Hearing Education

Only 13 percent of physicians routinely screen for hearing loss. Since most people with hearing impairments hear just fine in quiet environments (like your doctor’s office), it can be very difficult for your physician to recognize this problem. Only a trained hearing professional can determine the severity of your hearing problem, whether or not you could benefit from a hearing aid, and which type would be best for you.

Audibel offers rechargeable hearing solutions that are powered by a lithium-ion battery. These little batteries allow your hearing aids to run all day, recharge quickly overnight and be ready to go tomorrow, saving you money on batteries and dealing with replacing them all the time. 

We believe that you achieve the best possible results with your hearing aids by consulting with a hearing professional in person. The first step is looking in your ears and understanding your specific type and range of hearing loss. Sometimes your hearing could be wax build up or a physical obstruction in your ear canal. In addition, different hearing loss has different ranges and pitches impacted. By seeing a licensed professional, you can be sure that your specific hearing loss is being treated accurately. 

While we cannot guarantee your hearing will be 100% restored, we do offer a money back guarantee. It is important to give yourself a reasonable chance to adjust to your hearing aids, knowing it often takes a few months to get comfortable. 

Cheaper hearing aids come in two distinctive styles. The first are amplifiers. These products simply turn up the volume. Most people’s hearing loss is not the same across all pitches, resulting in a louder sound that is still muffled. Over-the-counter hearing aids are now available. These products are “do it yourself” style with small adjustments and preset channels. These products can work for people with self-perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. To truly know if this product is helping you hear your best, you will need to schedule an appointment with a provider for testing and measurement. 

The price of hearing aids will vary depending on the specific model and features you need, and how effective it is in various noise environments. Over-the-counter hearing aids cost hundreds dollars for the devices, but do not come with the much-needed service. Many prescription hearing aids come with a service and warranty plan ranging from $899-$8,200 depending on the technology, level and style. Whatever the final cost, we offer financing plans and accept most insurance. You can also check to see if you qualify for free hearing aids or discounted hearing aids from your employer, union, the Veterans Administration, insurance provider, HMO, or local charity (such as Lions Club). 

Two-ear hearing (called “binaural”) is better than one. Even if you have hearing loss in just one ear, technology today allows for two hearing aids to connect and work together to help you hear clearly out of the ear with hearing loss.

Yes. Most people need an adjustment period of up to four months before becoming acclimated to — and receiving the full benefit of — wearing their hearing aids. Your professional hearing team will help build a personalized adjustment plan for you. This typically consists of minor, regular adjustments to your prescription and time wearing them in different environments. Oral rehabilitation and other counseling are available and used as well.  

Like many other high-tech devices (TVs, phones, computers), hearing aids have experienced a major technological revolution in the past decade and especially in the last few years.

Recently we have introduced sensors and AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology into our hearing aids. The result is the most natural sound quality ever. Our hearing aids are designed to go beyond helping you hear; they now help you live an active lifestyle. These hearing aids can track body and brain health; virtually eliminate feedback; make listening in noisy environments easier and more comfortable; stream stereo sound from TVs and radios directly to the hearing aid itself; let you talk on your phone hands-free; and much more. All in instruments that are smaller (in some cases, invisible) and more comfortable, rechargeable, and powerful than ever before.

There are several factors that will determine which hearing aid will be the right one for you. They include the nature and severity of your hearing loss, your lifestyle, the activities you regularly enjoy, your job, your eyesight and dexterity, and the size and shape of your outer ear and inner ear canal. You can start with our Hearing Aid Finder Tool, though ultimately your hearing professional will help guide you through your options.

Today’s hearing aids come in a wide variety of sizes and styles — from those that sit over the ear to custom hearing aids that fit in your ear — and feature different technology levels to match your specific needs and budget. Learn more here.

While no hearing aid can filter out all background noise, our advanced hearing aids are designed to reduce some types of background noise so that you can enjoy conversation and improve communication in places like restaurants, business meetings and social gatherings. We also have accessories built to help in specific difficult hearing environments.  

While no hearing aid can restore your hearing to normal (except in cases of very mild hearing loss), our hearing aids are designed to let you hear soft sounds that you could not hear before and prevent loud sounds from becoming uncomfortably loud for you. They are also designed to improve your ability to understand speech, even in noisy environments.

At their most basic, hearing aids are microphones that convert sound into electrical signals. An amplifier increases the strength of the signal, then a receiver converts it back to sound and channels it into the ear canal through a small tube or earmold. A battery is necessary to power the hearing aid and to enable amplification. A professional specifically aligns the strength of sound across different pitches to match your specific needs. The idea is to increase the volume of the pitches that you have more difficulty hearing and turn down the strength of pitches you can hear. The result is hearing assistance designed around your specific audiometric needs leading to crisp, natural sound.

Research on people with hearing loss and their significant others has shown that hearing aids play a significant factor in a person’s social, emotional, psychological, and physical well-being. 

More specifically, treatment of hearing loss has been shown to improve: 

1. Communication in relationships 
2. Intimacy and warmth in family relationships 
3. Ease in communication 
4. Earning power 
5. Sense of control over your life 
6. Social participation 
7. Emotional stability 
8. Lower risk of falls 

When you consider all the benefits of better hearing, you can see that hearing aids hold enormous potential to positively change your life. 

¹ Source: www.betterhearing.org 

While you are no doubt concerned about appearance, compensating for a hearing loss by asking people to repeat themselves, inappropriately responding to people (or not responding at all), or even withdrawing from social situations is more obvious than wearing a hearing aid.

Today’s hearing aids are small, discreet, and more stylish than ever before. Some are even invisible. And chances are that once you have a hearing aid, your quality of life will improve so much that cosmetics will not be as much of an issue for you.

When seeking treatment for hearing loss, be sure to select a hearing professional who understands the available technology and offers follow-up care. The best hearing solutions include an adjustment period, quarterly check-ins and annual tests. This ensures you are always hearing your best. Use the online locator to find a professional near you.

You should make an appointment with a hearing professional like an audiologist, hearing aid specialist or ENT doctor for an evaluation. Many hearing care professionals offer this evaluation at no charge. The first step is identifying your hearing state. Once you know exactly how well you are hearing, we can move forward with identifying the best solution if needed. 

1. Audiologists are professionals with a master’s degree, Au.D. or Ph.D. in audiology, the study of hearing. They specialize in testing, evaluating, and treating hearing loss. An audiologist may also fit hearing instruments. 
2. Hearing Aid Dispensers are trained in fitting and dispensing hearing aids. Hearing aid specialists are often state-licensed and board-certified to test for hearing loss and to fit consumers for hearing aids. 
3. Otolaryngologists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of ear, nose, throat, head, and neck disorders. Also known as ENT doctors. 

Only a small percentage of hearing loss in adults can be improved with medication or surgically. Most Americans with hearing loss are treated with hearing aids.

Hearing loss can occur at any time, at any age. In fact, based on standard hearing examinations, 30 million people in the United States that are 12 years or older have hearing loss in both ears.¹ 

¹Source: Archives of Internal Medicine 

Yes, hearing aids are available for those with single-sided hearing loss. The Audibel CROS System delivers solutions for: 

1. Those who are unable to hear in one ear and have normal hearing in the other ear (CROS) 
2. Those with little to no hearing in one of their ears, and a hearing loss in their better ear (BiCROS)

CROS Solution 
If you’re unable to hear in one ear and have normal hearing in the other ear, you may benefit from a CROS solution. You’ll be able to hear sounds in your weaker-hearing ear by way of your healthy ear. 

How it works: 
To help you better engage in all types of listening environments, our CROS solution has a microphone that picks up sounds and voices from your weaker-hearing ear, then transmits them to a hearing aid receiver that’s fitted on your good ear. No matter your position at the dinner table, or if sounds originate from your weaker-hearing side, you won’t miss important sounds around you. 

BiCROS Solution 
A BiCROS solution is also available and can benefit those with little to no hearing in one of their ears, and a hearing loss in their better ear. 

How it works: 
This option sends sound from a microphone, placed in your ear with little to no hearing, to a hearing aid receiver placed in your better-hearing ear. This allows you to hear from both sides. Your hearing care professional can help you determine what solution will best fit your needs and lifestyle. 

The use of face masks and social distancing has been proven to reduce speech audibility, as well as eliminate important lip-reading cues, both critical to understanding speech. Hearing aids — and features like our Edge Mode and Mask Mode — help offset speech audibility loss in numerous ways and can help make it easier to hear people who are wearing masks. 

Yes. There are three types of hearing loss: 

1. Sensorineural: The most common type, it occurs when the inner ear nerves (and hair cells) are damaged and do not properly transmit auditory signals to the brain. Can be treated with hearing aids.  
2. Conductive: Is typically the result of obstructions in the ear. Can usually be treated medically or surgically. 
3. Mixed: A combination of sensorineural and conductive. 

There are several causes. The main ones include excessive noise, infections, genetics, birth defects, infections of the head or ear, aging, and reaction to drugs or cancer treatment. 

Most of the time hearing problems begin gradually, without discomfort or pain. What’s more, family members often learn to adapt to someone’s hearing loss, without even realizing they are doing it. Here are some questions to ask yourself to determine whether you have hearing loss: 

1. Do I often ask people to repeat themselves? 
2. Do I have trouble following conversations with more than two people? 
3. Do I have difficulty hearing what is said unless I’m facing the speaker? 
4. Does it sound like other people are mumbling or slurring their words? 
5. Do I struggle to hear in crowded places like restaurants, malls, and meeting rooms? 
6. Do I have a tough time hearing women or children? 
7. Do I prefer the TV or radio volume louder than others? 
8. Do I experience ringing or buzzing in my ears? 

If you answered yes to several of these questions, chances are you may suffer from hearing loss.