FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. How do I know if I have a
hearing loss?
Q. What will a hearing aid do
for me?
Q. How do I know which hearing
aid is best for me?
Q. How much do hearing aids
cost?
Q. Can I try out a hearing aid?
Q. Do I need one hearing aid
or two?
Q. What are ‘digital’
hearing aids?
Q. Do I have to wear my hearing
aids all the time?
Q. Can anything be done about
my tinnitus (ringing in my ears)?
Q. Is there any funding available
to help people get hearing aids?
Q. I am a member of Grey Power,
do I get a discount?
Q. How does the ear work?
Q. Why can I hear people but
not understand them?
Q. What happens at a hearing
test?
Q. What is an Audiogram?
Q. What are the types of hearing
loss?
Q. Who can be tested?
Q. Who can test my hearing?
Q.
How do I know if I have a hearing loss?
A. Take the quick test on
our Test Your Hearing
page.
Q. What will a hearing aid
do for me?
A. In most cases, the benefits
of hearing aids far outweigh any of the problems
associated with their use, or with the frustration
of missed conversation. The most common type
of hearing loss is a loss of hearing high
pitched sounds, which means that we no longer
hear parts of what people are saying.
To someone with a hearing loss, it sounds
as if people are mumbling, particularly when
they are facing away or if background noise
is present. Modern digital hearing aids have
sophisticated technology that let you hear
these sounds again. They give you crisp, clear
sound when you need it and are small, light
and comfortable to wear.
Hearing aids can provide many benefits but
there are also limitations. Hearing aids cannot
give you back your normal hearing. Even with
a hearing aid, you might find some situations
where you still have difficulty hearing, particularly
if you only wear one aid. Some hearing aids
are “smarter” than others and
can cope more effectively in difficult listening
environments. You’ll need to gauge your
expectations accordingly.
Q. How do I know which hearing
aid is best for me?
A. To help you make this
decision your Hearing Professionals Audiologist
will first discuss your test results with
you. You’ll be asked about your hearing
needs, and your Audiologist will explain the
different styles and features of hearing aids
available. Your Audiologist will then help
you to select the hearing aid that best meets
your particular requirements. Finally, a hearing
aid trial and review period lasting from 4
to 6 weeks will be arranged, to be sure that
you’ll be comfortable and satisfied
with your new hearing aid.
Q. How much do hearing aids
cost?
A. Don’t let the cost
of hearing aids prevent you from getting your
hearing assessed. While hearing aids are not
cheap, modern aids are precision instruments
that deliver high quality sound not achievable
with older aids. Their price reflects the
large research and development investment
and will vary depending on a person’s
particular hearing loss. Typically, hearing
aid costs range from around $1000 to $3500
per ear. This cost includes your hearing assessment,
fitting the hearing aids and follow up appointments.
All our hearing aids come with a 12 month
minimum warranty.
Q. Can I try out a hearing
aid?
A. We understand that you
may not know what it is like to use a hearing
aid, so at Hearing Professionals all our hearing
aids are fitted on a 4 to 6 week trial and
review basis. The purchase of your hearing
aid is not finalized until you are fully satisfied.
Q. Do I need one hearing
aid or two?
A. If you have difficulty
hearing with both ears you will almost certainly
benefit from wearing a hearing aid in each
ear. With two hearing aids you’ll hear
much better in background noise. It will be
easier to locate where a sound is coming from
and easier to communicate in group situations.
What
do hearing aids look like?
Open
Ear
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Behind-the-ear
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In-the-ear
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In-the-canal
 |
Completely-in-canal
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Your Audiologist will help
you choose the most appropriate style of hearing
aid following your hearing assessment.
Q. What are ‘digital’
hearing aids?
A. Older (analog) hearing
aids were adjusted by screwdriver, digital
aids are programmed with a computer. Digital
hearing aids are like mini computers for your
ears. Sounds are first converted to an electrical
signal, then into digital code representing
the intensities and frequencies of the original
sound. The hearing aid then processes the
code to meet an individual's specific hearing
needs. Finally, it’s converted back
to an electrical signal and into sound, which
is heard in the ear.
Q. Do I have to wear
my hearing aids all the time?
A. Hearing Professionals
recommends you put your hearing aids in after
your morning ablutions and remove them before
bed. This allows you to get used to the sensation
of hearing through your hearing aids.
Q. Can anything
be done about my tinnitus (ringing in my ears)?
A. While there is no “cure”
for tinnitus, people who find tinnitus affecting
their quality of life can be assisted in managing
it more effectively. Hearing Professionals
is accredited by ACC in the provision of Tinnitus
Retraining Therapy and our clinicians have
specialist training in this area. We also
have specialised equipment available to help
people experiencing difficulty with tinnitus.
Q. Is there any
funding available to help people get hearing
aids?
A. Yes, all New Zealanders qualify
for some level of assistance when purchasing
hearing aids and many are eligible for government
funding covering the full cost of their hearing
aids. If you’ve spent your working life
in a noisy environment or are a returned service
person, you may qualify for assistance through
ACC or the War Pensions agencies. Enable NZ
also helps fund hearing aids for people currently
employed.
| Only Audiologists
who are full members of the New
Zealand Audiological Society (NZAS)
can access funding and fit hearing aids
through these agencies. Hearing Professionals
Audiologists are all members of the NZAS
and will assist you in obtaining the appropriate
funding. Look for the qualification MNZAS
to assure you are receiving the highest
quality hearing health care. |
 |
Q. I am
a member of Grey Power, do I get a discount?
A. Yes, you do. Hearing Professionals
offers all Grey Power members a free hearing
screening test and a 5% discount on the cost
of your hearing aids.
Q. How does the
ear work?
A. The ear is made up of
three main parts: the outer, middle
and inner ear.
Sound is actually pressure waves. The outer
ear collects sound waves and channels them
down the ear canal, where they cause the ear
drum to vibrate. This in turn causes the middle
ear bones (collectively called the ossicles;
or individually known as the hammer, anvil
and stirrup) to move, increasing and amplifying
the vibrations and transmitting them to the
inner ear (the cochlea). The inner ear resembles
a snail shell containing fluid. The vibrations
cause the fluid to move, setting tiny hearing
nerves (hair cells) in motion. An electrical
signal is then sent along the auditory nerve
which the brain translates into the sounds
you hear.
Q. Why can I hear
people but not understand them?
A. The most common type of
hearing loss is a high frequency hearing loss.
When someone is speaking you can still hear
the low pitched vowel sounds such as “aa”
and “oo”, but the soft high pitched
consonants such as “ss” and “th”
are missing so speech sounds muffled. For
example, “Those trees are tall”
would be heard as “O ee are all”.
Q. What happens
at a hearing test?
A. Hearing testing is done
in a sound insulated room to minimize outside
noise. The Audiologist will ask you questions
about your hearing health, and examine your
ears using an earlight (also called an
otoscope). You will be asked to listen
and respond to a series of tones, presented
through earplugs inserted in your ears and
through a headset placed on the bone behind
your ears. You may also be asked to repeat
a series of words presented at different volumes.
A tympanometer may be used to assess the mobility
of the middle ear system and check the function
of the auditory nerve. Your Audiologist will
explain these results to you in plain, jargon-free
language and discuss possible solutions with
you. You will be advised on whether or not
a hearing aid is suitable, or whether you
need to see a doctor, Ear Nurse Specialist,
or Otorhinolaryngologist (Ear, Nose and Throat
Specialist).
Q. What is an Audiogram?
A. An audiogram
is the chart depecting your hearing test results.
The numbers across the top of the graph represent
the pitch (frequency) of the sounds you hear.
Low pitch sounds have lower frequencies (250
Hertz) while high pitch sounds have higher
frequencies (8000 Hertz). Intensity (in decibels)
is indicated down the side of the chart and
represents how loud each of the different
pitch sounds have to be for you to just hear
them.
On your own audiogram, circles are drawn to
indicate your right ear and the crosses are
drawn for your left ear. Generally speaking,
the higher up the chart the circles and crosses
are, the better your hearing. It is normal
to have some hearing loss, particularly in
the high frequencies, as one gets older.”
Q. What are the
types of hearing loss?
A. A sensorineural
loss occurs when the hearing nerves
(also called hair cells) in the inner ear
or cochlea are damaged or worn out. Typical
causes are the aging process and excessive
exposure to noise. This is the most common
type of hearing loss and as yet there is no
cure, though hearing aids can help.
A conductive loss occurs
when the sound is not being transmitted through
the ear canal and middle ear to the inner
ear. Common causes are wax in the ear canal,
fluid in the middle ear or damage to the middle
ear bones.
This type of hearing loss can often be successfully
treated with medication or surgery.”
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NORMAL
HAIR CELLS
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DAMAGED
HAIR CELLS
|
Q.
Who can be tested?
A. Hearing Professionals
Nelson Marlborough can test adults and children
from about the age of three and a half years
upwards. If you are concerned about the hearing
of a younger child contact your doctor or
a Plunket Nurse.
Q. Who can test
my hearing?
A. An Ear, Nose and Throat
(ENT) surgeon, your doctor, nurse or hearing
specialist may test your hearing. Hearing
specialists are professionals that have been
educated in hearing health. These include:
An Audiologist has a post
graduate degree in the science of audiology
and is the professional most qualified person
to assess and fit hearing aids. Audiology
is the health care profession concerned with
prevention, diagnosis, and rehabilitation
of auditory problems.
An Audiometrist may have
a qualification recognizing technical training
in the assessment of hearing and rehabilitation,
including the fitting of hearing aids.
A Hearing Therapist may have
formal training in the rehabilitation of people
with hearing impairment.
Hearing Professionals strongly recommends
you seek out only qualified hearing specialists.
Be wary of “hearing aid consultants”
who may try to sell you a hearing aid without
having any formal qualifications.”
