People with hearing loss tend to lose the ability to: hear speech in noisy places, hear certain people’s voices (often women or children), or hear soft speech sounds.

These commonly affect a person’s ability to: watch TV with another person,  understand the speech of his/her spouse when s/he walks away,  understand speech in church, groups or theaters,  socialize easily with family and friends in noisy places, or hear the beauty of music and in the natural sounds in the world.

If you are experiencing any of these difficulties, you may have a hearing loss. 

It is always a good idea to speak to your doctor and have your ears examined before getting a hearing aid, especially if you have noticed a significant decrease in hearing over a short period of time.  This way, he or she can treat the problem or ensure that your hearing loss is not being caused by a condition that is medically correctable.

You should see a doctor immediately if you are experiencing any of the following: ear pain,  drainage from the ear,  sudden or rapidly progressing hearing loss,  unilateral hearing loss of sudden or recent onset,  or, acute or chronic dizziness.

We offer a six-week trial period that exceeds the 30-day trial period mandated by the state of California.  And, we will extend your trial period to give you all the time you need to evaluate the hearing aid before making a purchase.  Again, do not keep a hearing aid if it does not add significantly to your quality of life.  If you decide not to purchase the hearing aid, you will not owe us any money.

Hearing aids should dramatically improve your quality of life by enhancing your ability to communicate with others.

See What to Expect From Hearing Aids

With proper care, hearing aids can last 15-20 years.  Most people replace their hearing aids every 7-10 years.  To keep them functioning properly, you should have your hearing aid cleaned and checked every 3-4 months, or anytime that you notice a decrease in your hearing ability.  Our digital hearing aids are capable of providing a range of prescriptions and can therefore be adjusted to suit your needs as your hearing loss changes over time. 

Hearing aid prices generally vary depending on the manufacturer, style, dispenser, and client support services offered by the dispenser.  You can get a hearing aid of one sort or another for anywhere from $10 to $5,000.  At the Walnut Creek Hearing Aid Center, our hearing aid systems range in price from $1,500 to $3,000 each.  The smallest style device, a completely-in-the-canal aid (CIC) is an additional $300 per ear.  We include our "Life of the Aid" support services. (See The Services Required for a Satisfactory Hearing Aid Experience)

Yes.  Payment plan arrangements are made on an individual basis.  We will work with you to develop a plan once you have decided to purchase the hearing aid.

Yes.  When you purchase a hearing aid, the manufacturer includes a one-year loss, damage, and repair warranty.  You can extend this manufacturer’s warranty for an additional charge for up to three years.  After three years, you can purchase coverage through independent companies that offer hearing aid insurance coverage for a minimal premium.  We can arrange this coverage for you through our office.  You should also check your renter’s or homeowner’s insurance that may cover loss and damage of your hearing aids.

No.

The marketing of hearing aids appeals to cosmetics, comfort, price and the illusion that "new features" (e.g. the latest digital technology, "open" ear fittings, noise reduction capabilities, clarity, automatic adjustments, remote controls, wireless capabilities, and rechargeable hearing aids) means "better hearing".  New hearing aids, provided with the standard "hearing loss" prescriptions do not provide better speech intelligibility than older technology.

Do not believe the advertising!  Evaluate the hearing aids on a trial plan.  Take them off in every setting where you have difficulty.  Verify the amount of benefit they provide.  If they do not provide consistent, continuous benefit do not keep the hearing aid regardless of features, price or friendliness of the practitioner.

Fine-tuning a hearing aid is adapting the aid to address an individual’s unique capabilities and needs.  It requires a thorough analysis of your residual capability to hear sound, understand speech, and use sound and speech information in complex situations.

Our fine-tuning process uses our patented instrumentation and methodology to enhance the sounds and parts of speech you need and can use to better communicate in all environments.