#echo audiology

Getting Hearing Aids Should Be Fun!

When you come in for your hearing aid fitting, you should plan to spend between 60 and 90 minutes with your Echo Audiology clinician. We will start by examining your ears to ensure that it’s safe to insert the devices. We use your ear measurements to position the hearing aids appropriately in the ear canal.  

Next, we will give you an idea of what to expect regarding the difference in sound while wearing your hearing aids. Here are the five parts of a hearing aid fitting:

Assessing the hearing aid fit

Programming the hearing aid settings

Testing & verification for accuracy

Adjusting your settings based on your hearing, but also your comfort level

Learning about your hearing aid and what to expect from them

Most hearing aid fittings are a positive experience for both the clinician and patient. As we say, “getting a hearing aid should be fun!”

Hearing Aid Fitting from a Clinician’s Point of View

Showing our patients the difference before and after getting a hearing aid is an exciting part of the job for our Audiologists in Orleans. Typical reactions include:

Gratitude for the ability to communicate more effectively.  

Amazement that they can hear voices or background noise more clearly.  

Shock at the difference in their hearing ability.

Curiosity about how the hearing aids work.  

Desire to learn how to adjust their hearing aids for a great fit and sound clarity.

“As a health professional, it is so rewarding to feel like you can help people and make a real difference in their life. We have hearing aid patients of all ages at Echo Audiology — from pediatric patients to seniors — but most of them range between 40-75 years old,” says one of our experienced Audiologists.  

At Echo Audiology, our Orleans Audiologists take extra time to ensure all patients understand their devices and feel comfortable wearing them. There is no better way to end an appointment than to hear your Patient say: “that was fun!”  

Want to know more about what to expect during a fitting for hearing aids in Orleans? Call Echo Audiology at 613-841-3033 to set up an appointment or contact us online.

Hearing tests can be done for a variety of reasons. We frame our appointments based on our Patient’s needs, so that they get the most appropriate assessment and benefit from the right amount of testing and counselling. We also offer hearing assessments for Children.

Employment Hearing Test

This appointment is for Patients who require a hearing test for a work application. Ex: Pilots, RCMP, etc. This appointment includes the completion of all required documents and reports.

Medical Hearing Assessment

This appointment is meant for Patients who experience ear-level symptoms such as pressure, blockage or pain in their ears, and also experience hearing difficulties possibly due to these symptoms. This would also be for a Patient who needs a hearing assessment before seeing an Ear, Nose & Throat Specialist, and/or to rule out any other medical conditions. This appointment includes a thorough medical report for your Physician or Specialist, if required.

Hearing Assessment for Hearing Difficulties & Hearing Loss

This appointment is meant for Patients who are experiencing hearing difficulties and are looking for help to hear better, whether this means discussing acoustics rehabilitation options like hearing aids, or possibly needing to be referred to other health professionals. Our approach is very holistic, meaning that we consider more than just your basic hearing ability when suggesting any rehabilitation solutions.

The advanced appointment includes a thorough medical report for your Physician or Specialist, if required.

Hearing Assessment for Funding

Our Audiologists are registered and trained in performing hearing assessments for various 3rd Party Funders, which includes:

Assistive Devices Program (ADP)

Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC)

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)

Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB),

Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)

Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP)

Non-Insured Health Benefits for First Nations and Inuit (NIHB)

Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST)

Our team makes sure to perform the required testing for the application, whether for hearing or for tinnitus, as well as help you understand the process of your application. This appointment includes a medical report if required.

Regardless of the type of assessment you may need, we pride ourselves on using a medical-based, patient-centered and holistic approach in our appointments, meaning that we always take the time to look at the big picture to determine if your symptoms are related to your hearing system or if they are impacted by other factors.  We also have a large network of health professionals to refer to should you require further help in your rehabilitation solution.  

Our ability to make our patients feel at ease, our knowledge in testing and our ability to counsel and explain the results also makes us a uniquely qualified team of Audiologists to work with.

With the Proper Fit and Adjustments, Hearing Aids Can Vastly Improve Hearing

When you first get hearing aids in Ottawa, you may feel excited to finally hear everything you’ve been missing. If you wear glasses, you know how easy it is to simply slip them on in the morning or when you need help reading. They require little care besides occasional cleaning and proper storage to avoid scratches. With hearing aids, you may sometimes need to get them adjusted or reprogrammed, especially if your hearing changes, to make sure you are benefiting from them as much as possible.

Compare Hearing Aids to Glasses

The Audiologists at Echo Audiology have put together the following points to consider when comparing hearing aids to glasses:

Hearing aids typically won’t fully restore your hearing loss. With the right glasses, many people can achieve 20/20 vision. Hearing aids in Orleans can restore clarity and help you perceive sound at a higher level.

Hearing aids require adjustments. There are no knobs to twist to get a better picture when you’re wearing glasses. However, hearing aids may need adjustment depending on your hearing loss, and sometimes, the environment you find yourself in. For example, when you’re in a restaurant, you may want to make the necessary adjustments to hear the waitperson and your dining companions a little better.

Don’t get your hearing aids wet! If you drop your glasses in the pool or a water puddle, you can simply wash them off and put them back on your nose. However, hearing aids have complex electrical parts that are sensitive to water damage, just like a computer.

So far, your eyeglasses don’t require batteries. In some space age future, glasses may link directly to the optic nerve or brain and require batteries or electronics! However, that future’s a long way off. Because of the way hearing aids work, they require power in the form of batteries, whether regular or rechargeable, in order to operate properly.

Although hearing aids may not be as easy to use as glasses, they can improve your hearing with the proper adjustments. Your Audiologist in Orleans will ensure that you have the proper fit for your ears for more comfortable daily wear.

Once you understand that getting hearing aids is not quite like getting glasses, it’s easier to adjust to the extra care needed to protect your hearing aids and to adjust to them. Contact Echo Audiology in Orleans at 613-841-3033 to set up an appointment today.

While there is no definitive answer to this question, how long tinnitus lasts depends on the cause and severity of this symptom. For example, noise-induced tinnitus could be temporary or occasional, whereas, if there is more severe damage over time to the hearing system, tinnitus could be more of a permanent symptom.

Is Tinnitus Permanent or Temporary?

If tinnitus is the result of a one-off exposure to loud noise like a concert, or an extension of an allergic reaction, tinnitus is typically temporary. It usually will subside within a few hours or a few days; or once the hearing system has recovered or the allergic reaction is addressed. This said, if you experience ongoing exposure to noise or have an underlying medical condition that can cause tinnitus, it may, in these cases, be permanent.

As per Statistics Canada, four out of every ten adult Canadians experience some degree of tinnitus, yet most people do not actually report it to their healthcare providers. Ultimately, there’s a number of reasons why tinnitus may occur.

Noise-induced: Have a slight ringing in the ears after attending a loud concert? Chances are, your tinnitus is temporary. Since the recovery time varies per person, it may take anywhere between a few hours to a few days for the symptoms to disappear. For sensitive ears, tinnitus from a noisy event may sometimes become permanent too.

Ear-wax related: Has excessive ear wax buildup led to your tinnitus? To have it removed, visit a qualified Professional. Avoid digging your ears with cotton swabs, as incorrect usage could worsen the blockage and aggravate your tinnitus.

Medical conditions: Did you recently indulge in physical workouts beyond your fitness levels? When was the last time you went for a complete medical examination? Certain strenuous exercises, blood pressure issues, or cardiovascular diseases could result in tinnitus. Typically, it goes away once you get the underlying condition treated.

Medications and allergies: High doses of certain medications can cause temporary tinnitus. These are called ototoxic medications. Usually, your symptoms will vanish as soon as you stop taking the drug. Similarly, any allergies that impact your ear and cause swelling, itching or ear pain, may also bring on temporary tinnitus, which lasts the duration of your allergic reaction.