Hearing Aids & Audiologists in Huntsville

Selecting a hearing aid is a very personal decision. Factors to consider when choosing a hearing aid include your level of hearing loss, your personal preference for hearing aid design, and your lifestyle. Individuals with severe hearing loss may require a certain level of technology appropriate to achieve the best outcome. Some of our clients desire specific features, such as a wireless connection to a cell phone. Other individuals may be conscious of style and therefore request a certain hearing aid design. Battery type – rechargeable versus replaceable – may be a priority as well.

During the selection process, be sure to ask about the warranty, care and maintenance programs available. You may also want to inquire if the hearing aid can be reprogrammed in the future, should your hearing loss continue to decline. These details can help ensure your hearing aid works as well in the future as it does today.

A pair of high quality hearing aids with advanced technology features typically costs anywhere between $3,000-$6,000. When you are evaluating the cost of hearing aids, inquire with your insurance policy to see if they cover part, or all, of the cost. Veterans should contact the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, as hearing aids are typically covered in full.

Alabama Hearing Associates in Huntsville works with individuals to identify hearing aids that will meet their hearing loss and lifestyle needs, while also fitting within their budget constraints.

Programming your hearing aid is a key step in ensuring you achieve the best possible listening experience with your new device. This process tailors the hearing aid to your specific needs, allowing you to hear clearly.

At Alabama Hearing in Huntsville, real ear measurements (REM) are conducted by our audiologists to verify the hearing aids are working appropriately for you. When the programming is complete, your hearing aids will successfully produce appropriate soft, medium and loud sounds. Due to the complexity of the process, programming your hearing aid can take anywhere from 15-30 minutes, but the thoroughness involved ensures your comfort and satisfaction with your new hearing aids.

Yes, hearing aids can be fixed. However, with routine maintenance, it may be possible to avoid many types of repairs altogether. Replacing wax guards and using a hearing aid brush are two steps patients can take to avoid some of the most common problems.

Additionally, having a trained professional conduct a more thorough hearing aid cleaning twice a year is recommended for maintenance. Alabama Hearing offers a 19-Point Preventative Maintenance Plan to catch issues while they are still simple fixes, instead of lengthy repairs.

However, should a more extensive fix be needed, our “speed of light” repair specialists are able to assist you, often within 2 business days.

Hearing aids are commonly worn over 10 hours a day, 7 days a week. They experience varying temperatures and humidity levels and are placed in an environment with earwax and debris that can cause clogging and other issues. Therefore, regular cleaning of hearing aids is imperative to keep them fully functioning.

Using a hearing aid brush to wipe your devices each day helps remove dirt, earwax, sweat and anything else before it can accumulate on the receiver or microphone. Many people find it easiest to form a habit of wiping them each day in the evening, after they are removed for the night.

In addition, scheduling a thorough cleaning of your hearing aids at your audiologist’s office every 4-6 months is beneficial for proper maintenance. The 19-Point Preventative Maintenance Plan at Alabama Hearing Associates offers the advantage of identifying and repairing potential issues before they become major problems.

Audiologists are medical professionals that use medication, medical devices and/or exercises to assist patients suffering from hearing loss, balance issues, tinnitus or earwax blockage. Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) Specialists are also medical professionals, but they offer surgical services and other medical procedures to aid patients dealing with hearing or balance issues. In many cases, a patient will first see an audiologist, who will conduct tests to identify their condition and its underlying cause. Commonly, a medication, medical device or exercise treatment option is suggested, but in some cases a referral to an ENT for a medical procedure is necessary to address the issue.

Most often, people make an appointment with an audiologist when they begin to suspect they may have hearing loss. They notice they have to turn the volume up on the TV and other family members complain it is too loud. Or, they struggle to understand someone speaking in an environment where background noise exists.

However, anyone with questions about their hearing health or balance should seek the assistance of an audiologist, including individuals experiencing a potential earwax blockage, ear pain, or ringing in their ears. Audiologists have specialized training that allows them to accurately conduct evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of symptoms.

Although it may be clear that you have tinnitus based on your symptoms alone, it is highly recommended that you visit an audiologist so they can work to identify any underlying conditions that may be causing the tinnitus. An audiologist will conduct a thorough hearing exam and may also recommend imaging and laboratory tests, such bloodwork or CT scans. If an underlying condition is identified, it can be treated to reduce the tinnitus symptoms. Alternatively, hearing aids, white noise machines, and/or counseling from a trained professional may be recommended to help improve your symptoms in cases where an underlying condition cannot be identified and treated.

Diagnosing hearing loss is complex, and so-called “at-home” hearing tests online – though convenient – oversimplify important subtleties in your condition. Utilizing an online hearing test as a shortcut to purchase hearing aids won’t solve your underlying condition …it will only mask your symptoms. In addition, it is likely you will either under or over-fit yourself, which may have long-term detrimental impacts.

Only a licensed audiologist can provide the kind of thorough testing to accurately determine the type and severity of your hearing loss. They will also evaluate underlying causes that may require treatment. An audiologist will not only recommend the right hearing aid for your hearing loss, they will complete a real ear measurement (REM) to ensure the settings on your hearing aids are appropriate for optimal hearing.

Individuals with auditory processing disorder (APD) have difficulty interpreting sounds, specifically the subtle differences in sounds of words. In this case, it is not a problem with the ears, but instead with the way the brain processes sounds. This makes communication difficult and can lead to frustration, social withdrawal, or behavioral problems, especially in children. Although a cure does not exist, options for treatment include incorporating assistive listening devices and auditory listening strategies. Audiologists, speech-language pathologists and psychologists can all be helpful in formulating a treatment plan to minimize the symptoms of APD.

Earwax generally provides a significant benefit to your hearing health by coating, cleaning and protecting your ear canal. It traps dirt and prevents the growth of bacteria. However, in some cases ear wax builds up to a level that causes a blockage, resulting in ear pain or loss of hearing. Those that use cotton swabs or other items in an effort to clean their ear may inadvertently push the wax deeper in the ear and cause a blockage – or worse – damage the eardrum. It is therefore best to seek an appointment with an audiologist for an evaluation. They can safely remove the earwax blockage or address any other health conditions that are causing your symptoms.