Hearing Health

Bay Audiology works with leading hearing aids manufacturers whose products meet our strict standards. We provide warranties, support and repair services for all the products we sell.

Choosing the right hearing aids depends on the degree of hearing loss, lifestyle factors and personal preferences. Bay Audiology staff are all trained to help you choose the hearing aids that will suit you and your lifestyle.

Hearing aid models

Digital hearing aids use a microphone to receive sound, which is converted to electrical impulses, amplified, and converted back to sound.

Historically, hearing aids amplified all sound, including unwanted sounds, which made them annoying to wear, and discouraged people from wearing their hearing aid. But technology has come a long way from the days of frustrating distortion.

When hearing aid development went digital, there were vast improvements in sound quality and distortion was all but eliminated. Hearing aids are now smaller, more comfortable and the sound quality is fantastic. Consult a Bay audiologist to discuss the digital hearing instrument best suited to you. And because we are not affiliated with any particular hearing aid manufacturer, we can always prescribe the very best technology for your needs.

Should you require digital hearing aids, your audiologist will explain what’s involved in selection and fitting, and will talk you through what hearing aids cost – and whether you qualify for financial assistance.

What's involved?

1. If you need hearing aids, a Bay audiologist will help you select the best digital hearing aids for your needs.
2. To get the best fit possible, the audiologist may need to take an impression of your ear to capture an exact duplicate of its contours. Ordering the hearing devices normally takes two to three weeks, however depending on your hearing loss, some hearing aids can be fitted on the same day.
3. A Bay audiologist fits your hearing aids and teaches you how to use them.
4. Initial usage (up to two months) should be treated as a trial. Getting the best from your hearing aids takes time and practice as your brain acclimatises to hearing more. One of our audiologists will monitor your progress and fine-tune the devices so you get the most from your new hearing aids.
5. Once you're up and running, your digital hearing aids should last five years or more.

Hearing aids come in seven types:
 

	Behind-The-Ear (BTE) This hearing aid is housed in a curved shell that sits behind each ear and delivers sound through a clear tube.
	In-The-Ear (ITE) Easy to operate, even for users who find it hard handling small objects. ITE devices are housed in a custom-made shell that fits comfortably inside each ear, delivering sound directly to the ear.
	In-The-Canal (ITC) Barely visible, ITC devices are housed in a custom-made shell that fits comfortably in each ear canal, delivering sound directly to the ear. Though small, ITC devices are easy to operate, even for users with poor dexterity.
	Completely-In-Canal (CIC) Fitted inside each ear canal, CIC devices are all but invisible from the outside. These miniature instruments are both powerful and cosmetically appealing, but forfeit some features, like manual volume control.
	Open-Ear-Fitting (OEF) A radical advance in hearing aid design, these ultra-small ear canal devices use sophisticated sound processing technology to set a new standard in comfort, and they look great too.
	Receiver in the Ear Canal (RITC) Similar to the BTE hearing aid with one crucial difference, the RITC hearing aid speaker is inside the ear canal. This delivers sound right to where it's needed and is also smaller and less conspicuous than other hearing aids.
	Invisible Open Technology (IOT) The world's smallest hearing device, the microphone and tubing follow the individual's ear contours, which make them virtually invisible. IOT allows air to travel in and out of the ear canal providing a natural listening experience.