Hearing Aids

The team of physicians and audiologists at The Hearing Center at Dallas Ear Institute will work with you to create a care plan to meet your individual hearing needs. The information below outlines the steps involved in the journey to better hearing.

• Comprehensive Hearing Evaluation - A hearing evaluation, or hearing test, is the first step to better hearing. The testing is performed in a sound booth to obtain an accurate and precise measurement of your hearing. There is no discomfort associated with the testing, though it does require you to respond to different types of sounds and speech. The audiologist or physician will review the results of the hearing test with you and determine if further medical intervention is warranted or if it is appropriate to proceed with a Hearing Device Consultation.
• Hearing Device Consultation – During the consultation, the audiologist will ask you to describe your individual listening needs and concerns. He/She will then review the results of your hearing test with you and explain how your individual hearing loss is likely to impact speech understanding. If it is determined that you are a good candidate for a hearing device, the audiologist will work with you to select the style of device that is most appropriate for your hearing loss, listening needs and preferences. The costs related to the device(s) and follow-up care as well as expected coverage through your insurance (if applicable) will be outlined for you. If you choose to move forward with a hearing device(s), your audiologist will guide you in customizing a specific instrument and place an order with the hearing device manufacturer for your device. If necessary an earmold impression will be taken of your ear. Your fitting appointment will then be scheduled approximately 1-2 weeks after your consultation.
• Hearing Device Fitting - At the fitting appointment, your audiologist will complete a series of tests and measurements to make sure your device is properly programmed and fits comfortably in your ear. Your audiologist will then work with you to customize the settings of the device for your individual listening needs and environments and counsel you regarding what to expect as you learn to hear again. Our staff will then teach you how to manage and care for your device and provide any necessary tools and accessories. Once you feel comfortable with your device, it will be time to send you out into the world to experience better hearing!
• Initial Follow-Up – The initial follow-up will occur approximately 1-2 weeks after your fitting appointment. The audiologist will use this time to obtain feedback from you regarding your experiences thus far. If appropriate, adjustments will be made to the programming of your device to optimize your hearing in different listening environments. The audiologist will also review care instructions for the hearing instrument and address and questions or concerns you may have after wearing the device.
  Routine Follow-Up Care – Routine follow-up appointments are generally scheduled every six months and an updated hearing evaluation is recommended once per year (patients with medical conditions causing fluctuations in their hearing loss will be tested more frequently). Patients needing medical care can be seen by the physician for treatment/follow-up on the same day they visit the audiologist for device follow-up. Follow-up appointments are important to ensure your device continues to function well and meet your listening needs. At the follow-up appointment, we will complete a thorough check and cleaning of your hearing instrument. The audiologist will then work with you to discuss any changes in your hearing or listening environments and make adjustments to your device and/or programming as needed.

Hearing loss can impact a person in a variety of ways. Two patients with similar hearing losses may have very different listening needs and/or concerns. A hearing device that works well for one patient, may not be suited for another individual’s hearing needs. Therefore it is important to partner with professionals who can guide you through the process to better hearing. The team at Dallas Ear Institute is committed to working with you to ensure that your hearing loss does not prevent you from fully experiencing life.

How can I care for my hearing aid?

Proper maintenance and care will extend the life of your hearing aid. Make it a habit to:

• Keep hearing aids away from heat and moisture.
• Clean hearing aids as instructed. Earwax and ear drainage can damage a hearing aid.
• Avoid using hairspray or other hair care products while wearing hearing aids.
• Turn off hearing aids when they are not in use.

Batteries

• It is important to use fresh batteries in your hearing aids. Batteries should be stored properly – kept out of reach of children and pets as well as not stored with medication. When a battery is dead it should be disposed of properly too.
• At night the battery door of the hearing aids should be opened. This ensures that the hearing aid is turned off and not draining the battery. If you use a dry aid kit, remove the battery from the hearing aid as the dry aid kit may drain the battery.

Cleaning Your Hearing Aids

The microphone and receiver of your hearing aids are susceptible to debris and should be inspected on a regular basis. Your audiologist can provide you with tools to clean you hearing instruments at home. Generally these include a small brush and a wax loop. A clean, dry toothbrush can also be used for daily cleaning. Gently brush over the microphone and receiver to remove any wax or debris. If there appears to be any debris in the receiver tubing the wax loop can be used very gingerly to scoop out the wax. Because the receiver sits down inside this tube you must be very careful not to insert the wax loop too far which would damage the receiver.

Your hearing instrument should never be immersed in water. However you can wipe the shell with a soft, dry tissue or rag to remove any debris.

Earmolds

Earmolds made of acrylic or silicone earmolds can be detached from a BTE hearing instrument and cleaned in a mild soap solution. A waxloop can be used to remove any wax that may enter the tubing from the ear canal. The earmold and tubing should be completely dry before reattaching it to the hearing aid as moisture will damage a hearing instrument.

If there is wax in the tubing of the earmold that cannot be removed with the wax loop or washed out, the earmold should be taken to your audiologist to have the tubing changed. Earmold tubing should be changed on a regular basis. If the tubing becomes brittle, hard, of starts to change color, this may be a sign that it is time to have the earmold checked by your audiologist for a tubing change.

Troubleshooting Problems

If your hearing aid is not amplifying sounds:

• Is there wax in the hearing aid receiver blocking the sound from reaching your ear?
• Is the battery dead?
• Is the hearing aid turned on?

If you have inspected the hearing aid and the battery and the hearing aid is still dead, call our office to set up an appointment to have that checked. 

Your hearing aid should be a comfortable fit both physically and in volume. If at any time the fit of the instrument is uncomfortable, do not hesitate to contact your audiologist to set up an appointment for it to be checke

Source: NIDCD