Take the online hearing Test

Once a hearing loss has been diagnosed & your specific areas of  difficulty have been established, various treatment options will be presented to you. These may include the use of hearing aids, the fitting of an Assistive Listening Device (e.g. an Infra-Red Television amplifier) or simply some training on listening tactics & managing your listening environment. Ultimately the treatment decision rests with you & your family.

Below I have answered some very commonly asked questions about these various treatment options.

Hearing Aid technology has evolved tremendously over the last twenty years. Many of the issues of discomfort, poor hearing in background noise, whistling and intolerable loud sounds have been resolved with technological advances. In this section of the website exploring hearing aids further, I hope to answer all the above age old questions!!

Do I really need a hearing aid?
There is a theoretical criteria used to determine whether a hearing aid would be beneficial. This criteria, along with your own personal circumstances will determine whether a hearing aid is the right answer for you. Ultimately whether you wear a hearing aid or not is a personal decision.

Back to top

Do I need one or two?
Our hearing system works most effectively with equal input into both ears. Balanced hearing from both ears helps us to hear in stereo, gives us greater speech discrimination in background noise and helps us to pick the direction of sound. One hearing aid will be helpful in quieter situations but will have limitations in the more complex, challengning listening environments. If you only have hearing loss in one ear, a hearing aid will only be recommended for this ear.

Back to top

Will they give me normal hearing back?
Hearing aids cannot bring your hearing back to normal, however they do amplify sounds into a more audible range. Remember, a hearing aid is basically amplifying sound and sending it in to an ear that has been damaged. There is going to be a limit to how “normal” it will sound. When first wearing a hearing aid, you may feel you are hearing too much. Remember, you have been living in a world where many sounds have been inaudible or at least considerably softer than they actually are. With a hearing aid, they become noticeable again. The key to success is patience and perseverance. The brain needs to relearn about sound again.

Back to top

My friends have them, but don’t wear them. Will I be like that?
Historically, hearing aid fittings have faced challenges with issues such as poor fit, whistling & excessive pick up of unwanted sound. These issues are essentially remedied with modern hearing aids and their advanced technology & manufacturing processes. The future is bright. At Sound Advice we do our best to ensure hearing aids are in ears and not in drawers.

Back to top

Which hearing aid is best for me?
There are literally hundreds of hearing aids in the market with around ten different manufacturers supplying in Australia. This can be a daunting prospect for many potential buyers. Most of the high profile companies in the marketplace are affiliated with one manufacturer, limiting choice to unsuspecting customers. Sound Advice is a completely independent Hearing Aid supplier. We have complete freedom to advise a hearing aid fitting based on your individual needs. It is paramount to openly discuss the issues of cost, cosmetics and hearing benefit to conclude what is the best solution for each individual.

Back to top

I am reading about so many different features in hearing aids. How do I choose?
You are right. There are many different features in hearing aids. Generally the more expensive the hearing aid, the more technical the features. Features to watch out for are
1. Noise Reduction Capability.
2. Number of Hearing aid channels.
3. Hearing Aid Wireless Capability
4. Listening Programs
6. Microphone directionality.
7. Telecoil/Auto Phone facilities.
8. Feedback management systems.
9. Canal Receiver technology.

In helping clients decide on a suitable hearing aid we endeavour to explore these topics in more depth.

Back to top

What if I don’t like it? Can I return it?
At Sound Advice we want our clients to be happy with their Hearing Solution purchase. All fittings come with a sixty day trial period. Hearing aid refunds are given should you not be satisfied with your purchase. A small fitting fee is recovered to pay for time/consumables.

Back to top

Is there an alternative to hearing aids?
Yes, many believe the only solution to hearing problems are hearing aids. In fact for some, hearing aids are not the only answer. Some people find managing hearing aids too difficult and others may require assistance only for very specific situations e.g. watching television. In these cases an Assistive Listening Device(ALD) may be of greater assistance.

  • in-fra television amplifiers
  • telephone amplifiers
  • personal amplifiers
  • vibrating smoke alarms
  • flashing door bells
  • FM systems.

Many of these devices can be demonstrated and supplied through Sound Advice. Call us today on 8376 6436!