Hearing Instruments and Rehabilitation
Hear what you've been missing!
The solution is as unique as you are.
Ears and hearing profiles are like fingerprints and snowflakes — no two are alike. Your unique hearing situation includes the topography of your ears, the degree of your hearing loss, the parts of your ear involved, the difference in hearing ability between your two ears, and other factors. These are the things that will lead your hearing care professional to find the right solution for you.
There are a lot of solutions to choose from. If you’ve been investigating hearing instruments on the Internet, you’ve probably been looking at a bewildering array of shapes, sizes, even colors to choose from. That’s actually good news because it means that chances are good you’ll be able to find an instrument that not only meets your medical needs but fits your budget and lifestyle as well.
Remember that your best bet is to work with a hearing care professional to understand and choose a hearing instrument that fits right and sounds right. Here’s a general overview of the different kinds of instruments out there and where they work best.
Types of Devices
Receiver-In-The-Ear (RITE)
RITE devices house most of the electronics in cases that fit behind the ear and look similar to BTE (Behind-The-Ear) devices, though they are usually significantly smaller.
The difference with RITE devices is that sound is transmitted electronically from the case to a tiny speaker suspended in the ear canal — a feature that gives more flexibility and better performance than BTE devices in many cases. Like BTE devices, RITE devices usually are designed to communicate with each other wirelessly to enhance speech understanding in noisy environments.
RITE devices are prescribed for mild to severe hearing loss and are available in a range of colors that match hair and skin tones, or in bright fashion colors.
Completely-In-the-Canal (CIC)
This extremely small hearing instrument is almost invisible in the ear and also provides the ultimate discretion.
CIC instruments are custom made and are recommended for people with ear canals large enough for them to fit.
In-The-Ear (ITE)
These hearing instruments are appropriate for mild to severe hearing loss.
Due to their larger size, ITEs can accommodate features such as directionality (which makes speech easier to understand in noisy situations), multiple listening programs, and telecoils (for telephone use and assisted listening devices).
These instruments are also easier to handle for many people.
Which one is right for you?
With all these options, you may be wondering how you’ll decide on what’s right for you. Of course, your hearing care professional will be able to guide you through selection. And the choice may depend on your answers to some surprising questions, not about your hearing, but about your lifestyle and personality.
For example, are you an athlete? Do you go to parties a lot? Do you share a TV with other people in your home? Do you want to hide your hearing instruments, or do you want to show them off? Are you progressive or conservative when it comes to trying new things?
Let’s face it: our hearing is a huge factor in how well and how comfortably we engage with the people and the world around us, every waking moment of every day. At the same time, our hearing life is intensely personal and unique. When we need help with hearing, we need help that’s as personal and unique as we are.
That’s why there are so many hearing instrument options from which to choose... and why it’s so important to get the help you need to get it right.
Hearing Rehabilitation
Listening and Communication Enhancement (LACE)
Just as physical therapy can help rebuild muscles to compensate for physical weakness or injury, LACE® will help develop skills and strategies to deal with situations when hearing is inadequate.
LACE is offered to our hearing instrument wearers at no cost!
Our Services
Physician-based care
Comprehensive hearing instrument evaluation and fitting
Listening and Communication Enhancement
60-day satisfaction guarantee
Hearing instrument maintenance and repair
Custom swimmers, hunters, and musician earplugs