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My Experience Fitting Hearing Aids at Echo Audiology

  Getting Hearing Aids Should Be Fun!   When you come in for your hearing aid fitting, you should plan to spend between 60 and 90 minutes with your Echo Audiology clinician. We will start by examining your ears to ensure that it’s safe to insert the devices. We use your ear measurements to position the hearing aids appropriately in the ear canal.    Next, we will give you an idea of what to expect regarding the difference in sound while wearing your hearing aids. Here are the five parts of a hearing aid fitting:   Assessing the hearing aid fit Programming the hearing aid settings   Testing & verification for accuracy   Adjusting your settings based on your hearing, but also your comfort level Learning about your hearing aid and what to expect from them   Most hearing aid fittings are a positive experience for both the clinician and pat...

Hearing Tests & Assessments for Adults

Hearing tests can be done for a variety of reasons. We frame our appointments based on our Patient’s needs, so that they get the most appropriate assessment and benefit from the right amount of testing and counselling. We also offer hearing assessments for Children. Employment Hearing Test This appointment is for Patients who require a hearing test for a work application. Ex: Pilots, RCMP, etc. This appointment includes the completion of all required documents and reports. Medical Hearing Assessment This appointment is meant for Patients who experience ear-level symptoms such as pressure, blockage or pain in their ears, and also experience hearing difficulties possibly due to these symptoms. This would also be for a Patient who needs a hearing assessment before seeing an Ear, Nose & Throat Specialist, and/or to rule out any other medical conditions. This appointment includes a thorough medical report for your Physician or Specialist, if required. Hearing Assessment for Hearing Diff...

Getting Hearing Aids Is Not Like Getting Glasses

  With the Proper Fit and Adjustments, Hearing Aids Can Vastly Improve Hearing When you first get  hearing aids in Ottawa , you may feel excited to finally hear everything you’ve been missing. If you wear glasses, you know how easy it is to simply slip them on in the morning or when you need help reading. They require little care besides occasional cleaning and proper storage to avoid scratches. With hearing aids, you may sometimes need to get them adjusted or reprogrammed, especially if your hearing changes, to make sure you are benefiting from them as much as possible. Compare Hearing Aids to Glasses The Audiologists at Echo Audiology have put together the following points to consider when comparing hearing aids to glasses: Hearing aids typically won’t fully restore your hearing loss.  With the right glasses, many people can achieve 20/20 vision.  Hearing aids in Orleans  can restore clarity and help you perceive sound at a higher level. Hearing aids require a...

The Cost of Hearing Loss Versus the Value of Hearing Aids

  Why You Can’t Afford to Ignore Hearing Loss Up to  4.6 million Canadians  have hearing loss in the speech frequency range, while millions more have trouble hearing high frequencies. Despite these statistics, many Canadians refuse to wear  hearing aids in Ottawa  that can improve their ability to communicate effectively and live life more fully. Lost Income from Employment Limitations If you have a hard time hearing, you may not qualify for jobs requiring acute hearing to perform effectively. On average, Canadians with hearing loss also lose big when it comes to salary differentials. Are you satisfied giving up $30,000 per year — that’s $263,000 in your lifetime! In contrast, it costs about $3000-$6000 to buy two  hearing aids in Orleans  or elsewhere in Canada. Health Impact of Untreated Hearing Loss It’s important to know that untreated hearing loss also negatively impacts your health. The health impacts of hearing loss include: Memory loss Depressi...

The Benefits of Bluetooth Hearing Aids

  In recent years, Bluetooth hearing aids have become more popular since this type of technology can perform a variety of functions. Read on to learn more about what Bluetooth hearing aids could do for you: Streaming: Your hearing aids can now be connected to your cell phone thanks to Bluetooth technology. This means that you can take phone calls using your hearing aids which act as earpieces, so you will be able to hear the person on the other end through the device. This is a perfect solution for those who have hearing loss in both ears as hearing is maximized in two ears rather than one. You can also stream other sound sources such as sound from your TV, music from your phone, tablet or computer, as well as audio from various communication platforms such as Skype or FaceTime. Applications: Hearing aids feature an application that you can use to manage the device. Apps are a useful tool that allow you to perform important tasks such as controlling volume, changing pre-set program...

Why you should protect your hearing?

  Here are some reasons to protect your hearing: Hearing is Fragile: Our inner ear is a highly complex system that allows us to experience sound and comprehend speech. However, it is also an extremely delicate and fragile system, prone to damage unless you take the necessary care. A decline in hearing quality will not only add to stress and listening fatigue, but also impact the overall quality of your life. Tinnitus (ringing in your ears): A constant buzz or ringing in the ears,  tinnitus  can impact one or both ears. This perception of sound is often a symptom of hearing damage and can be temporary or permanent. Tinnitus after constant exposure to loud noises can become permanent and have an impact on your stress levels, your sleep quality, and make simple day-to-day tasks more difficult to accomplish. Reversing Hearing Impairment is Almost Impossible: There are parts of the ear that when damaged, can be repaired either with time, or through surgery. When hearing loss i...

The Connection between Stress, Listening Fatigue and Hearing Loss

  Insights from the Audiologists at your Trusted Audiology Clinic in Ottawa Have you been feeling extremely exhausted after listening to people speak for a long time? This could be happening because: You may be experiencing hearing loss, which is making your brain work really hard to process sounds, and tiring you out faster, OR You are stressed, anxious or depressed about aspects related to work, household chores, parenting, or other issues brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, and these in turn are triggering overall fatigue that impacts your hearing. It is a well-understood fact that constant stress can impact physical and mental health. The experienced Audiologists at Echo Audiology discuss the connection between stress, listening fatigue, and hearing loss. Is the Hearing Loss Real? There are three areas of our brain that connect with the auditory system to interpret sound and speech. While Broca’s Area is responsible for speech production, Wernicke’s Area addresses speech compr...