Hearing Aids

At Carolina Ear and Hearing Aid Associates, our Doctors of Audiology believe in providing the best treatment option for your hearing loss. Hearing loss does not require a one size fits all approach to hearing health care. By are many factors that may determine your success and benefit from hearing aids, including lifestyle, hearing loss configuration and degree, dexterity, ear health, and budget. We work with ALL major Hearing Aid Manufacturers to ensure the best outcome for your individual needs. 

How Hearing Aids Work

The major components of a hearing aid include microphones, amplifier, and speaker.  Each manufacturer has a different processing algorithm specific to them.   Hearing aids will amplify sounds based on the manufacturers specific fitting formula.  

Hearing Aid Features

  • Rechargeability
  • Bluetooth connectivity
  • Speech in Noise detection
  • Wind noise reduction
  • Tinnitus masking
  • Apps enabling control of special features and programs

Hearing Aid Fittings

At Carolina Ear and Hearing Clinic, we follow evidence-based practices to ensure the best fitting outcomes for each hearing aid patient. During your Hearing Aid Fitting appointment, your audiologist will program your hearing aids to your prescription, based on your hearing loss and data from the National Acoustics Laboratory. Your audiologist will teach you how to use your new hearing aid(s), including cleaning, battery use/charging, and inserting/removing them from your ears.  

VERIFICATION: Your audiologist will complete Real Ear Measurements to ensure that all prescriptive targets are met. This is done by putting a small microphone in your ear canal and presenting speech passages at soft, average, and loud volumes. The microphone will measure the output of your hearing aid(s) in response to different sound inputs. Every ear is different, and sound can be affected differently by your ear canal acoustics. It is important to verify that your hearing aid(s) are amplifying all levels of sound appropriately. This ensures that our patients are being treated accurately and effectively. 

VALIDATION: The first time you hear with your new hearing aid(s), you may be surprised by some of the sounds you hear. Our goal is to make everyday sounds audible, comfortable, and natural. We may talk about your specific hearing goals during your hearing aid fitting in order to assess your improvement at follow-up visits. It's important that you be honest about what you hear and the sound quality of your hearing aids so that your audiologist can make the necessary small changes to give the best listening experience possible. 

Hearing Aid Fittings

We encourage our patients to return for regular follow up appointments so that the hearing aids may be fine-tuned based on the patients experience and report.  General cleaning and maintenance are also important for the longevity of the devices.  Patients can be at ease knowing that once they complete a hearing aid fitting, their service is covered for the entirety of the warranty of the device. This means that cleanings, programming, and repairs are covered with a new purchase. 

FAQ's

How long will my hearing aid last?

In general hearing aids will last about 5-7 years  Routine visits and follow ups are necessary to the life of your devices.  Regular cleaning will help prolong the life, as well as address any malfunctioning parts.

How much do hearing aids cost?

Hearing aids range in cost from $800 to $3400 each.  The level of technology will be determined by an in depth consultation with one of our Doctors of Audiology.

Do you have any financing options?

We work with Care Credit to offer payment plans if needed.  Please visit carecredit.com to begin your application.

What about over-the-counter hearing aids?

These devices function by simply increasing the volume of everything with little to no fine-

tuning. Because every patient has a unique hearing loss, it is important hearing aids be programmed for

each individual person to provide better clarity and reduce sound distortion. For these reasons, our

office does not recommend the purchase of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. OTC devices have

made recent headlines because the FDA has begun to regulate them, however, they have been

commercially available for many years. We are pleased to offer a hearing aid consultation at no charge

to you and would be glad to discuss these considerations further. Please contact us to schedule an

appointment with one of our board-certified audiologists at your convenience.

Ask a Question

Copyright 2022 © Carolina Ear and Hearing Clinic • All Rights Reserved

The information contained in this website is intended to provide general information and patient education on certain topics only and are not intended to and do not offer healthcare/medical advice. This information should not be considered complete and should not be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice from your physician. If you have, or suspect you have, a health problem you should never disregard medical advice or delay seeking medical attention because of something you have read on this website. If you have questions about a medical condition or seek advice, see your healthcare professional.