Hearing Aid Evaluation A hearing aid evaluation is a 1 hour appointment where you will meet with one of our Audiologist’s, either Dr. Alice Wilson or Dr. Valerie Beacham. At the appointment, the Audiologist will talk with you about your hearing loss, lifestyle needs, personal preferences, dexterity abilities, cosmetic concerns and budget.
We will make a customized hearing aid recommendation specific to your needs. We will review communication goals and expectations, and overall education about hearing loss and the impact hearing loss can have on your health. At our practice, we do not only sell hearing aids, but provide the best care possible to suit your specific needs.
For a consultation, please fill out an appointment request form or simply call 703-448-0005
Hearing Aid Styles:
- Receiver-in-canal (RIC)
- Invisible-in-canal / Completely-in-canal (iiC/CIC)
- In-the-canal (ITC)
- In-the-ear (ITE)
- Behind-the-ear (BTE)
- Contra Lateral Routing of Signal (CROS / BiCROS) system
Question: When do hearing aids help?
Answer: About 11% of the population in United States has a hearing loss. Unfortunately, only 5% to 10% of these people can be medically treated. Hearing aids when properly programmed and fitted can treat most people with a hearing loss.
Hearing Aid Manufacturers:
Over the Counter Hearing Devices (OTC) vs Prescription Hearing Aids
Over-the-counter hearing devices are a new category of hearing aids that are self-fit by the user and can be purchased off of the shelf. OTC hearing devices are only appropriate for mild to moderate hearing losses and do not come with any follow up care, training on how to use the devices, or advanced features such as noise reduction, or tinnitus
Prescription Hearing aids – Prescription hearing aids have to be purchased from and fit by a specialist because they are medical devices.
A prescription hearing aid has an extremely sophisticated computer chip contained in a very small device. They are programmed specific to a person’s hearing as well as listening preferences, ear canal shape, etc. They analyze the sound in the environment and amplify the sound differently based on how loud the sound is, and what type of sound it is (ie speech, car noise, birds chirping, a dog barking, etc). Our prescription hearing aids come with all the follow up care, training, cleaning, And adjustments you need.
A fun analogy to explain the difference – An over-the-counter hearing device is like buying a suit that is sized small, medium, or large. A hearing aid is like buying a custom-made tailored suit specific to your sizes, preference, and can be adjusted for many different changes.
Insurance
We understand that determining insurance benefits for hearing aids can be a very complicated and frustrating process. Here at ENT and Facial Plastic Surgery, when you purchase hearing aids through us, our trained insurance experts check your insurance on your behalf.
We have a wide range of pricing for hearing aids which helps us to recommend the best hearing aids for your specific hearing loss and hearing needs as well as your budget.
Unfortunately, most people do not have hearing aid coverage through their insurance. We are happy to offer CareCredit through our office. CareCredit is a credit card company that allows for 12 months of interest-free payments so that you can start wearing your hearing aids today and make manageable payments over a few months. Eligibility for CareCredit is subject to total cost of devices.
