Prescription Hearing Aids in Toronto and Scarborough

Advanced Prescription Hearing Aids with Ongoing Support

Are you excited that you finally get to wear hearing aids?

Most people aren’t. The main reason is because there has been a stigma attached to hearing aids since … well, since forever. That stigma is disappearing.

Why?

The same advancements in digital technology that transformed the brick phone of the 1990s into the smartphone of the 2020s is being used to develop hearing aids that are smaller, lighter weight, more discreet to wear, more powerful and loaded with lots of extras to produce a stellar hearing aid experience.

Is there a place to get my hands on these advanced technology hearing aids near me?

Hearing Aid Source in Scarborough and Toronto, ON, can provide you with advanced technology hearing aid solutions, delivered by our experienced Hearing Instrument Specialists, able to address your unique hearing challenges while taking your lifestyle and personal preferences into account.

We invite you to explore how advanced hearing aid technology is transforming hearing care.

9 Features That Destroy
the Stigma Attached to Hearing Aids

An Increased Number of Frequencies

Think of hearing aids like a stereo system with an amplifier and a sound mixer. Like a standard radio, older analog hearing aids amplified sound in two channels: treble and base.

Digital sound processing allows for the addition of a large “mixer board” of frequencies (up to 48). With more channels, hearing aids can be programmed to amplify certain frequencies to address the specific hearing loss of the individual for richer and more natural hearing.

Eliminating Feedback

Whistling or squealing sounds coming from those old analog hearing aids caused most of the complaints and were the source of embarrassment for hearing aid wearers.

Whistling, or feedback, occurs when amplified sound is rerouted through the hearing aid’s microphone, like what happens on stage at a concert. Digital hearing aids detect the frequency and the wave shape causing the feedback and counteract it with a mirror image of the feedback within fractions of a second to eliminate it.

Better Acoustics from Open-Fitting

“It sounds like I’m talking in a barrel.” The sensation is similar to what you hear if you insert your fingers in your ears and listen to the sound of your own voice.

Improved feedback management has allowed hearing aid manufacturers to develop hearing instruments that do not obstruct the natural passage of sound into the ear canal. Known as open-fit hearing aids, the combination of non-amplified sounds combined with processed sound provides a more natural and more comfortable experience for the wearer.

Background Noise Reduction

Analog hearing aids amplified all sounds equally, which meant that background noises, such as air conditioners, ambient noise from a crowded room or traffic, were the same volume as the conversation the wearer was trying to follow.

Today’s hearing aids make a distinction between speech and background noise and then assign them different frequency bands, amplifying the sounds you want to hear and reducing the volume of the background noise you don’t want to hear.

Directional Microphones Help Reduce Background Noise

Conversations when there is a lot of background noise are a struggle. Most conversations take place with people that are facing you, while noise that distracts you tends to come from the sides and behind you.

Directional microphones make it possible for modern hearing aids to pinpoint the location of the sounds around you, conversations taking place around you and conversation in front of you to gauge the time interval between them. This makes it possible to separate the sounds into different channels and amplify only the speech sounds of your conversation.

Streaming and Connectivity

The streaming and connectivity features of today’s hearing aids work wonders when it comes to improving your ability to use your hearing aids more comfortably and more effectively.

By being able to link your hearing aids directly to your smartphone, digital stereo, television and personal stereos (e.g., iPods and MP3 players), hearing aid users can enhance the performance of their hearing aids in connection with external devices for improved speech intelligibility and sound quality.

Multiple Hearing Environment Profiles

In a quiet room, you won’t need the benefits of the directional microphones and noise reduction features of your hearing aids to the same extent as you would at a restaurant, a sporting event or a concert.

Advanced technology hearing aids allow the user to preset hearing environment profiles that address the specific needs of different sound environments. Changes are easily made by pressing a small button on your device or your smartphone.

AI Programming

While we’re on the subject of hearing environment profiles, let’s talk about artificial intelligence.

Recent innovations in the use of artificial intelligence involve the capacity of your hearing aids to identify sound environment changes as you move from one location to another and then automatically adjust your hearing aids to the sound profile best suited to the new environment.

Recharging vs. Changing Batteries

Hearing aid batteries, which have to be changed every few days or once a week, have been a thorn in the side of hearing aid users.

Thanks to advancements in battery and charging technology, you can now purchase hearing aids that recharge while you sleep and then provide enough energy to power your hearing aids all day long.

FAQs About
Hearing Aids

Are hearing aids prescribed?



In a manner of speaking but not exactly. Hearing aids that are considered prescription hearing aids are a more advanced type of hearing aid designed to meet the needs of those with a more severe hearing loss. They are distributed by licensed Hearing Instrument Specialists (HIS), Audiologists, ENT doctors, and other medical professionals.

Are OTC hearing aids any good?



OTC hearing aids provide some benefit to certain people. They are similar to reading glasses, in that they can help some people in specific situations. However, those with severe hearing challenges will need the more advanced solutions provided by prescription hearing aids, just like those with poor eyesight require prescription lenses.

How long do hearing aids last?



The average service life of a hearing aid is between 5 and 7 years. However, because technology in the hearing aid industry is changing at such a rapid pace, most hearing care professionals recommend upgrading your hearing aids every 3 to 5 years in order to take advantage of the new technology.

How long will it take me to adjust to wearing my hearing aids?



The adjustment time for new hearing aids varies from one person to the next. The support of your hearing care provider will help to shorten the duration of the adjustment period, but you will probably take less than 60 days to adjust to your hearing aids.

Can my hearing aids be repaired if they break or stop working?



Yes. Most hearing aid damage is the result of moisture and wax buildup, but corrosion, short circuits and broken components are also common problems addressed during hearing aid repair. Most hearing aids come with a 2-year warranty that covers repair costs or replacement if they are severely damaged or become lost.

Can I wear my hearing aids while swimming or in the shower?



No. Digital instruments don’t do well when exposed to water or in high humidity environments.

Are hearing aids covered by insurance in Canada?



Most insurance companies don’t cover hearing aids, which means that people are going without adequate financial support for acquiring them. However, with the Ontario Health Insurance Health Card, costs are covered up to a maximum of $500 per ear. There are additional programs associated with Canada’s workers’ compensation, federal employees’ benefits and Veterans Affairs Canada.

The Hearing Aid Selection Process at Hearing Aid Source

We understand how dramatically your hearing challenges affect your relationships and your ability to enjoy life to the fullest. So, our team is dedicated to addressing unique challenges and meeting the specific needs of each individual.

As an independent hearing aid clinic, our Hearing Instrument Specialists work to establish strong, long-term relationships with each patient to provide the best possible hearing care by making a variety of better hearing solutions available.

An initial consultation and hearing test to determine the type and severity of your hearing loss.

Selection of a hearing instrument capable of addressing your specific level of hearing loss while meeting your lifestyle needs and personal preferences.

Professional programming and fitting of the selected device(s).

Follow-up testing and counselling for 60 days, ensuring your satisfaction.

Ongoing counselling, troubleshooting, maintenance, repair and testing of your device to make sure it’s in perfect working order.

Bespoke upgrades available if your device needs change over time.

To give you access to a broad range of choices to address your unique needs, we partner with several brand name manufacturers, such as:

A Variety of Hearing Aid Styles to Choose From

In addition to providing you with access to a wide range of manufacturers, you are also able to choose from a variety of hearing aid styles in order to meet your hearing and lifestyle needs as well as your personal preferences.

Behind-the-Ear (BTE) Hearing Aid Styles

The traditional hearing aid style, which looks like the old analog units but are far different, BTE hearing aids have the most processing power in order to address more severe hearing losses. They feature a processing unit that rests behind the ear, while processed sound is transmitted in various ways, depending on the specific hearing aid style.

Traditional BTE Behind-the-Ear

This style is the best option for those with a severe to profound hearing loss. They offer directional microphones for improved hearing in background noise with built in volume and program controls, come in different colours, have rechargeable or disposable battery options and mini BTE styles.

Receiver-in-Canal (RIC)

RIC hearing aids use speaker wires to transmit sound into a speaker (receiver) inserted in the ear rather than acoustical tubing (like the traditional BTE). First-time hearing aid users with a mild to severe high frequency hearing loss benefit greatly from their nearly invisible open-fit design, delivering unmatched comfort and natural sound.

In-the-Ear (ITE) Hearing Aid Styles

Rather than a separate processing unit behind the ear, ITE hearing aids are a single component contained within the same housing. The size and their position within the ear are what distinguishes each style included in this category.

Although some do not have the processing power of BTE devices, the advantages of ITE devices include: less interference with glasses, oxygen cannula or headwear; a more secure fit for more active individuals; and greater wearing discretion.

Full Shell ITE

ITE hearing aids are the largest in this category, covering the entire outer ear canal. Because they are larger than other models, they are more powerful, easier to insert and remove, use batteries with a longer service life and include more manual controls.

In-the-Canal (ITC)

ITC hearing aids are still visible but not to the same extent as full-shell ITE styles. They have slightly smaller batteries, are a little less powerful, easy to insert and still have some of the manual controls of full-shell devices.

Completely-in-the-Canal (CIC)/Invisible-in-the Canal (IIC)

The two smallest styles, CIC and IIC, are either invisible or nearly invisible. Although they provide greater wearing discretion, they are only designed to address mild to moderate hearing losses, use much smaller batteries, require fine dexterity to insert and remove and usually do not include any manual controls.

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Prescription Hearing Aids in Toronto and Scarborough

Advanced Prescription Hearing Aids with Ongoing Support