How do I know if I have hearing loss?
Hearing loss occurs to most people as they age, however, it can also be due to exposure to loud noise, certain medications, infections, head or ear trauma, congenital factors, diseases, as well as a number of other causes.
You may have hearing loss if:
- You hear people speaking but you have to strain to understand their words.
- You frequently ask people to repeat what they said.
- You frequently complain that people mumble.
- You play the TV or radio louder than your friends, spouse and relatives.
- You cannot hear the doorbell or the telephone.
- You find that looking at people when they speak to you makes it easier to understand.
If you have any of these symptoms, you should see a hearing specialist to have your hearing tested. In a full hearing assessment, Prairie Hearing Centre will determine the type and degree of hearing loss, the function of your middle ear to ensure that there are no medical concerns, and your ability to understand speech.
What should I do if I suspect that I have hearing loss?
If you think you have a hearing loss, the best thing you can do for yourself and those around you, is to book a hearing test. You may not realize the extent of what you are missing in the world around you, because hearing loss is such a gradual process. Better hearing makes listening less stressful and can improve relationships with friends and family. Hearing aids may be able to be seen, but a hearing loss and saying, 'pardon me?' all the time, is much more noticeable!
Can I try a hearing aid before deciding to purchase one?
If hearing aids are your best treatment option, we guarantee economical choices with consideration to your unique lifestyle. If you are ready to move forward but not sure how much benefit you will get from amplification, Prairie Hearing Centre can help you to make a right decision by offering you a minimum 30 day hearing aid trial. In-clinic, we will provide live demonstrations that will show you what they sound, look, and feel like.
Why should I go to Prairie Hearing Centre?
Our fully trained and accredited staff preform full diagnostic medical hearing tests with the goal of providing a comfortable and understandable assessment of your hearing abilities. You'll receive the best possible care and attention during your hearing journey with us, and will also enjoy complimentary services and warranty packages that will leave you worry-free and confident in your choice to trust us as your Hearing Healthcare professionals.
What qualifies your staff?
Our hearing specialists are certified on provincial and federal levels:
- Registered Hearing Aid Practitioner with the College of Hearing Aid Practitioners of Alberta (www.chapa.ca).
- Board-Certified in Hearing Instrument Sciences with the National Board for Certification in Hearing Instrument Sciences (www.nbc-his.com)
- Associate member of the Canadian Audiology Association (www.canadianaudiology.ca)
Our staff are concerned about one thing, and one thing only: YOU! We want to make sure that you are comfortable, educated, and excited about your hearing health. You'll see quickly that we love what we do, and you'll always receive service with a smile!
Does it take long to get used to a hearing aid?
Adapting to hearing aids is a little like learning to ride a bicycle; it is a gradual process that is helped by a positive attitude and perseverance. This is because of the gradual onset of most hearing losses- a person with a hearing loss will slowly change their concept of what "normal" hearing is to them. With an initial hearing aid fitting, your concept of "normal" hearing will need to be relearned, which can take up to several weeks. You will notice that unimportant sounds will seem both louder and unnatural at first; however, with a little time and patience you will begin to comfortably hear sounds that you haven’t heard for some time as your concept of "normal" hearing is successfully redefined. You will soon find that hearing without you aids is a more and more difficult task. This does not mean that you have become dependent on your aids but that you are more aware of the stress of trying to make sense out of sounds without them. Adjusting to hearing aids takes time and perseverance, but it is well worth it. You may have a love/hate relationship with your hearing aid s at first as no one is enthusiastic about getting hearing aids, but after a while, you will not want to be without them!
Why should I wear two hearing aids?
A hearing loss in both ears is best managed with two hearing aids. Binaural hearing provides the most natural hearing experience, while maximizing the brain’s ability to localize sounds, and prevent auditory deprivation (the loss of ability to hear due to a lack of sound stimulation to hearing nerves). Binaural hearing also helps with the ability to make sense of speech in noisy situations by helping you to disregard the background noise and focus on speech and understanding. Statistics prove that understanding with two hearing aids is substantially better than with one hearing aid - just like our eyes, our ears are meant to work in a pair. If your hearing loss only exists in one ear, we will only recommend one hearing aid, but it is rare to experience an asymmetrical hearing loss.
Hearing loss occurs to most people as they age, however, it can also be due to exposure to loud noise, certain medications, infections, head or ear trauma, congenital factors, diseases, as well as a number of other causes.
You may have hearing loss if:
- You hear people speaking but you have to strain to understand their words.
- You frequently ask people to repeat what they said.
- You frequently complain that people mumble.
- You play the TV or radio louder than your friends, spouse and relatives.
- You cannot hear the doorbell or the telephone.
- You find that looking at people when they speak to you makes it easier to understand.
If you have any of these symptoms, you should see a hearing specialist to have your hearing tested. In a full hearing assessment, Prairie Hearing Centre will determine the type and degree of hearing loss, the function of your middle ear to ensure that there are no medical concerns, and your ability to understand speech.
What should I do if I suspect that I have hearing loss?
If you think you have a hearing loss, the best thing you can do for yourself and those around you, is to book a hearing test. You may not realize the extent of what you are missing in the world around you, because hearing loss is such a gradual process. Better hearing makes listening less stressful and can improve relationships with friends and family. Hearing aids may be able to be seen, but a hearing loss and saying, 'pardon me?' all the time, is much more noticeable!
Can I try a hearing aid before deciding to purchase one?
If hearing aids are your best treatment option, we guarantee economical choices with consideration to your unique lifestyle. If you are ready to move forward but not sure how much benefit you will get from amplification, Prairie Hearing Centre can help you to make a right decision by offering you a minimum 30 day hearing aid trial. In-clinic, we will provide live demonstrations that will show you what they sound, look, and feel like.
Why should I go to Prairie Hearing Centre?
Our fully trained and accredited staff preform full diagnostic medical hearing tests with the goal of providing a comfortable and understandable assessment of your hearing abilities. You'll receive the best possible care and attention during your hearing journey with us, and will also enjoy complimentary services and warranty packages that will leave you worry-free and confident in your choice to trust us as your Hearing Healthcare professionals.
What qualifies your staff?
Our hearing specialists are certified on provincial and federal levels:
- Registered Hearing Aid Practitioner with the College of Hearing Aid Practitioners of Alberta (www.chapa.ca).
- Board-Certified in Hearing Instrument Sciences with the National Board for Certification in Hearing Instrument Sciences (www.nbc-his.com)
- Associate member of the Canadian Audiology Association (www.canadianaudiology.ca)
Our staff are concerned about one thing, and one thing only: YOU! We want to make sure that you are comfortable, educated, and excited about your hearing health. You'll see quickly that we love what we do, and you'll always receive service with a smile!
Does it take long to get used to a hearing aid?
Adapting to hearing aids is a little like learning to ride a bicycle; it is a gradual process that is helped by a positive attitude and perseverance. This is because of the gradual onset of most hearing losses- a person with a hearing loss will slowly change their concept of what "normal" hearing is to them. With an initial hearing aid fitting, your concept of "normal" hearing will need to be relearned, which can take up to several weeks. You will notice that unimportant sounds will seem both louder and unnatural at first; however, with a little time and patience you will begin to comfortably hear sounds that you haven’t heard for some time as your concept of "normal" hearing is successfully redefined. You will soon find that hearing without you aids is a more and more difficult task. This does not mean that you have become dependent on your aids but that you are more aware of the stress of trying to make sense out of sounds without them. Adjusting to hearing aids takes time and perseverance, but it is well worth it. You may have a love/hate relationship with your hearing aid s at first as no one is enthusiastic about getting hearing aids, but after a while, you will not want to be without them!
Why should I wear two hearing aids?
A hearing loss in both ears is best managed with two hearing aids. Binaural hearing provides the most natural hearing experience, while maximizing the brain’s ability to localize sounds, and prevent auditory deprivation (the loss of ability to hear due to a lack of sound stimulation to hearing nerves). Binaural hearing also helps with the ability to make sense of speech in noisy situations by helping you to disregard the background noise and focus on speech and understanding. Statistics prove that understanding with two hearing aids is substantially better than with one hearing aid - just like our eyes, our ears are meant to work in a pair. If your hearing loss only exists in one ear, we will only recommend one hearing aid, but it is rare to experience an asymmetrical hearing loss.