Audio Help Hearing Centers provides comprehensive hearing aid services in New York. Our clinics are conveniently located in Manhattan (Chelsea Village, Columbus Circle, and Park Avenue). We also have additional offices in Scarsdale, NY (Westchester County) and Stamford, CT.
At Audio Help Hearing Centers, we want to help you hear better. You are always our top priority.
We take the time to get to know you and understand your daily life and hearing needs. This helps us find the best way to improve your hearing. Our first goal is to see if hearing aids can help you. But not everyone needs hearing aids, and we will find another solution if that’s better for you.
By understanding what you need, we can suggest the best way to help you hear better. As you start this journey, we encourage you to share your thoughts and any worries you have. Your feedback helps us create the best hearing care plan for you.
Hearing Aid Selection
When you come to Audio Help Hearing Centers for the first time, we’ll take some time to get to know you and find out why you need help with your hearing.
We will discuss your medical history and ask a variety of questions, such as:
- When did you realize you were experiencing hearing loss?
- Have your loved ones mentioned possible hearing loss or suggested visiting an audiologist?
- Do others tell you that the television is too loud?
We’ll try to define your type and degree of hearing loss with specific questions, including:
- What types of voices do you struggle to hear the most, i.e., children or women?
- Do you have difficulty hearing while you’re on the phone?
- Is it difficult for you to hear others in noisy places like restaurants?
Our audiologists will look inside your ears to see if there is anything blocking them, such as too much wax, a problem with your eardrum, or an infection that might be causing your hearing trouble.
Hearing Evaluations
You will get a complete hearing test in a quiet room. An audiologist will play different sounds and words through headphones. This checks different parts of your hearing and helps us know how to best help you hear better.
After the test, the audiologist will see if you need hearing aids and what choices fit your hearing needs, how they look, and your budget.
They might suggest you borrow hearing aids to try at home before buying. If you want hearing aids that fit inside your ears (with nothing behind the ear), we will take a mold of your ears and order the right hearing aids for you.
Hearing aid styles
There are different styles of hearing aids to fit different needs and preferences.
Below are the different hearing aid styles:
In-the-Canal (ITC)
As the name says, these hearing aids fit all the way inside your ear canal. The microphone and speaker are inside a custom plastic shell that matches the shape of your ear.
Completely-in-the-canal (CIC) devices fit deeper and are almost invisible.
ITC (in-the-canal) hearing aids work best for moderate to severe hearing loss, while CIC hearing aids help with mild to moderate hearing loss. Their small size is great if you want a tiny hearing aid that won’t get stuck with mask straps or glasses.
These small hearing aids also help stop feedback (the annoying whistling sound) when you’re on the phone. Because they are close to your ear, they cut down on background noise, making it easier to hear what you want.
In-the-Ear (ITE)
In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids fill up the outer part of your ear. They have the microphone, receiver, and batteries all in one plastic case. These hearing aids are bigger than in-the-canal (ITC) devices and can use special microphones to help you hear better.
Just like ITC models, ITE hearing aids are made to fit your ear perfectly. Because they are bigger, you can have more control over the volume and settings. The bigger battery lasts longer too. You can get them in full or half-shell designs that match different skin tones.
You can change the settings and adjust these hearing aids to fit your needs. ITE hearing aids are good for people with moderate to severe hearing loss.
Behind-the-Ear (BTE)
Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids have a small plastic part that sits behind your ear. This part holds the microphone, receiver, and batteries. These are connected to a piece that fits inside your ear with a clear tube.
The earmold fits snugly into your ear canal to send sounds to your ear. You can get earmolds and outer parts in different colors, and some brands can make them fit your ear shape perfectly. BTE hearing aids are for people with mild to very bad hearing loss.
Receiver-in-the-canal (RIC)
Receiver-in-the-canal (RIC) hearing aids have a processor that sits behind the outer ear. However, the receiver is positioned in the ear canal and is connected to the processor by a thin wire.
The receiver is covered by a small rubber dome that helps the device fit comfortably in your ear canal. A custom dome can be made for this hearing aid upon your request. This type of hearing aid is appropriate if you have mild to severe hearing loss or struggle to hear certain pitches.
Almost all hearing aid manufacturers offer rechargeable RIC hearing aids, eliminating the need for replacement batteries.
Hearing Aid Fitting and Selection
Today’s hearing aids are sophisticated electronic devices, like computers and smartphones. Quality hearing aids are expensive and very different from the hearing devices you might purchase online or at a retail store for a few hundred dollars.
Most inexpensive hearing aids only amplify the volume of all sounds and don’t have sophisticated programming to filter unwanted background noise. While those devices may help some people, most patients require more than sound enhancement. The more refined hearing technology reflects the higher cost because you purchase much more than an amplifier.
You can order basic model hearing aids without all the top-of-the-line features. Most hearing aid brands offer various models. The more expensive options usually have more features, thus a higher price. It’s important to talk to your audiologist after your hearing exam to determine which hearing aid features you need to decide how much you wish to pay for your hearing devices.
We will work with you to provide the best hearing solution for your budget. You can freely share your opinions and needs with our audiologists, and we will do everything we can to accommodate your preferences.
Hearing Aid Programming and Adjustments
Hearing aids need adjustments to keep up with your hearing changes and to ensure comfort and performance. Audiologists use computers and their expertise to make these adjustments, helping you hear the best you can.
Why Do We Need Adjustments?
- Changes in Hearing: Our hearing can change over time. You might hear sounds differently or not as well as before. Adjusting your hearing aids can help them match your current hearing needs.
- Comfort: At first, wearing hearing aids might feel a bit strange. Sometimes they can be too loud or not loud enough. Adjustments help make them comfortable to wear all day.
- Performance: Hearing aids can sometimes pick up too much background noise, making it hard to hear the important sounds. Adjusting them helps reduce unwanted noise and makes the important sounds clearer.
Real ear measurements
Real ear measurements are a special test that helps make sure your hearing aids work just right for you. When you go to the audiologist (that’s the hearing doctor), they do this test to check if the sound from your hearing aids is perfect for your ears.
Why Are Real Ear Measurements Important?
- Personal Fit: Everyone’s ears are different. Real ear measurements make sure your hearing aids are set just for you. This means you can hear better and more clearly.
- Better Hearing: With the right adjustments, you can understand speech better and enjoy sounds more. This makes it easier to talk to friends, listen to music, and watch TV.
- Comfort: Properly adjusted hearing aids are more comfortable to wear. You won’t have to deal with sounds being too loud or too soft.
- Saving Time: When your hearing aids are set right the first time, you won’t have to go back to the audiologist as often to fix problems. This saves you time and makes wearing hearing aids easier.
Hearing Aid Repairs
Keeping your hearing aids in good condition is essential to your hearing ability. Properly maintained and adjusted hearing aids will give better access to your auditory surroundings so you can enjoy socializing and listening to important sounds.
Audio Help Hearing Centers offers thorough hearing aid repairs so you can bring your devices in, get them fixed, and get back to hearing.
Hearing Aid Repairs Under Warranty
All hearing aids purchased from Audio Help Hearing Centers carry a warranty covering major and minor repairs. It’s important to check the length of your warranty, as it can vary from one to three years depending on the brand and model of your hearing aids.
You can take your hearing aids for repair at any of our New York City audiology clinics conveniently located in Manhattan (Chelsea Village, Columbus Circle, and Park Avenue) or at our clinics in Scarsdale, NY (Westchester County), and Stamford, CT.
During the repair appointment, you will need to describe the issues to a patient care coordinator so they can provide insight to the audiologist. We can usually fix your hearing aid while you wait.
However, if your devices require extensive repairs, we will send them to the manufacturer, which our office will handle at no cost to you. The length of time depends on the repair, so consult your audiologist for an estimated timeline. You will receive a loaner hearing aid while your devices are repaired.
Out of Warranty Repairs
We will conduct repairs in our office for hearing aids that are less than five years old. As with devices under warranty, if we cannot fix your devices, we will be happy to send them to the manufacturer for repair without additional costs. Manufacturers do not deal directly with patients, so you’ll need to consult a certified provider for assistance.
Our expert audiologists will provide a cost estimate for minor repairs during your visit. Manufacturer repair costs require an assessment before they provide us with an estimate. We will forward that information to you as soon as possible, so you can make an appropriate decision.
Typically, we do not fix hearing aids locally if your hearing devices are more than five years old. We can recommend a newer style of hearing aid that will suit your needs and budget.
Most hearing aid repairs are minor fixes that can be completed in our office while you wait.
Minor repairs include:
- Replacing a wax filter
- Cleaning wax or dirt from the air canal of your hearing aid
- Removing debris from the battery compartment
- Repairing a damaged receiver
If the repair is more extensive than those listed above, we will send your hearing aids to the manufacturer. Those repairs are usually covered by your hearing aid warranty, except for device abuse. If your hearing aids are out of warranty, your audiologists will discuss options, but you may need to consider purchasing new hearing devices.
Follow-up and Maintenance
Successful hearing treatment requires consistent assessments. We want to check in with you regularly to ensure your hearing aids are comfortable and operating correctly.
At your follow-up appointment, we will:
- Identify device benefits and limitations
- Discuss your overall experience and consider your feedback
- Make adjustments and customize your hearing aid settings
We can prescribe other audiology services and hearing accessories that will help you optimize your hearing aid experience. Those options include devices that wirelessly connect to your television and remote microphones to help you hear in noisy environments.
Hearing Aids Financing in NYC
The staff at Audio Help Hearing Centers is committed to matching your hearing aid needs with your budget. We want to ensure you have access to high-quality hearing technology that comes at a reasonable cost to you. We offer different hearing aid financing options, so you can rest assured you’ll find devices within your price range.
Paying for Your Hearing Aids
There are many ways for you to finance the cost of your hearing aids. You have the option to pay out of pocket for your hearing aids. It’s important to understand that the cost will reflect the quality of the asset as a three-to-five-year investment.
Some insurance companies provide hearing aid benefits that may reduce your out-of-pocket cost when purchasing your devices. We will be happy to work with you to determine if your insurance coverage extends to assisting with purchasing hearing aids.
Some manufacturers have financing programs that allow you to pay for your devices over several years by deducting a monthly amount from your bank account. That type of financing is typically available to the majority of the patients who apply. Financiers require a credit history check before approving your payment plan to ensure the total cost will be repaid during the contract term.
Audio Help Hearing Centers | Hearing Aid Services in NYC
Audio Help Hearing Centers offer unlimited in-person and phone visits to address issues as they arise. We also host aural rehabilitation classes to help you learn better communication techniques and hearing aid care.
If you have additional questions about our devices and services, check out the frequently asked questions.
Are you ready to get started on your hearing health journey? Contact us online to schedule our appointment.
Our audiology clinics are located in Manhattan (Chelsea Village, Columbus Circle, and Park Avenue), with additional offices in Scarsdale, NY (Westchester County), and Stamford, CT.