Tag Archive for: hearing aid apps

You Need Hearing Aids. Now What?

Q: It turns out I need hearing aids. What’s my next step?

A: Hearing aids aren’t one-size-fits-all devices, so your question is a good sign you’re approaching this with the right mindset. Your first step is to confirm you’ve had a complete audiological evaluation.

An online “hearing test” can’t determine whether you need hearing aids — it simply reports whether you’re hearing certain sounds. Only an audiological evaluation can determine if you have hearing loss that requires hearing aids. If you haven’t had one, this is your next step. If you have, it’s time to schedule your hearing aid consultation.

Choose Your Provider
Any hearing aid is simply a tool. It has to be selected, customized, and fit to your ear by an experienced professional in order treat your specific hearing loss. Then it’s your key to a better quality of life.

A clinical audiologist or doctor of audiology has had postgraduate education and training in all aspects of the human auditory system. They’re experienced in diagnostics, hearing aid fitting and programming, providing strategies for adapting to your new technology, and supporting you in your adjustment period. In short, with an audiologist, you get a partner and guide, not a transaction.

Use the Buddy System
It’s ideal to bring a friend or family member to the appointment to have a second perspective on your hearing loss journey.

Review Your Results
You and the audiologist will review the results of your evaluation as well as all the things you’d like to improve through better hearing, such as hobbies, conversations with loved ones, and activities. Knowing what your goals are will help determine the ideal type of hearing aid for you.

Select a Hearing Aid

Weigh the variables
Many factors determine what hearing aid you need, such as which sounds you can’t hear, how loud those sounds need to be amplified, and the size of your ear canal. And that’s just the beginning.

Do you want to be able to control the volume and nudge the settings with a smartphone app? How about “hearable” tech that monitors your heart rate and other body and brain wellness factors? Do you hope to stream music, video, and other audio from a mobile device direct to your hearing aids? You and your provider will discuss these factors and more. You’ll be surprised at everything hearing technology can do now!

Consider the recommendation
This is where the audiologist’s expertise really shines. When they make their recommendation, they will have synthesized all the hearing lifestyle information you provided, all the data from your hearing evaluation, and their wealth of knowledge about the hundreds of available hearing aid styles. They will have truly custom-tailored your solution.

Order the hearing aids
After you test-drive and decide on your hearing technology, there’s a strong chance it will have to be ordered and shipped to the provider. There are hundreds of styles — too many for your average provider to keep in inventory. Plus, many styles need to be custom fit to your ear canal. When they arrive at your provider’s office, your provider will call to schedule a fitting appointment.

As you can see, it’s not as simple as pulling a box of hearing aids off a shelf. But all these steps lead to you experiencing a world alive with sound!

6 Tips for Seizing the Summer | Embrace Summer With Gusto.

Hearing & Empowered: Embrace the Season With Gusto

Nothing says “Summertime, here we come!” like hitting the road, rails, trails, and friendly skies to make new memories with loved ones far and nearby. Whether having some local fun or taking a trip, here are six ways your hearing technology can help you dive in.


Look for the Loop

Touring a new city? Some sites — museums, theaters, houses of worship, and more — may have installed a hearing loop, letting you receive enhanced audio by wirelessly connecting through the T-coil setting on your hearing aid, if it has been enabled. Look for the hearing-loop logo at participating spots.
Hearing Loop

Discover AGXchange

If you’re traveling well beyond your local area and are one of our patients, check with us to find a practice near your destination. With the AGXchange Program, you get the same quality hearing care you’ve come to expect from us. Now, that’s peace of mind.

“Cache” Up on AI

The future is here with artificial intelligence at your ears! You can monitor your physical and mental well-being with the AGXS liv and its Thrive app. Some devices and apps even have a translation feature, letting you communicate with others even if you don’t know their local language.

Charge Into Some Fun

What’s worse than dead batteries? Not having spares when in need. Rather than worry about keeping extras on hand, consider the convenience of rechargeability. With many manufacturers offering rechargeable technology, you can live it up with the confidence of all-day hearing aid power.

Tune Up for Tunes

Hearing tech is optimized for speech, but if live music is on your mind, we can nudge your settings to help you enjoy tunes without compromising how you hear speech. With some hearing aids, we can even make minor adjustments remotely via the AGXR Attune app’s Audigy Assist feature or the Thrive app!

Bookmark Your Faves

Through selected apps, you can “bookmark” or geotag your hearing aid settings to your favorite locations — a happy-hour hangout, the gym, or a golfing spot, for example — so that the app automatically adjusts your technology to your listening preferences for that venue.


Make it a summer to remember with hearing technology that has your back every step of the way. For more on optimizing your devices or to experience a demo of the latest hearing aids, schedule a consultation with our professional team today!