Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of our most frequently asked questions about our hearing clinic, hearing aids and hearing health. If you have a question that has not been covered please don’t hesitate to contact us.
When you come to our hearing clinic for a hearing test, we will first discuss your hearing history and challenges. We will then examine your ear canal and ear drum and measure the health of your inner ear. Next we will create an audio-gram by testing responses to speech and tones in our soundproof booth. Once this is complete our hearing instrument specialists will evaluate the results and establish where or not there is hearing loss, the nature and degree of the hearing loss, and if necessary, what hearing instruments are appropriate for you. For more information, please visit our Hearing Tests page.
An audiogram is a graphic representation of the results of a hearing test. During a hearing test, sounds are presented at a variety of pitches or frequencies. The softest sound the individual can hear at each frequency is recorded on the graph. Complete Hearing uses the results of the hearing test to establish if there is a hearing loss, the nature and degree of the hearing loss and hearing instrument options.
Not necessarily.
Hearing loss often develops slowly and subtly. In fact, it is quite common that the signs of hearing loss are first detected by family and friends. Unfortunately, many people who suspect they have a hearing loss are reluctant to seek help.
Untreated, hearing loss can have a negative impact socially, psychologically and cognitively. Having a hearing test as soon as a loss is suspected is really the best advice.
Although today’s hearing aids are much more effective and comfortable than they were in the past, engineering advances can never match the capabilities of the normal human ear. Our inner ear has an amazing capacity to distinguish speech in the presence of competing sounds but when it is damaged we lose much of this ability. Modern technology has made great progress in recent years but we have to be realistic in our expectations.
Understanding speech in background noise is one of the most common complaints for those with hearing loss.
Advancements in hearing aid technology, directional microphones for example, are designed specifically to improve speech understanding in noise. The overall benefit will depend on a variety of factors such as degree of hearing loss, frequency of use and the style of hearing aid selected.
Two hearing aids are often recommended for individuals that have binaural hearing loss, which means a hearing loss in both ears. Our brain uses cues from both ears to determine which direction sounds are coming from, allowing us to locate the source of the sound. Wearing only one hearing aid comprises this ability and therefore, is not as effective as wearing two. Providing stimulus to the brain from both ears allows for better spatial awareness, fuller sound quality and improved speech understanding in noisy environments.
Simply call or email Complete hearing to book your hearing test. You do not need a Doctor’s prescription or referral for a hearing test. Hearing tests are not covered by OHIP and typically cost around $60.
Call our Port Elgin Hearing Clinic at: 519-832-3900