Nanaimo North

A hearing aid will usually have anywhere between 4 and 24 channels that divide captured sounds so the wearer can hear different sounds more clearly. The more channels a hearing aid has, the more divided the sound gets, allowing the wearer to hear more sounds clearly. We generally recommend our patients to choose a hearing aid with at least 12 channels because this will allow us to adjust the sound on the device in a much more personalized way based on the type of hearing loss they are experiencing.

If your hearing aid is making a whistling noise, then you are hearing feedback in your device. Sound that was supposed to go into your ear canal has escaped the ear instead and been picked up by the hearing instrument’s microphone. The sound then becomes reamplified and put out of the speaker.

This can happen when the hearing aid does not fit properly. If you are experiencing a whistling noise in your hearing device, come see us at our clinic so we can have your hearing aid refitted.

The life of a hearing aid’s battery is impacted by many factors such as the hearing aid model, battery brand, battery technology, and how the device is used. The model of the hearing aid is integral in determining the life of the battery. Some hearing aids are better than others in terms of battery consumption while others offer features that will more quickly drain a battery. Batteries come in four common sizes (10, 312, 13, 675). Based on a 16 hour day of wear, the average lifespan for a standard battery is listed below:
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Size 10: 3 – 7 days
Size 312: 3 – 10 days
Size 13: 6 – 14 days
Size 675: 9 – 20 days
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If you prefer, rechargeable hearing aid batteries are also available for certain models of hearing aids that greatly improve the ease of replacing your batteries. Consult with your local NexGen Hearing aid practitioner for additional details.

There are many factors that determine the style of hearing aid that’s right for you, including but not limited to factors such as your degree of hearing loss, size and shape of your ear and ear canal, and any special features that are required.
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Your NexGen Hearing registered hearing care professional can recommend an appropriate style of hearing aid for you – get in touch today!

1. Avoid loud noises and areas for 16 hours before the test.
2. Remove any earwax that may be in your ear canal. Do not use a Q-tip to do this as that will only push earwax deeper into the canal. Let our clinic staff take care of cleaning out your ears for you.
3. Let us know if you take or have taken antibiotics that can damage hearing, such as gentamicin.