Frequently Asked Questions
Choosing your hearing aids is a big decision and you will likely have lots of questions. Below are answers to some questions we are frequently asked about hearing aids. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Our 4 ranges cover all styles and technologies and suitable to any degree of hearing loss. Prices start from £795.
Choosing the right hearing aids is mainly based on their features, style and price. Once we fully understand your lifestyle and hearing needs, we can help you choose the devices best suited to your individual requirements and fully explain any recommendations with no hidden costs. Wanting a powerful or invisible hearing aid? Our price range offers options for differing styles and power levels at every price point.
Our promise to you is to never recommend outdated technology. Don’t just take our word for it, read the Which? reports about the benefits of purchasing hearing aids from independent hearing specialists over high-street Chains. True independence means we have no affiliation to one specific manufacturer and you can benefit from the choice full range of market leading manufacturers such as Phonak, Unitron, Widex and Oticon.
We offer 4 technology levels of hearing aids in our range:
- Basic
- Everyday
- Advanced
- Premium
For an easy to understand guide on the difference between hearing aid technology levels, please watch the video below:
Specific features on basic hearing aids:
- Entry level noise reduction features
- Dual sided user adjustments
- Wireless compatibility
- Available in all cosmetic styles including invisible, Bluetooth and rechargeable
Suitable for:
- Enhanced speech clarity in quiet settings
- TV/radio
- Telephone
Specific features on everyday hearing aids:
- Automatic adjustment between 3-5 listening settings
- suppression of moderate level background
- Comfort settings
- Available in all cosmetic styles including invisible, Bluetooth and rechargeable
Suitable for:
- Quiet social settings
- Small groups with multiple speakers
- Enhanced speech clarity against background noise
- Listening comfort
Specific features on advanced hearing aids:
- Semi-automatic for to cover most listening situations
- Speech enhancement
- Adaptive Directional microphones
- Available in all cosmetic styles including invisible, Bluetooth and rechargeable
Suitable for:
- Busy social settings like pubs, cafes, restaurants
- Small groups with multiple speakers or background noise
- Meetings
- Church and theatre
Specific features on premium hearing aids:
- Full 5-year warranty as standard
- Fully automatic changes between listening environment settings
- Loud noise management
- Adaptive speech enhancement
- Wireless compatibility
- Advanced music quality
- Available in all cosmetic styles including invisible, Bluetooth and rechargeable
Suitable for:
- Busy pubs/bars/restaurants
- Echoey environments
- Crowds/live music events/parties
- Music
- Car
- Buses, trains and planes
With today’s technology, hearing aids are slimmer, lighter, more discreet and stylish than ever before. Many are even invisible. As for being uncomfortable, hearing aids are custom made to sit on your ear, ensuring your hearing aids fit you perfectly. Many of our patients tell us that once they have their hearing aids, people notice their hearing loss much less and their quality of life is improved so much that the cosmetics are no longer an issue.
While no hearing aid can restore your hearing to normal, hearing aids are designed to let you hear soft sounds that you couldn’t hear before, and prevent loud sounds from becoming uncomfortably loud for you. They are also designed to improve your ability to understand speech, even in noisy environments.
In most cases, if you have hearing loss in both ears, you will be recommended to wear two hearing aids. The human brain is dependent on input from both ears to properly process sound. Balanced hearing provided by two ears allows us to tell where sound is coming from and to better hear conversation in the presence of background noise.
Like many other devices such as TVs, mobile phones and computers, hearing aids too have gone through a major technological revolution, especially in the last few years. Most private digital hearing aids are designed to virtually eliminate feedback and make listening in noisy environments easier and more comfortable. Depending on your lifestyle and listening needs you may wish to have hearing aids that are Bluetooth compatible, stream stereo sound from TVs, tablets, and radios or talk on the telephone directly through the hearing aid itself. Re-chargeable hearing aids are also very popular for ease of use. These features are all in instruments that are much smaller, more comfortable and more powerful than ever before.
There are many hearing aid manufacturers, each producing exceptional quality hearing aid products and accessories. At Integrate Hearing we carry out an in-depth hearing assessment to determine your exact requirements by combining the results of your hearing test with your lifestyle, cosmetic preferences and your dexterity requirements. Olivia will make sure that you are given an easy to understand explanation of why you have been recommended certain products and how they specifically relate to your listening needs.
Most hearing aids that are not re-chargeable require batteries to operate. A single battery can last between 3 days and 2 weeks depending on the type of hearing aid. Most private hearing aid styles require a filter to be changed to prevent wax from entering the hearing aid and blocking the source of sound. At Integrate Hearing you will always be given a full explanation of any running cost of your potential hearing aid from the outset so that you can account for this in your decision-making process. Many competitors make it that you must purchase your sundries from them, however we believe that should you wish to source these products elsewhere then that’s fine! We can however provide everything to you, should you find this more convenient.
Due to the natural ageing process to keep up to date with your hearing we advise regular hearing tests above the age of 55. Hearing loss is often a slow process, so should your hearing deteriorate very rapidly it is advisable for you to have a hearing check as soon as possible from a fully qualified audiologist who may recommend hearing aids or refer you to your GP for medical advice. Generally, for those already wearing hearing aids at Integrate Hearing we offer regular six-monthly check-ups, a hearing test every two years or whenever necessary if you feel your hearing has changed.
Initially we advise that it may take several days to several weeks to get fully accustomed to the “new” sounds you will be hearing with hearing aids. In most cases your hearing loss will have occurred very gradually and over a long period of time so therefore your brain will have forgotten many environmental sounds which you, at one time, learned to ignore. Your brain will need time to re-learn how to process these sounds and determine which to “tune in” and which to “tune out.” Some people adapt quickly to amplification, for those who have never worn hearing instruments it may take longer but with consistent use everyone can adjust to the sound around them and to the use of hearing aids. We will most likely advise that initially you wear the hearing aids as long as you are comfortable, trying each day to extend the period of time that you are wearing the hearing aids also try and branch out into more varied listening situations. Amplified sound will become more natural and comfortable over time. There is a direct correlation between the amount of time you wear your hearing aids and the benefit you receive.
Initially we advise that it may take several days to several weeks to get fully accustomed to the “new” sounds you will be hearing with hearing aids. In most cases your hearing loss will have occurred very gradually and over a long period of time so therefore your brain will have forgotten many environmental sounds which you, at one time, learned to ignore. Your brain will need time to re-learn how to process these sounds and determine which to “tune in” and which to “tune out.” Some people adapt quickly to amplification, for those who have never worn hearing instruments it may take longer but with consistent use everyone can adjust to the sound around them and to the use of hearing aids. We will most likely advise that initially you wear the hearing aids as long as you are comfortable, trying each day to extend the period of time that you are wearing the hearing aids also try and branch out into more varied listening situations. Amplified sound will become more natural and comfortable over time. There is a direct correlation between the amount of time you wear your hearing aids and the benefit you receive.
No! Yes, loss of hearing is something that is associated with increasing age as part of the natural ageing process. However, there are many causes of hearing loss and we successfully fit hearing aids to people of all ages. It’s important that if you suspect you have a hearing loss that you do not ignore it, and instead have it investigated in the same way that you would any other health issue.
Hearing aids work by enhancing your existing hearing so you need to have some level of hearing for an aid to work. Unfortunately, in the past wearing hearing aids were associated with older people or those with severe to profound deafness. Hearing aids have vastly improved over time and with them becoming increasingly smaller and often invisible no-one need know! Hearing aid wear from younger ages is becoming increasingly popular due to its health benefits. Accepting that you have a hearing loss also enables you to continue to be involved with the world around you. It prevents hearing loss from being an inconvenience or reason for not socializing or not functioning well at work. In fact, if you wear a hearing aid, people are much less likely to notice your hearing loss and for most people wearing a hearing aid enables them to get on with their life.
No. Many of our patients ask if they will become dependent on their hearing aids and essentially will wearing hearing aids make their own natural hearing deteriorate. Through acclimatisation you naturally re-train the brain to hear well again so yes, without wearing your hearing aids it will be obvious to you that your hearing is not as good. However, your underlying hearing and the amount that you will hear is still the same as it was before you started wearing hearing aids and the natural deterioration in your hearing will continue at a rate that is not affected by the wear of your hearing aids.
If you have any other questions which haven’t been answered above, please don’t hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to help!
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I would like to thank Olivia for her home visit to remove wax from my mother’s ears today. She was fantastically reassuring, professional, courteous and patient. Every step of the process was carefully explained and she was meticulous in her safety procedures. I would not hesitate to recommend Olivia to anyone needing any audiology services.
Olivia is absolutely brilliant. Can’t praise her too highly. Wasted 9 months at another clinic where none of my problems were ever solved. Olivia gave me back my hearing in under two. She is the Super Woman of hearing problems!
Visited Olivia today at Cheadle for ear wax removal. I was very impressed with her professionalism and friendliness which I feel would put even a nervous patient quickly at ease. The treatment was trouble free and pain free and reached a successful outcome with complete removal of the wax. I would not hesitate to recommend Olivia to any potential patients.
After having microsuction, I discussed the possibility of a hearing aid from Olivia after having problems with my NHS aid. At each appointment I found Olivia very thorough and professional. She was careful to ensure that I had exactly the right fit and that I was happy with it. She was helpful, pleasant and made me feel relaxed. I am very happy with my new neat hearing aid. Thanks Olivia!
