ITE over smaller devices.

In-the-Canal (ITC) hearing aid

In-the-Canal (ITC)

Smaller versions of ITE devices, ITC hearing aids are custom moulded to fit further into the ear canal instead of the outer ear. They provide many of the same benefits as ITE devices for users who wear glasses, an oxygen cannula, or hats but allow you to enjoy a more active lifestyle and offer greater wearing discretion. Individuals with mild to mildly severe hearing loss can benefit from this style, which includes the capacity to customize external controls to fit your needs.

Completely-In-The-Canal (CIC) hearing aid

Completely-In-The-Canal (CIC)

Going deeper still, CIC devices fit deeper into the ear canal than ITC devices using a tiny clear plastic post to insert and remove them. Those who lack fine-dexterity may struggle with this style of hearing loss, but they allow wearers a greater level of comfort and discretion for activity-filled days with friends and family, as well as the reduction of wind interference for more natural hearing and greater clarity. These devices are only suited for individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss.

Invisible-In-the-Canal (IIC) hearing aid

Invisible-In-the-Canal (IIC)

Those concerned with wearing discretion enjoy the snug, custom moulded fit near the second bend of the ear canal. 100% invisible, digital, and fully programmable with clarity and power packed into the tiniest of spaces, IIC hearing instruments serve those with a very active lifestyle. Individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss who have the manual dexterity to insert and remove them qualify for this style of device.

A Hearing Assessment Is Critical To Choosing The Right Hearing Aid

The prevalence of hearing aid dispensers and the capacity for people to self-diagnose and self-treat with the purchase of an OTC or online hearing device has increased the potential to cause severe damage to your hearing with a poor-fitting, improperly programmed device. The safer option is to consult a hearing instrument specialist for a comprehensive hearing assessment.

If you’d prefer a hearing instrument that will solve your hearing challenges rather than exacerbate them, submit the adjacent form in order to schedule a hearing assessment with our professional Provincial Hearing, hearing instrument specialist.

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