Hearing Aids at Sonant Hearing Clinic, Rochester, Kent
Hearing Aids at Sonant Hearing Clinic, Rochester, Kent
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What are Hearing Aids? Private Hearing Aids in Medway, Kent
What are Hearing Aids? Private Hearing Aids in Medway, Kent
Hearing Aids are medical devices which when programmed aim to amplify sounds at specific levels and frequencies in order to restore audibility and clarity.
Correctly programmed aids will not damage one’s hearing but enhance one’s hearing. In the past, aids were seen as basic amplifiers.
Technology has chamged since because now they house not only advanced amplifiers but more sophisticated technology including micro-processors using artificial intelligence (AI), dynamic feedback cancellation processes, automatically adjusting microphones, noise-cancelling algorithms, falls detectors, heart rate trackers and step counters!
Why use an Audiologist at Sonant Hearing, Kent for your private Hearing aids
Why use an Audiologist at Sonant Hearing, Kent for your private Hearing aids
Our role is to help you find the best hearing technology for your specific circumstances. Each solution is considered carefully in terms of your hearing loss, lifestyle, preference, budget and capability. This ensures that a personalised solution is always offered to you. Each hearing brand has it's unique best performing feature e.g size, rechargeable battery life, music processing abilities, speech in noise processing, durability, build etc.
No one hearing aid works for every single person. We consider all the top leading brands. From Widex, Phonak, Signia, Starkey, GnResound, and Oticon. Since there is no bias, our recommendations are truly personalised to meet your needs.
Once a hearing solution is chosen, we use best practice measures in programming up the hearing aids for each individual’s loss. This includes performing real-ear measurements, which verify what the hearing aid is doing, hearing aid feedback calibration measurements, speech tests and peer-reviewed evidence-based prescription formulas. We aim to optimise your hearing with science not guesswork.
We offer annual hearing tests to review your hearing thresholds for any change. If your thresholds change we will re-program the same hearing aids to match that change.
We will inform your GP if there is a significant change in your hearing that requires additional medical review.
We will check your ear health at 6 months and the annual check to ensure that your ears are healthy and are managing well with the hearing aids.
We offer earwax removal services at our clinic in Medway, Rochester, Kent, so you can get all your hearing needs addressed in one place.
With hearing technology, most big retail chains will only offer you 1 - 3 brands which are run by the manufacturers themselves, we consider up to 6 brands!
We can repair your hearing aid and fix your hearing aids if any faults arise.
Once a solution is chosen, we offer an aural rehabilitation program to help you adapt to your hearing solution over time at your pace. Your hearing aid is adjusted to a comfortable level for you to get used to and then gradually adjusted to meet your prescription levels for optimal hearing.
The audiologist will continue periodically to ensure that the hearing aid is working best to meet your needs by reviewing your auditory needs every year.
We offer monthly payment plan options.
We offer an aftercare hearing aid service plan. Feel free to review our prices of services and hearing aids here or call us on 01634 479550.
There is a 60-day money-back guarantee for hearing aid dispenses.
Types of Hearing Aids We Can Offer Near You
Types of Hearing Aids We Can Offer Near You
Receiver in the canal Hearing Aids (RIC)
Receiver in the canal Hearing Aids (RIC)
The receiver in the canal (RIC) hearing aid is the most popular style of all hearing aids. The RIC hearing aid covers the largest range of losses from mild hearing losses to severe hearing losses.
The RIC can be coupled with smaller domes for mild losses and custom earmoulds for profound losses requiring lots of power. Some models are waterproof. The RIC body can be very small in size or long and slim to sit better behind the ear with glass frames.
They are often packed full of features and built to cover a wider range of budgets, with processing features added, reduced or removed.
Custom Hearing Aids
Custom Hearing Aids
Invisible in the canal hearing aid (IIC)
Invisible in the canal hearing aid (IIC)
these hearing aids are very small and sit deep within the ear canal. They come with a cord to help you pull them out of your ear.
Features like bluetooth and rechargeability can be limited due to the smaller size of the shell. Battery is usually a size 10.
Good dexterity is recommended for easier insertion, removal and battery changing. They are not visible to most, these are one of the most discreet types of hearing aids.
Completely in the canal hearing aid (CIC)
Completely in the canal hearing aid (CIC)
these hearing aids are slightly larger than the IIC. Often limited in features but not as much as IIC.
Battery size usually size 10. They can come with program/memory or volume buttons built in. Appearance is also discreet.
Full Shell In The Ear Hearing Aid (ITE)
Full Shell In The Ear Hearing Aid (ITE)
Half Shell In The Ear Hearing Aid (ITE)
Half Shell In The Ear Hearing Aid (ITE)
these hearing aids can be half shell (pictured black) or full shell (pictured skin colour), depending on how much of the “concha” (the c-shaped enclosure within the ear) is filled.
They have larger batteries and are easier for those with dexterity concerns to handle. These can be rechargeable or use disposable batteries. The battery size is a slightly larger size 13 or size 312.
They can house additional features like bluetooth connectivity and rechargeable batteries. Some are shaped and coloured to look like fashionable “apple air-pods” or ear-buds
Behind The Ear Hearing Aids (BTE)
Behind The Ear Hearing Aids (BTE)
One of the original styles of hearing aids. The Behind the ear hearing aids is one of the most powerful styles of hearing aids. The BTE hearing aid is able to manage most severe to profound losses.
The BTE hearing aid is usually packed with power and features to enhance connectivity to other audio devices such as the classic telecoil (Induction loop) and bluetooth.
Some brands are rechargeable. They work best coupled with custom earmoulds.
Which Brand or Make of Hearing Aids Are The Best ?
Which Brand or Make of Hearing Aids Are The Best ?
Ultimately, the best brand is the brand of hearing aid that works best for you. As a new hearing aid user, you may have some preferences that would make one brand better than the other for you. As an experienced hearing aid user, you may have a trusted brand that you have used over the years, which you prefer for sound quality, familiarity, build, etc. You may even require a hearing aid with low gain. We are able to meet all these requirements.
As we only work with prescription hearing aids at present, we can share that the main hearing aid brands we work with include: Phonak, Oticon, Starkey, Widex, Signia, Resound. At Sonant Hearing Clinic, we work with all the major brands. These have been our observations which each brand so far.
Phonak:
Phonak:
This is a swiss-engineered brand. It's made for all (MFA) connectivity makes this brand an excellent choice for pairing to the largest selection of blue-tooth devices. From Android, Apple, LE bluetooth, Classic Bluetooth and it's own Roger Direct connection. Phonak is an easy choice if looking to connect one's devices to their hearing aids with less concern about compatibility. It's Naida selection are one of the most powerful hearing aids on the market for severe to profound hearing losses. Phonak is re-known for leading the hearing aid industry in terms of forward-moving research. It's latest release with Deep Neural Network (DNN) has introduced great leaps for AI processing of speech in noise with a clarity that most users have never thought possible till now.
Oticon:
Oticon:
This is a brand respected by a number of audiologists for it's sound quality and technology which is also well grounded in research. Its latest release the Oticon Intent has been successfully dispensed with great feedback often given for its excellent quality of sound. Connectivity to other devices is needed sometimes with it's LE-Adapter but it's one of the few hearing aids enabled for Auracast. Its tinnitus program has received a lot of positive feedback on its effectiveness.
Starkey:
This is an American brand. Amongst the first to offer rechargeable custom in-the-ear hearing aids (ITE). Starkey has one of the longest rechargeable battery lives when compared to other brands of hearing aids models (Other brands are catching up to this) Unique features we appreciate is that its latest Edge model comes with a balance assessment feature. Waterproof feature goes well with clients often wearing their aids in warmer climates or concerned about the effect of perspiration on their hearing aids.
Widex:
This is a Danish brand. They have released the Smart RIC with a slim, unique L-shaped design, designed to be positioned optimally to select speech better in noise. Recently released is the Widex Allure. The first hearing aid to have a fitting software totally hosted online. Allowing faster updates for programming. Widex brand is renowned for it's in-situ audiometry features but at Sonant Hearing we appreciate it's selection of Tinnitus maskers. Widex offers a refreshing variety when compared to the classic white, pink and brown noise tinnitus maskers offered with other brands.
Resound:
Recently released it's Vive model. It has one of the smallest receiver in the ear hearing aids. It recently brought back a changeable mic-covers a feature formerly available with other brands of hearing aids but removed. Connectivity is good for Android and Apple models. It's Vive and Nexia models are both AURACAST ready.
Signia:
This is a German brand, formerly known as Siemens. Older technology models are typically available on the NHS. It is currently being recognised for providing the best speech in noise sound quality. It is one of the few brands that has a small, almost invisible in the ear type of hearing aid (Signia Charge & Go) that doesn't have to be custom-made. They recently released the smallest blue-tooth receiver in the ear (RIC) hearing aid. The Signia Charge & Go BCT IX. Signia is a brand that offers the greatest number of discreet options across the hearing aid form factors from invisible in the canal hearing aids (IIC) to receiver in the canal hearing aids. (IIC)
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