Hearing Health Blog

Q.  I bought some high-dollar hearing aids last year in Missouri before moving to South Austin.  I have called around town and cannot find anyone to work on them here.  Why is that? A.  When you say, ‘work on them’, I believe you mean, ‘program them’.  To program a hearing aid, a hearing center needs […]

Q.  I have been shopping for hearing aids since the beginning of the year.  I have checked out Sam’s, WalMart, CVS, Austin Regional Clinic, some local hearing aid centers, and Costco.  Prices and options vary.  How do you recommend I make a choice for hearing aids? A.  Yes, prices and options will vary widely among […]

Q.  I retired from the Austin IRS office at the beginning of the year after 33 years.  My husband is after me to get hearing aids, but since I no longer work, are they really necessary? A.  I am reading two things into your question.  First, it sounds like you have been experiencing hearing loss […]

Q.  Why am I having so much trouble admitting to myself I need to get some hearing aids? A.  Difficulty with hearing creates a lot of negative connotations in the U.S.  And most people do not like to think of themselves in negative ways.   People with hearing trouble are often falsely thought of as […]

Q.  My best friend has had trouble hearing for over 10 years.  It is slowly changing her personality and demeanor.  How can I convince her to get some hearing aids? A.  It would be helpful to gently and kindly describe to your friend the changes you have witnessed in her demeanor and personality.  When you […]

Q.  It seems like half the time when I pull off my face mask, I end up pulling off one or both of my hearing aids as well.  I have to wear my hearing aids, so how can I avoid pulling them off with my mask? A.  Most of our patients who wear hearing aids […]

Q.  My neighbor and I still wear face masks when we chat.  Even with my hearing aids on, his mask makes it harder for me to understand him. What can I for my hearing aids to work better in this situation? A.  Face masks have a negative impact on how a person’s voice sounds – […]

Q.  I have seen TV commercials for hearing aids, and my Mom’s Reader’s Digest has an insert ad in it for hearing aids.  Will these types of hearing aids be okay to use? A.  Hearing aids require hands-on customization for them to fit properly and work as well as possible.  Think of them like dental […]

Q.   My husband and I have worn the same model hearing aids from the same hearing center for about 2 years.  At different times one of us can hear better than the other.  Why is that? A.  More often than not, when both spouses wear hearing aids, one of them has slightly better clarity and […]

Q.  My hearing aid provider recently added a ‘Singing’ program to my hearing aids.  The harsh vibration and scratchiness I used to hear when I sing is not there anymore when I use the ‘Singing’ program.  How is that? A.  First, kudos to your hearing aid provider for creating a unique program that works well […]