Commonly asked questions about hearing loss, hearing aids, and our practice. Please call us if your question is not addressed below.
The one that fits your ears, hearing profile, budget, and preferences. We carry 8 brands that are each good in different ways.
We always encourage people to explore their options using our unique Hearing Aid Test Drive.
Work with a hearing care provider that you trust and try more than one hearing aid brand.
The hearing aids themselves are fine. The business and service model doesn’t suit everyone’s needs. Because hearing better with hearing aids is a process somewhat like rehabilitation, many people need a hearing care provider that can take the time necessary to help you become successful. We’ve found that many of our clients need more patience and attention to detail than a warehouse style clinic can offer.
The first thing is a hearing test. If your hearing test reveals medical concerns we will refer you to your physician before considering a hearing aid trial.
If there are no medical concerns but there is hearing loss, our hearing aid test drive helps you evaluate your own readiness and figure out the best product for your ears and budget...all before you spend a cent.
Our hearing aids range from $2800 - $7200 depending on the performance level and sound quality. Many people are quite successful somewhere in the middle.
- Full hearing evaluation
- Careful hearing aid selection using our Test Drive Process
- Custom fitting and rehabilitation to hearing more sound. This includes several technical procedures and visits.
- Lifetime (of the devices) maintenance and tuneups
- 3-4 year repair warranty
- 2-3 loss and damage warranty
- Processing warranty repairs if needed
- Loaner devices if your devices are out for warranty service
- Batteries (if not rechargeable) during the warranty period
- Wax filters during warranty period
- Wireless bluetooth accessories (depending on the performance level chosen)
- Easy access to our professional advice whenever you need it
Sometimes.
Workman’s Compensation, Veteran’s Affairs, NIHB, Ministry of Social Assistance, and some extended benefits.
We always help people explore any possible funding.
Generally about 5-6 years. Some people wear them out sooner and others make them last much longer. We work hard to help you get all the life possible out of them.
Most hearing aids come with a 2-3 year loss warranty which will replace them one time with a deductible. We always recommend that you check with your home insurance for coverage as well.
Most hearing aids have at least a 3 year warranty and longer is available. This is quite remarkable considering most electronics are only one year. Hearing aid manufacturers are very easy to work with if warranty work is needed.
No problem. We are a full service clinic for most hearing aid brands. Simply drop in during business hours and we will tell you what’s needed to get you up and running. Many times it’s a quick fix. Sometimes we need to book an office appointment to diagnose what the problem is. We will also work to help you learn how to troubleshoot the devices yourself as much as possible.
This depends on the hearing loss. We usually say the only time to get one hearing aid is if only one ear needs help or only one ear can be helped. Otherwise, the brain is designed to get stereo hearing so that we can tell where sounds are coming from and choose what we want to listen to when there are multiple sounds and noises around.
In short, hearing aids are like a fancy public address system. They have a microphone to capture the sound, an amplifier and computer to make only the sounds that you need louder audible, and a speaker to let you hear your custom tuned sound. Of course, there is a lot of sophistication that happens in this process to make the sound as helpful and natural as possible for your individual ears.
Yes, sometimes. Depending on the style and if it meets your needs we can refit them. We have a process for evaluating how appropriate they are for you.
We do usually have some used hearing aids on hand. While this might be a way to save some money, keep in mind that service fees still apply. The overall cost may not end up being as cheap an option as you might expect. Furthermore you still end up with a device with no warranty. We can help you evaluate the pros and cons of this option if necessary.
Yes, on a case-by-case basis. Unfortunately you will not get nearly as much as you paid for them as a large portion of your initial cost went towards service fees. You might get as much as 20% of what you originally paid towards a new purchase.
Absolutely. We are fully equipped to do hearing testing, fitting, and follow up care in your home if mobility is difficult for you.
Our hearing aids always come with a 90 day return policy. However, most of our clients never need to use this as our unique Test Drive Process makes sure that you are ready to purchase and helps you choose the right ones...all before you spend a cent.
You may have noticed that there are lots of clinics that offer trials and return periods to protect you from buyers remorse.
Our Test Drive is different in two big ways.
1) We help you determine if now is the right time to get hearing aids.
2) Then we help you explore the best option for you by trying at least two different models/brands.
This process gives you peace of mind about moving forward with hearing aids all before you commit to spending a cent.
Here’s how it works:
1. Make an appointment for an initial hearing evaluation.
2. Take home a state-of-the-art hearing aid the same day.We allow you to try different types and price levels with no commitment or deposit required.
3. Take your time evaluating which hearing aid suits you best.
This can be very frustrating for some people.
The reason that this can happen is possibly due to:
1) Poor fit
2) The wrong hearing aids for your lifestyle
3) An incomplete understanding of the abilities/limitations for your unique hearing profile.
We love doing a hearing aid fit assessment to help you understand what is wrong and how it can be fixed.
While hearing aids are a necessary part of treating hearing loss, they are not the only thing.
3 key parts to success are essential.
You.
You need to understand what hearing aids can and can’t do for your your specific needs.You need to put in the effort to using, maintaining, and adapting to your hearing aids.You need to realize that good communication practices are still very important. Hearing aids don’t fix bad communication.You need to advocate for your hearing needs. Most people aren’t very considerate of people that struggle with hearing loss.
The hearing care professional.
You need someone that you trust. The professional is responsible for a good fit, helping you adapt to hearing better, and keeping the devices working their best for several years.
The hearing aids themselves.
Having the wrong hearing aids can be a recipe for a waste of money.
Yes. We have:
- Custom ear plugs
- Custom headphones
- Wireless headphones
- Hearing aid accessories (filters, tubes, driers, batteries, etc)
Yes we do. They are both very convenient and good for the environment. Like many electronics nowadays, they simply go on the charger every night.
We do carry these amazing little devices and more like them. However, they do have limitations for who they fit. They are not as strong as bigger hearing aids, and oddly enough, need a minimum size ear canal. We can help you understand if these are right for you.
2 reasons:
1) It’s not just the hearing aids. Somewhat like a prosthetic device, the work of a professional is needed to fit them properly, rehabilitate you to better hearing over time, and maintain the devices working in the warm moist environment of your ears. This usually accounts for about half of the cost.
2) The research and development to create and support them is born by a small percentage of the population. This is in contrast to something like smartphones and computers that nearly everyone purchases.
Absolutely. The provider that we work with specializes in medical device financing. They have very flexible terms.
Our hearing aids range from $2800 - $7200 depending on the performance level and sound quality. Many people are quite successful somewhere in the middle.
- Full hearing evaluation
- Careful hearing aid selection using our Test Drive Process
- Custom fitting and rehabilitation to hearing more sound. This includes several technical procedures and visits.
- Lifetime (of the devices) maintenance and tuneups
- 3-4 year repair warranty
- 2-3 loss and damage warranty
- Processing warranty repairs if needed
- Loaner devices if your devices are out for warranty service
- Batteries (if not rechargeable) during the warranty period
- Wax filters during warranty period
- Wireless bluetooth accessories (depending on the performance level chosen)
- Easy access to our professional advice whenever you need it
We do usually have some used hearing aids on hand. While this might be a way to save some money, keep in mind that service fees still apply. The overall cost may not end up being as cheap an option as you might expect. Furthermore you still end up with a device with no warranty. We can help you evaluate the pros and cons of this option if necessary.
Yes, on a case-by-case basis. Unfortunately you will not get nearly as much as you paid for them as a large portion of your initial cost went towards service fees. You might get as much as 20% of what you originally paid towards a new purchase.
Many things can cause hearing loss. Various diseases, medications, injuries, aging, and loud noise exposure. The last two are the most frequent.
Sometimes. There are many types of hearing loss. Some can be treated medically/cured and others are permanent and need hearing aids. It all starts with a hearing assessment to see what type of hearing loss you have. If there’s any chance that your physician can treat it, we will refer you to him/her first.
In short, the outer ear captures sound and funnels it towards the middle ear (eardrum area) where it is amplified for the inner ear. The intricate inner ear (cochlea) is where we detect the sound with our ear nerve. The nerve further processes the sound and sends the signal to our brain where we choose what to do or think about the sound. Of course this is the highly simplistic version. We love talking about it in more detail if you are curious.
It depends on the type.
Medically treatable hearing loss may get worse (i.e. ear infections, plug of wax, growths, etc.) Age and noise related hearing loss not as much. However, the sound deprivation from this type makes your brain struggle more and can have an impact on mental health over time.
Sometimes. Whenever we do a hearing evaluation we are carefully watching for nearly a dozen different things that your physician might be able to help you with.
No. While many people feel it has been a positive experience, there is no good evidence that it effectively removes earwax, and there is risk of burning your eardrum and ear canal.
Yes we do. We are the only hearing clinic in Nanaimo that offers this service. We have multiple methods to make sure that we can remove earwax gently and safely!
Sometimes. There are many possible causes of tinnitus. Some of them are an easy fix. However, many times there is no cure per se. This is where we have solutions to help you manage the unwanted sounds so that they don’t bother you.
Two primary drivers increase the market demand.
1) Hearing aids work better and have less stigma than they used to.
2)The large Baby Boomer generation is entering their golden years and needing hearing services.
Be aware of the different types; big box, chain, and independent.
Choose a provider that you feel you can trust. Half of what you pay for with hearing aids is the service to help the hearing aids work well for you.
A lot and a little.
Audiologists have more education that prepares them for servicing children, working with balance disorders, diagnosing some rare hearing conditions, and working in hearing research.
However, for the purpose of general hearing testing, fitting hearing aids, and servicing hearing aids, both audiologists and hearing instrument practitioners have the exact same certification with the College of Speech & Hearing Health Professionals of BC.
When it comes to most hearing aid fittings, aside from the legal requirement of being registered with the above College, the most important thing for hearing aid success is working with a professional that you trust regardless of their background.
Absolutely. We are fully equipped to do hearing testing, fitting, and follow up care in your home if mobility is difficult for you.
Yes. We have:
- Custom ear plugs
- Custom headphones
- Wireless headphones
- Hearing aid accessories (filters, tubes, driers, batteries, etc)