Providence Hearing Centers of Spokane

When visiting our office for the first time, please bring:

• Insurance information
• Claim number if Labor and Industries is to be billed
• Copies of previous hearing tests
• Hearing aids you currently are using
• Questions you may have
• A valued person in your life who wants you to succeed in finding better hearing

There are three types of hearing loss:

• Conductive hearing loss affects the outer or middle ear, including the ear canal, eardrum, ossicles, or the airspace behind the eardrum. Common causes of conductive hearing loss include obstruction of the ear canal by wax accumulation, ear infections, bony growths, holes in the eardrum from injury or infection, diseases involving the middle ear bones and accumulation of fluid behind the eardrum.
• Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when there is a problem with the inner ear. There are many causes of sensorineural hearing loss, but the most common are the aging process and exposure to loud noise.
• Mixed hearing loss describes an impairment caused by both conductive and sensorineural problems.

Today’s hearing aids use digital technology and cutting‑edge features to gather, modify, and deliver clear, high‑quality sound. Although hearing instruments help the vast majority of patients hear better, it’s important to have realistic expectations. Some advantages and limitations of hearing devices include:

• Help you hear speech and sounds you may have been missing
• Make communication with others easier and more comfortable
• Help family and friends communicate more easily with you
• Are generally easy to learn and use
• Wearing one hearing aid may limit understanding but won’t harm hearing in the other ear
• Do not damage your hearing when properly fitted
• Not wearing hearing aids won’t cause hearing loss, though hearing may worsen over time for other reasons
• Will not block out all background noise
• Improve hearing but do not fully restore natural hearing, as there is not yet a substitute for the natural auditory system

Protecting your ears is the key to hearing loss prevention. If your job exposes you to hazardous noises, make sure proper safety equipment is provided, and that it meets state and federal regulations. Hearing protection – earplugs and earmuffs – is essential when working around loud equipment. It’s always a good idea to bring along earplugs if you’re participating in a noisy recreational activity (e.g., a football game or rock concert), as well.

At home, limit your exposure to noisy activities, and keep the volume down – on the television, stereo and especially when it comes to personal music players. Prevent other types of hearing loss by refraining from inserting cotton swabs or other objects into your ears, blowing your nose gently through both nostrils and quitting smoking. Studies show those who use tobacco are more likely to suffer from hearing loss.

Regardless of your age, have your hearing tested regularly. Early detection is key. While noise-related hearing loss can’t be reversed, you can still take steps to avoid further damage to your hearing.

Feedback is a high-pitched whistle or squeal that can come from hearing instruments while they’re being worn. There are two types of feedback: normal feedback, which can occur in some hearing instruments when something is placed close to or over the instrument, and abnormal feedback, which occurs frequently and unexpectedly with head and jaw motion, even when the hearing instrument is properly inserted in the ear. If this occurs, see a professional audiologist.

Common causes of feedback include:

• Wax blocking the ear canal
• An improperly inserted hearing aid
• Poor physical fit in your ear
• Debris blocking the device’s microphone or receiver
• Instrument malfunction
• A weak or dead battery

Assistive listening devices (ALDs) are special instruments that help in specific situations where hearing aids may not be enough. ALDs can be helpful in many settings, such as when you’re watching a movie, attending a church service, participating in a conference, talking on the phone or listening to the radio or television.

Alerting devices can help you hear important sounds like the phone ringing, your alarm going off or the doorbell buzzing. They make sounds like these louder and can also be programmed to alter the pitch for your individual hearing needs. There are also visual alerting devices such as strobe lights and messaging systems.

There is an old saying, “When you are ready, you will know.” Unfortunately, this often doesn’t apply to hearing aids. Hearing loss occurs slowly and is painless, so it may not be obvious to the person in question. Hearing aids often carry a stigma that a person is “old” or somehow “disabled” if they are used. This certainly is not true, but people will often resist wearing a hearing aid because of this. Combine these factors with the number of complaints offered by disgruntled hearing aid users (or ex-users), and we can readily understand why only 10% of the hard-of-hearing population are fit with hearing aids.

There is another old saying that “a hearing aid is less conspicuous than your hearing loss.” We believe this is quite true. Encourage your family member to have his or her hearing tested without any discussion of hearing aids. Perhaps he or she will become more interested in his or her type and degree of hearing loss if he or she is assured that no one will be delivering a “sales pitch.” Hearing aid trials are generally possible at a minimal cost. If the person continues to resist testing, the family may have few options other than allowing him or her to experience the consequences and frustrations of hearing loss.

There are many self assessment items to determine your level of hearing effectiveness. Having your hearing tested by a hearing instrument specialist is a great starting point. If hearing aids are recommended, make sure there is a trial period offered which allows you to return the hearing aids at a low cost if the performance of the hearing aids is less than satisfactory.

Discuss styles and circuitry options with your hearing instrument specialist. Have the hearing instrument specialist explain the advantages and disadvantages of each type. Together agree on a course of action. Comparison shopping can be a good idea. However, make certain that you are comparing the same styles and types of circuitry. This can be very misleading.

If you have tried the troubleshooting tips below and still can’t get your hearing aids to work properly, please contact us to schedule an evaluation.

If there is no sound:

• Make sure the battery is inserted correctly
• Replace the battery if you suspect it is dead or weak
• Remove excess earwax from earmold or replace wax guard
• Check tubing for wax buildup or moisture; clean with blower tool
• Make sure hearing aid isn’t accidentally set to telecoil mode

If you are experiencing feedback or whistling:

• Remove and reinsert your hearing aids
• Turn down the volume
• Make sure there is nothing blocking or covering your hearing aids
• Have your doctor check your ears for excess wax and remove if necessary

If the sound is weak or distorted:

• The battery may be dead or weak; replace it
• Open the battery compartment and clean the contacts with a dry cloth
• Clean the earmold or tubing with wax removal tools; replace wax guard