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We are asked this question quite a lot, both by people who don’t own hearing aids and those that wear hearing aids part-time. The direct answer to this is no. When you have a hearing loss you lose the ability to hear soft sounds. This ability to pick up sounds wont deteriorate faster whether you use a hearing aid or not. BUT if you have a hearing loss and don’t wear hearing aids the ability of your ears to understand speech is likely to get worse more rapidly. If you have any level of hearing loss, your ears are missing…

This is a question that we are asked at nearly every hearing aid fitting appointment, especially when we start to talk about how moisture is harmful for hearing aids. Hearing aids are electronic devices so water can be a serious enemy; definitely take them out for heavy rain, pools and showers! Fortunately most hearing aids on the market these days are moisture-proof. This means that sporadic exposure to a reasonable amount of sweat from exercise or a few minutes in typical rain shouldn’t damage your hearing aids. Nonetheless if you find yourself caught out in a downpour of torrential rain…

Facetime/Skype Anyone with a hearing loss will tell you that it can be really difficult to hear on the phone even with hearing aids. The main reason for this is that we can hear the person but we can’t see them. When you lose visual cues, it becomes more difficult to understand what has been said. Using Facetime or Skype video calls will give you back this crucial visual information. Some hearing aids also have Bluetooth streaming. So with this app, you will be able to see the person and also hear the voice directly through both hearing aids. For…

For many people with hearing loss, hearing the TV is a real problem. Only certain programs can be heard clearly such as the news or films. When it comes to modern shows such us a favourite comedy (we are talking to you lovers of ‘Mrs Brown’s Boys’!), it becomes a guessing game. Filling in the gaps is tiring and disheartening. Family members will often abandon you to watch TV alone, unable to stand the blaring volume. So what can be done? The trouble with hearing loss is that speech becomes unclear. It feels as though everyone is mumbling. It is…

  Many times, people get the best hearing aid they can afford. However, they are not happy with the result and will tell others that it was a waste of money and that it didn’t work. There are many reasons why this can happen. Here are a few. ‘Brain’ hearing ability: In order for us to hear, our brain must be able to use the message it receives from the hearing nerve. So imagine the hearing pathways in the brain as a dirt road in the country side. If you drive down the road every day, the road will stay…

The pros and cons of buying a ‘cheap’ hearing aid: It’s a great time to be getting a hearing aid. They have gotten smaller and more sophisticated than ever before. So why are we still paying so much? If you pay less ($900-$2500) what will you get and what will you lose? Let’s take a closer look. Pros: Great design An $8000 pair of hearing aids and a $2000 pair of hearing aids can now look exactly the same. There is no need to pay extra just to get something that is invisible or well designed, this can come at…

Denial to hearing loss is very common. Most people who have hearing issues believe that their hearing is “not bad” or at least better than their peers. They would never even consider making an appointment for a hearing assessment, let alone trying a hearing device! As caring family members we often don’t want to tackle this denial, we try to be accommodating or give excuses like “Oh, she’s just ignoring me” or “Dad isn’t responding because he’s a bit distracted” or “Grandma’s getting older, hearing loss is part of the ageing process”. However overtime this can be frustrating for both…

There are many different shapes and sizes of hearing aids on the market, so how do you know which is the best? Keep reading to see whether a custom In-The-Ear or a Behind-The-Ear device would be better for you...   Cosmetics and Comfort The smallest and most discreet hearing devices can be truly invisible. They are tiny custom made devices which sit deep in the ear canal. In-The-Ear devices have no parts sitting behind the ear so they don’t interfere with glasses or hats. Many Behind-The-Ear models are small and cosmetically appealing too, especially Open Fit devices. Open fit BTEs…

My hearing had always been fine up until 5 or 6 years ago when certain snippets of conversation would ‘dip’ in volume. As I’m only in my late 30s, ‘old age’ hearing loss would be a low likelihood for me… right? To get to the bottom of it, I had a hearing test and this is what happened. The audiologist, Bernie asked me a series of questions about my history. All seemed normal, I was proud to show her that I was in good health and unlikely to have any hearing problems (even though I had voluntarily come to see…

Most hearing aids are powered by disposable batteries. The size and style of your hearing aids will determine the correct battery size and how long they will last. Here are some easy tips to ensure your hearing aid batteries last as long as possible. The first obvious thing is to remember to turn off your hearing aid when you are not using it. Do this by opening up the battery door. If you have a custom (or “in ear”) hearing aid, make sure to open the battery door the whole way. Custom hearing aids can be very small so the…