Hearing Aids and Accessories
Types of Hearing Aids
Hearing aids are crafted to support varying types and degrees of hearing loss. Following your hearing test, the audiologist or hearing aid practitioner will recommend the best type of hearing aid for your needs. Preserving your hearing health, quality of life, and relationships are the top priority.
Hearing aids come in a range of styles and technologies, each designed to support you by providing excellent sound quality and noise reduction.
There are 5 types of hearing aid styles
Behind-the-ear (BTE)
Designed to sit behind the ear and connected to an earmold fitted inside the ear canal.
Completely-in-canal (CIC)
This hearing aid sits inside the ear canal and is completely invisible to anyone but the wearer.
In-the-canal (ITC)
This sits in the canal but is visible in the lower half of the outer ear for easier programming and control.
In-the-ear (ITE)
Similar to ITC hearing aids, this model also sits in the outer ear but is designed with easily accessible buttons for volume and other hearing controls.
Invisible (IIC)
These tiny hearing aids are virtually unnoticeable to anyone but the wearer and sit close to the eardrum.
Receiver-in-canal (RIC)
This small and discreet hearing aid utilizes an open fit and a small speaker to deliver and amplify sound directly into the ear canal once detected.
Rechargeable Solutions
At Living Sounds Hearing Centre, our hearing healthcare professionals recommend rechargeable hearing aids. Rechargeable hearing aids feature easy to use controls, increased battery life, and most importantly fast charging which ensures little to no downtime in your hearing experience.
Built with rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that pack up to 40% more power, you can enjoy a full day of uninterrupted listening. In addition to a longer shelf life, rechargeable solutions are much easier to handle, especially for those with limited dexterity. Rechargeable hearing aids are built to last!
Rechargeable Hearing Aid Battery Care Tips:
- Charge your hearing aids for 3 to 4 hours as recommended, but refrain from charging too often, especially when the battery is still over 50%. This can drain or shorten the battery life.
- Store your hearing aids in their charging station that also doubles as a protective case when not in use.
- Only trust our hearing aid practitioners or technicians to replace the batteries if needed. While these are designed to last for up to 5 years along with the hearing aids, you may opt for a manufacturer-certified battery replacement, rather than a full upgrade if the current features can still support your hearing needs.
- While most rechargeable hearing aids use lithium-ion batteries, some are still powered by silver-zinc. If you need a replacement, avoid opening the battery door, for instance, in traditional hearing aids. Instead, ask our hearing aid practitioners about a replacement to ensure that the batteries do not touch each other or other metals and result in a reaction.
Are you ready to make the smart switch to rechargeable hearing aids? Our hearing aid practitioners at Living Sounds Hearing Centre are here to help! Contact us to schedule an appointment to learn more!
Hearing Aid Accessories
Hearing aid accessories can greatly enhance your hearing experience and boost the existing function of your hearing aid. Aside from detecting sounds in your environment, hearing aids supported by these accessories can be tailored to stream sounds at various volumes and noise control settings for taking phone calls, attending meetings, watching TV or large events.
At Living Sounds Hearing Centre, we are proud to offer high-quality hearing aid accessories to help optimize your hearing experience. Find an accessory for your every need, whether watching TV, listening to music, or using your smartphone. With the right accessories, you can enjoy a better hearing experience that is tailored to your environment!
Types of Hearing Aid Accessories Available:
Remote control
Control memory and volume, mute hearing aids and turn other special features on and off.
Remote Mic +
In noisy environments, easily stream to both ears from Bluetooth, Telecoil, FM or Line-In and enjoy your one-on-one conversations to the fullest.
Mini Microphone
Enjoy one-on-one conversations in noisy environments with our small, easy-to-use Mini Remote Microphone. Simply clip it to the clothing of the person you’re talking to and enjoy the conversation.
At Living Sounds Hearing Centre, we will recommend the right accessories to boost the sound quality and help you wear your hearing aid more comfortably.
To learn more about hearing aid accessories that enhance your listening experience, call Living Sounds Hearing Centre at 780-488-8100 or contact us here.
Custom Hearing Protection
Exposure to loud noises, such as heavy equipment and music, can cause wear-and-tear damage to the ears, eventually resulting in hearing loss. These noises also increase your risk of developing tinnitus, which is known as ringing noises in the ears.
At Living Sounds Hearing Centre, our hearing health experts design custom earmolds that you can wear to block harmful, constant, and disruptive noises, resulting in hearing loss. Custom earmolds are designed to preserve your hearing and support your lifestyle and occupational needs.
Types of Custom Hearing Protection Available:
- Communication Molds allow you to hear conversations and other sounds around you while working or attending social events, as well as blocking excessively loud and harmful noises. These earmolds are recommended for those working in law enforcement, security, and customer service, and enhance sound quality from two-way radio and cell communication as it filters out noise.
- Sleep Molds allow you to block out disruptive, loud noises. These earplugs help you sleep better and get the rest and relaxation that you need.
- Ear Defenders protect your ears against harmful noises from construction and industrial equipment and other occupational hazards. These earmolds are recommended for individuals who want to preserve their hearing and avoid irreversible hearing damage.
- Swim Molds are made of soft, 100% inflatable silicone for comfortable wear while you’re underwater. Designed to provide a tight seal, swim moulds prevent water from entering the ears while you are swimming and engaging in water sports and other recreational activities, as well as daily showering for those prone to chronic ear infections.
- Musician Molds designed for musicians and sound crews, to protect you from hearing loss, by providing flat noise attenuation for accurate hearing. In the entertainment industry, it is important to hit the right notes, and reduce feedback from musical instruments, while still being able to hear at excellent sound quality, without damaging your ears.
To learn more about custom hearing protection options and hearing loss prevention, contact Living Sounds to schedule an appointment.
Hearing Aid Batteries
Hearing aid batteries are necessary to power hearing aids. Typical hearing aid batteries can last anywhere from 3 to 22 days. This depends on the type of hearing aid, the battery type and capacity, how often the hearing aid is used, and how often it is used to stream.
Hearing aid batteries should be changed when sound becomes distorted, or you find yourself having to turn up the volume on your hearing aid more than normal. Hearing aids also have a feature where there is a “low-battery” beep or voice sound that comes on, indicating the battery is low and should be changed.
Click Here for Video Tutorial on How to Replace Your Hearing Aid Battery
Tips for Maximizing Hearing Aid Battery Life:
- Turn your hearing aid off and open the battery door when not in use.
- Take the battery out if you are not using your hearing aid for an extended period.
- Avoid extreme temperatures.
Hearing Aid Battery Care Tips:
- Store hearing aid batteries at normal room temperatures. Do not refrigerate or store in extreme heat.
- Wash your hands thoroughly before changing batteries. If grease and dirt get on the battery, it may damage the hearing aid.
- Leave the battery compartment of your hearing aid open at night so that moisture can escape. Doing so will keep the battery from corroding and damaging the hearing aid.
- Remove dead batteries immediately. A completely discharged battery may swell and become difficult to remove.
- Keep spare batteries handy. Hearing aid batteries often lose power very suddenly, so it’s smart to carry an extra set of batteries with you at all times.
- Keep batteries away from metal objects. To protect against discharging your backup batteries, keep them away from coins, keys or other metal objects.
Rechargeable Solutions
Rechargeable batteries are recommended for hearing aid wearers who live life on-the-go and require uninterrupted hearing throughout busy days.
At Living Sounds, our hearing healthcare professionals can help you determine if your current hearing aid can support rechargeable batteries or if you are due for an upgrade to a rechargeable hearing aid. These rechargeable options eliminate the hassle of replacing standard disposable batteries with your other smart devices simply with a few hours of charging. Click here to learn more about Rechargeable Solutions.
