Audiology General Information Clinical Services Scheduling Prevalence of Hearing Loss How the Ear Works Types of Hearing Loss Side Effects of Hearing Loss Guide to Purchasing a Hearing Aid FAQ Related Links   Guide to Purchasing a Hearing Aid Purchasing a hearing aid can be a difficult and confusing decision without the proper guidance and information. The best way to determine if you have hearing loss and need a hearing aid is to have a hearing test done by an Audiologist. An audiologist is a licensed professional with doctoral or master’s level training, who can perform the tests required to fully describe your hearing loss and advise you whether hearing aids may be of benefit. The Audiologist may recommend that you have an examination by a physician to rule out any medical contraindications to wearing a hearing aid. With all the styles and circuits available, a person buying a hearing aid may not know which device is best for him or her. The selection of proper amplification is a very detailed process. A poorly selected hearing aid will provide the user with little benefit and a great deal of frustration and dissatisfaction. To assure proper selection and fitting, one should consult an audiologist. An audiologist is specially trained to evaluate your hearing and will help you through the selection process. We not only dispense hearing aids; we study their components, test their claims, and stay current on the latest technological developments. Every hearing aid we put on a patient has passed our high standards of fit and function and we offer competitive pricing for the hearing aids. We encourage you to bring your concerns and questions to us, so that we can better serve you.   Assessment of Hearing Aid Performance Visible or Live Speech Mapping is a latest technique to verify the accuracy of hearing aid fit. With VSM, speech, music and other sounds are presented to the listener and the results are measured at the eardrum. These results are displayed in real time on a screen, along with other hearing aid performance measures. If there is any specific voice that the patient has the problem with, then that person’s voice can be measured and adjusted to make sure that the hearing aid is properly programmed.   The Hearing Aid Battery Program At our practice we have a battery club program to better assist you in buying quality batteries at a competitive price, with the benefit of not having to leave your home. When the batteries are purchased through the club, the price breakdown is $3.50 per package. A significant savings over the single package price of $4.00 and for size 5A it is $6.00. When you purchase a membership to our Club, you will receive a coupon book with six redeemable battery coupons.   ALL members who purchase a hearing device receive at no charge: a complete 1-year warranty several months of batteries per aid purchased (up to 6 packs!) one year in-office servicing of the aid unlimited counseling follow-up visits during the first year adaptation/evaluation period 30-Day trial period on all hearing instruments with some non-refundable fee $100.00 discount on the second hearing aid, if two hearings are bought together. Any information provided on this Web site should not be considered medical advice or a substitute for a consultation with a physician. If you have a medical problem, contact your local physician for diagnosis and treatment. © 2004-2005 ENT Physicians & Surgeons, P.A.