Hearing Aids
A Modern Marvel of Digital Technology
Hearing aid technology has advanced by leaps and bounds in recent years, which means you have more options than ever before to meet your unique hearing needs. If you remember the bulky hearing aids your grandmother wore 30 years ago, you will be happy to learn that today’s styles are sleek, sophisticated modern marvels of technology that produce crisp, clear sound.
Thanks to the Digital Revolution hearing aids have advanced quickly in the last 15 years.! As digital technology of all kinds progressed at light speed—think smart phones and televisions and watches, ebooks, video and audio streaming, social media, drones, ATMs, and the list goes on and on—hearing aid technology, that had been stagnant for years, has also been transformed.
The hearing aids of yesteryear were simple sound amplifiers. And they raised the volume on everything at the same level. That meant the motorcycle speeding by was amplified at the same level as the voice of the person standing next to you—no doubt, a jarring experience. Here’s where it’s time to jump for joy because those days are long gone. From the way hearing aids look to how they feel to how they function, the digital technology embedded in today’s hearing aids means an experience for you that your grandmother couldn’t have imagined in 1980.
Here’s the skinny on today’s digital hearing aids. Using small, built-in microphones, digital hearing aids collect the many sounds that are part of your listening environment. Those sounds are then transferred to a tiny computer chip with an amplifier that is contained in the “body” of your hearing aid. Here’s where the magic happens. That computer chip converts sound into digital code, analyzing and adjusting the sound to create a listening experience tailored to you. It’s why, for instance, your hearing aids can recognize the noise of that approaching motorcycle, automatically lower that sound to a comfortable level and elevate the voice of the person standing next to you. And it happens in milliseconds. All day long, your digital hearing aids are adjusting to every setting you find yourself in to create crisp, clear, comfortable sound.
From virtually invisible hearing aids that rest gently in your ear canal, to devices custom-molded to your ear’s exact shape, to the familiar behind-the-ear hearing devices, hearing aids are available in an array of types and styles.
As a guiding principle of our practice, Johnson Audiology offers you access to all six of the industry’s most longstanding and reputable hearing aid manufacturers, unlike some audiology practices that pick only one or two. We want you to have freedom of choice! Learn more about those six manufacturers below.
GET TO KNOW THE WORLD'S MOST REPUTABLE HEARING AID MANUFACTURERS
Click on the hearing aid manufacturers below to learn more about each one.
STYLES OF HEARING AIDS
BEHIND-THE-EAR (BTE)
With BTEs, the technology is housed in the casing of these hearing aids, ensuring they rest comfortably behind the ear while the clear plastic acoustical tube sends the amplified sounds into a customized earmold that is fitted inside the canal. Available in many different colors, they come with easy-to-use buttons and are highly discreet for this powerful hearing aid needed by a patient with profound hearing loss.
Housing matched to your hair or skin tone with custom mold skin tone matched or clear with clear tubing
RECEIVER-IN-CANAL (RIC)
When you think hearing aids, chances are you are thinking of the RIC design since it is the most common style of hearing aid on the market. Barely visible when worn, the RIC style is an instrument in which the receiver, or speaker, is inside the ear canal. A thin, clear receiver wire with a plastic dome on the end sits inside the ear. RIC hearing aids provide a comfortable, open fit and are perfect if you have mild to moderate hearing loss. They are available with Bluetooth functionality and can be battery operated or rechargeable.
Small, discreet, quick to fit and a variety of features
INVISIBLE-IN-CANAL (IIC)
These are ideal if you experience mild to moderate hearing loss as they are custom-fitted as well as coming in a choice of colors. They’re unique as they’re inserted deeper into the ear canal, so depending on your ear, they’re often invisible when worn, which is a huge plus for the style-conscious wearer.
Very discreet
COMPLETELY-IN-CANAL (CIC)
Unlike IICs, the CIC style of hearing aids are comfortably inserted and easily extracted from your ear using a small “handle” peeping out the side. CICs are also custom-made to fit your ear canal’s unique shape and are mostly invisible. Like ICC, CICs come in a range of colors to match skin tone. This style is also a recommendation for those with mild to moderate hearing loss.
Custom-fit and mostly invisible
IN-THE-CANAL (ITC)
The third and final designation for styles that sit in the canal are ITC. This style might be recommended by your audiologist if your hearing loss is more severe since if more completely plugs the canal letting less outside noise in around the device so that sound is being processed more completely by the hearing device. ITCs are also custom-fit, skin matched and are easily inserted and extracted. Easily disguised as part of your natural ear, these aids are the perfect option if your hearing is diminishing at a steady pace.
Custom-fit and discreet but can be seen
IN-THE-EAR (ITE)
If you have more severe hearing loss, you audiologist may recommend ITE hearing aids. ITEs provide maximum hearing coverage and comfort. ITEs are sleek and fits perfectly to the outer entrance of your ear. Coming in a range of colors, they’re custom- made and can be matched to your skin tone.
Custom-fit and discreet but can be seen
LYRIC
THE WORLD'S ONLY 100% INVISIBLE, EXTENDED WEAR HEARING AID
Do you want the convenience and flexibility of crisp, clear hearing 24 hours a day? Do you want the freedom that comes with not having to take your hearing aids on and off? Do you want a hearing aid that is 100% invisible? Lyric by Phonak is appropriate for many patients, so make an appointment today to see if Lyric is right for you.
Lyric is placed directly in your ear canal by your audiologist and remains completely out-of-sight, invisible to the world.
Traditional hearing aids capture and process sound outside of the ear. Lyric use the natural anatomy of your ear to localize sound and delivers a full, natural listening experience.
Lyric is water resistant so you can wear Lyric around the clock for up to eight weeks without taking it out through daily activities such as exercising or even showering.
Johnson Audiology was Tennessee’s first Certified Lyric Provider and has maintained training and certification for all our audiologist. That means the practice has been meeting patients’ Lyric needs for more than a decade and is happy to serve you.
THE FUTURE OF HEARING AID TECHNOLOGY IS HERE
If you’ve been waiting for the future of hearing aid technology, it’s here. Check out the many ways that hearing aids have entered the high-tech world.
DIGITAL TECH
Tiny computer chips enclosed in your hearing aids casing convert sound into digital code, analyzing and adjusting the sound to create a listening experience tailored to you. With each passing year, hearing aid technology innovates and improves. This advancement is made possible because of the ongoing time and money that hearing aid manufacturers invest in research and development.
RECHARGABILITY
All six of the major manufacturers of hearing aids now offer rechargeable options for RIC and BTE style hearing aids. Some manufacturers also are now coming to market with rechargeable options for in-the-canal hearing aid style. Recharging cases eliminate the necessity of fumbling with tiny batteries that must be replaced frequently. Today’s rechargeable hearing aids allow you to charge for a full day or more of listening. Plus, some hearing aid brands have charging cases that are themselves rechargeable, allowing you to charge your hearing aids even if you don’t have a wall outlet to plug into.
CONNECTIVITY
The success of today’s Digital Revolution has much to do with the advent of easy connectivity of one device to another. This is certainly true in the world of hearing aids. Today’s digital hearing aids incorporate short and long distance connectivity. This means you can pair your hearing aids to your smart phone to control hearing aid functionality like volume, tinnitus maskers and easily change built-in settings when you move from one listening environment to another. You can stream phone calls and music and television directly to your hearing aids. You can even locate misplaced hearing aids using the manufacturer’s app on your smart phone.
ACCESSORIES
Wired and wireless accessories are available to give you the edge you need in various listening settings. Caption call phones show transcribed speech from a caller in real time and are available at no cost to you. Plus, many public settings like church auditoriums and concert venues are equipped with assistive listening systems that stream sound straight to your hearing aids. Also, all the major hearing aid manufacturers offer a wide range of wireless options to boost the performance of your hearing aids and keep you connected. Struggling in group conversations with co-workers, family or friends? There’s an accessory for that. Are you a student who wants to hear both your teachers and classmates? No problem. Need a hearing enhancement for online calls or meetings? We can help. Talk to your audiologist about the many options available.
KEEPING YOUR HEARING AIDS IN TOP SHAPE
Your hearing aids are an investment you have made in your quality of life. We want to make sure you get the most out of that investment by keeping your hearing aids in top working order. We offer tips and techniques for daily cleaning and upkeep you can do at home. We offer products like at-home Dry ‘N Store devices that remove moisture from your aids during humid times of year.
We also suggest you swing by for a clean-and-check of your hearing aids every six months. Our patient care coordinators and audiology assistants are here to help you! Walk-ins are welcomed, and you can enjoy a snack and a hot or cold beverage as refreshment while you wait.
As you approach the conclusion of your three-year warranty on your hearing aids, let us send your hearing aids back to the manufacturer for an overhaul. The manufacturer will replace any necessary internal parts, receivers, etc. getting the aids in great shape as you move out of warranty.
Are you having issues with your hearing aids? If you’re experiencing feedback or interference, a less-tight fit, think your hearing aids aren’t giving you the amplification they once were, or if there are visible signs of damage or malfunction, schedule an appointment with us. Many repairs and services can be performed right here in the office.
If your hearing aids need a trip to the manufacturer for a more significant repair, we can facilitate that, too, mailing the hearing aids with repair instructions and receiving them back in our office for safe and convenient pick-up after repair. As available, we can even provide you with loaner hearing aids while yours are out for service.
Periodically having programming adjustment on your hearing aids, regular cleanings and ongoing counseling from our professional staff are vital to your continued satisfaction with your hearing aids
WHAT ARE REAL EAR
VERIFICATION MEASURES?
You deserve the best when it comes to maximizing the benefit of your hearing aids. That’s why Johnson Audiology offers Real Ear Verification Measures to determine whether or not you are receiving the precise level of amplification to maximize word understanding. As a hearing aid wearer, you may struggle with how to communicate to your audiologist how your hearing aids are performing. Real Ear Measures take out the guesswork.
As everyone has different ear canal shapes, your hearing aids may be over or under amplifying in one or more areas. With your hearing aids in your ears, your audiologist uses these measures to determine exactly how much sound is delivered to each eardrum and makes adjustments to your hearing aids settings to meet the prescribed custom targets.
It’s one more way that Johnson Audiology uses best practices and invests in cutting edge technology so that you are successful on your healthy hearing journey.
*This link leads to the machine-readable files that are made available in response to the federal Transparency in Coverage Rule and includes negotiated service rates and out-of-network allowed amounts between health plans and healthcare providers. The machine readable files are formatted to allow researchers, regulators, and application developers to more easily access and analyze data.
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