Bringing Advanced Hearing Aid Technology to Watkinsville, Loganville And Lavonia, GA

Aren’t you excited to start wearing hearing aids?

Not really, right? We understand.

Nobody grows up looking forward to the day they get to buy their first pair of prescription hearing aids. In fact, you’re probably imagining those bulky, frustrating gadgets your parents or grandparents struggled with, right?

Here’s some great news!

Today’s hearing aids are nothing like the ones you’re thinking about. Advanced technology hearing aids are smaller, lighter, more discreet to wear, have greater processing power, and come with user-friendly features like rechargeable batteries and the capacity to connect them to your smartphone and other digital devices.

Where can I find prescription hearing aids near me?
Your Loganville specialist for prescription hearing aids is Hearing + Balance Clinics. Our audiologists provide advanced hearing solutions designed to address your hearing needs and fit your lifestyle in all of our clinics, including those in Watkinsville and Lavonia, GA.

Myth-Busting: 6 Misconceptions about Hearing Aids

If you’re still hesitant whether hearing aids are right for you, it’s possible that your concerns are based on outdated information or misinformation. In truth, today’s hearing aids are more comfortable, quieter, and more effective at improving your hearing.

To help you see the value of advanced technology hearing aids, we’re going to bust six common hearing aid myths:

Myth: Only old people have hearing problems

Fact

About 1 in 5 people over the age of 12 have a hearing loss that limits their communication. The Better Hearing Institute notes that 65% of people with a hearing loss are under the age of 65. So, hearing loss can affect you regardless of age.

Myth: Hearing aids will make me look old

Fact

The real concern behind this myth is your concern about how hearing aids will affect your appearance. Modern hearing aids are so small that they are practically invisible, and some can even be worn inside the ear.

Myth: Hearing aids cure hearing loss

Fact

Hearing aids are “aids” because they help with your hearing similar to how prescription eyeglasses help with vision challenges. They don’t cure hearing loss, but they do help you communicate better, help improve your balance, limit your rate of cognitive decline, and much more.

Myth: My primary physician will tell me if I have a hearing loss

Fact

Sadly, less than 1 out of 15 primary physicians check for hearing loss during a physical exam. In addition, most people with a hearing loss have no hearing challenges in a quiet setting like a doctor’s office, so most of them have no idea you are struggling with a hearing loss.

Myth: I only need to wear one hearing aid

Fact

You may think that your “good ear” hears just fine, but the majority of people who have a hearing loss in one ear have it in both ears. Additionally, you hear better with both ears just like you see better with both eyes. Binaural (two-eared) hearing aids offer the best hearing results by helping you localize sounds so you can hear better in a noisy environment.

Myth: I can save money by buying hearing aids OTC or online

Fact

You might buy a pair of reading glasses over the counter or online, but you would never think of buying prescription glasses that way. Hearing aids are the same. OTC and online hearing aids might help when your hearing loss is mild, but for more advanced hearing challenges, you’ll need prescription hearing aids.

The Process of Selecting the Right Hearing Aid for You

Many options are available when choosing to correct your hearing loss. With our education of how your ears and brain work as well as our many years of combined clinical experience helping individuals just like you, our team is ready to walk beside you on your journey to better hearing.

We see you as an individual. We will assess your lifestyle and communication struggles to find the perfect solution for you. Our patient centered approach combines comprehensive audiological evaluations with the latest technology and equipment.

We’re here to support you as you strive to recover conversations with friends and family by using treatment options and good communication strategies. Our passion is helping you hear better so you can enjoy your passions, too.

To ensure that you’re satisfied with your progress, we start you out right by helping you choose the right hearing aids by considering:

  • The amount of processing power needed to address your level of hearing loss
  • Your manual dexterity and visual capabilities to handle your device
  • Your budget limitations (including insurance)
  • Your wearing discretion and cosmetic concerns
  • Any skin sensitivities you might have
  • Any anatomical or medical (oxygen cannula, eyeglasses, etc.) considerations

To help you choose the hearing aid that best fits you, we partner with several hearing aid manufacturers, including:

Fitting Your Hearing Device

The process of fitting your hearing device involves custom earmolds, but the primary focus is on properly programming your hearing aids to meet your needs. When you are fit with your devices for the first time, we take you step by step over a series of appointments to make sure you are confident and successful with your hearing aids.

Because proper fitting is so important, we provide you with five assurances:

  • Our doctors of audiology use a scientific verification system that helps to create a prescription for your specific hearing loss within the manufacturer’s sophisticated software that allows us to adjust your devices for your comfort.
  • Our audiologists will make recommendations for the amplification device that best fits your specific hearing loss and lifestyle.
  • Our clinics have technology that can support some of the most severe hearing losses and support some of the most active lifestyles.
  • Our amplification devices also have accessory options that can maximize your ability to hear in a multitude of different environments, including ones with excessive background noise.
  • Our audiologists go through extensive training with the devices to make sure you get the most benefit possible with amplification.
Elderly Patient Getting Hearing Aid Fitted at Hearing + Balance Clinics

Real Ear Measurement

When correcting your hearing loss, it is important that the prescription of your device is verified. Prescriptions are verified through the process of real ear measurement, or speech mapping.

Real ear measurement checks the prescriptive targets we are trying to achieve to properly correct your hearing loss. Two people with the same hearing loss will need different adjustments based on the anatomy of their ears and how their brain processes sound.

Knowing the science behind your hearing loss and what your brain needs is only part of the process; every ear is sized and shaped differently, which can impact how much or little of sound is being produced by the hearing device.

This measurement considers your ear anatomy to better fine tune your devices to you with maximum benefit.

Hearing Aid Styles

Receiver-in-the Ear (RITE)

This is a small and discreet device that fits at the top of your ear with a thin electronic wire that travels down and into your ear canal. This option fits most losses and is easily customizable to your specific needs.

They come in various colors to match hair colors and skin tones. This style makes the process easy and accessible if a patient’s hearing were to change requiring stronger amplification.

Behind-the-Ear (BTE)

These are similar to a RITE device in the sense that it is worn behind the ear. However, this option is better for individuals with a more severe to profound hearing loss or those with recurrent middle ear problems. They are powerful and provide plenty of sound for severe losses.

In-the-Ear/Canal Style Hearing Aids

You must have a very specific type of loss for one of these devices to obtain maximum benefit and receive good sound quality. Not everyone is a good candidate for these devices depending on the size of their ears, hearing loss levels, etc. These styles often need repairing due to the moist environment of the ear and ear canal.

Full Shell or In-the-Ear (ITE)

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. Because of their flexibility, they’re widely recommended for mild-to-severe hearing loss.

In-the-Canal (ITC)

ITC instruments sit in the lower portion of the outer ear bowl, making them comfortable and easy to use. They fit mild and moderate hearing losses.

Completely-in-the-Canal (CIC)

The smallest custom style, CIC instruments, fit deeply and entirely within the ear canal. They fit mild-to-moderate hearing losses and offer high cosmetic appeal, as they’re nearly invisible when worn.

Invisible-in-the-Canal (IIC)

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 Style Hearing Aids
Considered the traditional hearing aid style, BTE hearing aids feature a processing unit that rests behind the ear, but they differ from older units because they use digital technology to process sound. Sound processed in the behind-the-ear unit is transmitted in different manners and delivered to the outer ear in various ways, depending on the hearing aid style. BTE hearing aids tend to have greater processing power than ITE devices and usually include manual programming buttons and/or dials.
Behind-the-Ear (BTE) Hearing Aid Styles
Don’t be fooled by the fact that this hearing aid style resembles older analogue units, because they are packed with the highest levels of digital processing power available on the market. BTE hearing aids are lighter and more streamlined and come with programming and connectivity options that are able to address all levels of hearing loss.
Traditional BTE Behind-the-Ear
Individuals experiencing severe to profound hearing loss are best served by traditional BTE hearing aids styles, which offer directional microphones for improved hearing in background noise, and built-in manual volume and program controls that aren’t available in ITE devices. You’re able to choose many customized options like color, custom earmolds, rechargeable batteries and more.

Receiver-in-the-Ear (RITE)

RITE hearing aids are a modified version of BTE hearing aids that have the speaker (receiver) inside the ear rather than transmitting sound through acoustical tubing. Many first time hearing aid wearers are able to transition into this style of hearing aid easier due to their unmatched comfort and more natural sound.

Got Questions?

Answering Your Questions about Hearing Aids

What are prescription hearing aids?

Prescription hearing aids are hearing aids that are fit and maintained by a hearing care professional.

How do prescription hearing aids differ from over-the-counter hearing devices?

Over-the-counter hearing aids are for those over the age of 18 with only a mild degree of hearing loss or who need help communicating in certain situations. In contrast, those with more severe hearing challenges who perceive that their hearing loss is more disruptive to communication are better served with prescription hearing aids.

How do I know if I need prescription hearing aids?

If you are struggling with your hearing, your family and friends may be saying to you “Get your ears checked.” What’s going on?

If you’re struggling to communicate with others, unable to keep up with your typical lifestyle, and frustrated with trying to enjoy conversation in a noisy restaurant or at a social event, you’re probably a good candidate for prescription hearing aids.

Are prescription hearing aids covered by insurance?

Medicaid and some insurance supplements provide benefits for prescription hearing aids – financing that is not available if you purchase an OTC device.

How long does it take to get accustomed to wearing prescription hearing aids?

Each person’s adjustment experience is unique. The newly amplified sounds are a shock to your central auditory system, requiring time for your brain to acclimate and relearn how to process amplified sound stimuli.

You will probably adjust within a few weeks, thanks to coping strategies, ongoing adjustments, and support by your hearing care provider, which is much shorter than the typical 60-day trial period offered by manufacturers.

Can prescription hearing aids be adjusted as my hearing changes?

Yes. Even after you start wearing hearing aids, we will continue to test your hearing on a regular basis to make sure your hearing aids provide the assistance you need.

Can I use prescription hearing aids with other electronic devices?

One of the great benefits of modern hearing aids is that they come with connectivity options, which means you can connect your hearing aids directly to your smartphone, TV, laptop, and other digital devices.

Schedule a Hearing Evaluation

In our modern culture, it’s easy to self-diagnose and self-treat your hearing loss, and there is no shortage of online and OTC hearing aid dispensers. However, the wrong device or a poorly programmed device can do more harm than good.

Rather than saving a buck on a critical health need, your safer option is to allow Hearing + Balance Clinics to conduct a professional hearing evaluation, guide you through the selection process, and provide the necessary ongoing support to ensure that you get the results you hope for.

To start the process, you can submit the adjacent form to schedule a hearing evaluation, and a member of our team will call you back to assist you.

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