Have you ever thought of a hearing test as a stressful or daunting task? Do you put off your yearly hearing test because you feel like you can’t “pass it.” It’s not like the tests we took in school or work settings where you can study or prepare and go in feeling like you are ready to “ace the test.” For many, this causes a lot of anxiety ahead of time, but hear it from me first, there is no reason to be stressed about a hearing test. 

I recently read an article called “Stress of a hearing test from a hard of hearing perfectionist” written by Ashley Derrington, and it really nicely put into words how so many feel when they go into any audiology office. You are not alone in your feelings. 

A hearing test has no pass or fail. I tell this to every client who comes in. It is almost inevitable that everyone will make a comment about passing or failing the test and I really do want you to know that there is no such thing as pass/fail for a hearing test! It is a test of acuity or sensitivity, and it is unique to each individual. There are normative data values to determine what normal, mild, moderate, etc. sensitivity ranges are but there is no “right or wrong.” When you think about it in that regard, it should be less stressful than a standardized test that has “right or wrong” answers. Think of it as an opportunity to learn more about your health and well-being. 

As someone who does have constant tinnitus and slight hearing loss in one ear, I do understand that sitting in a completely quiet room trying to hear a tiny beep can be a daunting task. In that setting, with headphones in, we tend to notice that we hear every single little sound such as our heartbeat, breathing, or tinnitus to an extreme. It can feel like you are not hearing the beep that you are supposed to hear because you can hear yourself so well during the test! 

The positive thing about having a hearing test, whether your hearing is in the normal range or not, is that you have taken a step in the right direction just by taking a measurement of your hearing. It is important to have a hearing test to establish a baseline of hearing, at any age. I talk to many people, all ages, who say that they have not had a hearing test since they were a child. If you don’t have another hearing test until you are 70 years old, then you have no idea what is happening in between those years. Hearing loss can sneak up on you as it is usually a very gradual change. This means that for most people, you don’t just wake up one morning with significant hearing loss (if you do then you should get into a specialist immediately as this is a different type of hearing loss), so it is a less noticeable change. One thing to remember about hearing loss is the sooner you address it the better, so get that baseline and know where your hearing stands. Here at Ecoutez, know that we understand that this can give you feelings of stress or anxiety and we are here to ease those feelings. We want you to feel comfortable and pride ourselves on a calm and relaxing environment where you can feel relaxed facing a task that isn’t always fun. Please let us know if you are feeling nervous before your hearing test, the feeling is normal, and we are hear for you!

 “Connecting you to the sounds of life.”

We’re excited to open our first store soon in the USA in Southlake, Texas. We can’t wait to meet you! Until then, please consider these 10 signs you’re experiencing hearing loss.

1. Painful Conversations

Do many of your conversation-filled days end with a headache? What about that feeling of fatigue after a busy group meeting or family gathering? When you are forced to strain to keep up with conversations, it leads to exhaustion, fatigue, and headaches. This is an early sign of hearing loss.  

2. You Lean A Lot

It is common for people who are experiencing hearing loss in one ear to shift their head to their favored ear. If you find yourself favoring one ear over the other, this is an indicator of hearing loss in your other ear. This happens a lot in conversations and when using your cell phone.

3. Volume Control

If you’ve had people in your life repeatedly tell you that you keep the volume way too loud on the TV, this is another sign of hearing loss. Improving your hearing loss with a hearing aid can make watching movies and listening to music much more pleasurable.

4. Say What?

If you find yourself constantly saying “What?” in conversations, it’s probably because you aren’t hearing what people are saying. Addressing your hearing loss will help you not only hear, but understand the people around you.

5. A Problem With Mumblers

When hearing loss continues, you may find yourself overwhelmed with an abundance of mumblers in your life. When you experience hearing loss, certain sounds are impacted more than others. This means you are hearing part of what people are saying, but not the rest. This is what causes you to believe that people are mumbling. 

6. The Blockage Effect

Hearing loss can also make you feel like your ears are clogged or blocked up. Think back and remember a time when you had water or a Q-tip stuck in your ear. Is this feeling persisting? If you see a doctor and there’s nothing in there, hearing loss may very well be the reason.  

7. Communication Breakdowns

Communication is an essential element in any successful relationship. But what happens when you can’t hear what the other person is saying? A lot of times, we find husbands and wives will address their partner’s hearing loss even before the person experiencing the impairment. Hearing loss contributes to fighting, bickering, and awkward silence.

8. Loneliness

Does your inability to hear cause you to skip out on social situations? You are not alone. This is a common sign of many people who have hearing loss. Everyone needs a break from time to time, but if you’re not getting out and not feeling active, it’s time to get a hearing test.

9. Keep it Down!

Just as some people with hearing loss require the volume to be very high, others will become very irritated by loud noises or sudden increases in volume. Does this happen to you?

10. Women & Children

Losing the ability to hear high-pitched noises is a common early sign of hearing loss. Do you have trouble understanding children or women?

If you are experiencing any of these signs, it’s a good idea to visit our store for a free hearing test. We’ll use our modern technology to show you exactly how you hear the world and help you identify a solution to improve your hearing.

You’re Invited!

You’re invited to our Grand Opening Weekend. We’ll be throwing a special “Heareasy” party (our version of a speakeasy ) and a weekend of fun events. Sign up for the event below, which includes a free hearing test!

See You Soon!

1. The Active Retiree

John has recently retired and spends as much time as he can with his family or on his boat. He first started noticing his hearing loss when his wife, Leigh, started to complain because he was turning the volume up way too loud on the TV. Still, John put getting a hearing test off for a while, because he figured it was no big deal. Then, John’s grandson hooked his finger while they were fishing and John didn’t hear him asking for help. That was the kicker.

John visited The Hearing Lab and we were able to sit with him and Leigh and run a comprehensive hearing test. It turns out John was experiencing hearing loss. We were able to match him with the perfect hearing aid for his needs.

2. The Public Speaker

Shae is a motivational speaker who spends a lot of time in front of big groups of people. When she’s giving talks, she often interacts a lot with her audience. This means it’s important to hear them, and understand what they’re saying, the first time they speak.

Shae first noticed her hearing loss when she had to keep asking “Excuse me, could you say that again?” and “Would you mind repeating that?” during speaking engagements.

Shae stopped by our store and we ran a test. It turns out that Shae suffers from sensorineural hearing loss due to damage to her inner ear. After 15 years of public speaking, which often included loud music, waves of acoustic applause, and straining to listen to people, her hearing began to suffer.

With the right hearing aid and fitting, we were able to improve Shae’s hearing and get her back out there doing what she loves best. On top of that, her hearing aids sync up to the technology she uses for presentations, so she never misses a cue or a question.

3. The Happy Grandparent

Eleanor feels like she was put on Earth to do one thing: love her family with all of her heart. She spends a lot of time with her three daughters, Cora, Julie, and Laurel, and their husbands, sons, and daughters. Recently, her grandchildren have been complaining to their parents that Grandma Eleanor doesn’t listen to them when they talk to her. 

When Julie told Eleanor this, she was devastated. She’s spent her life worshipping every word these kids have ever told her. Laurel drove her down to the store and within an hour we were able to show her exactly what was happening with her hearing. Eleanor had mixed hearing loss occurring in her inner and middle ear.

With the finest hearing aids in the world, we were able to match her perfectly with a hearing solution that has greatly improved her hearing. She’s now happy to report she can hear her grandkids beg for more cookies any day of the week.

4. The Musician

Robin is an accomplished violinist in the local symphony orchestra. Musicians are 4 times as likely to experience noise-induced hearing loss. Robin, unfortunately, is no exception. She started noticing during practice that she couldn’t hear some of the higher pitch instruments. This led to some intense tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and headaches.

At the suggestion of a friend, Robin stopped by and we helped her in two ways. First, we set her up with hearing aids. Then, we also gave her all of the materials about hearing protection so that she could inform other members of her symphony how to best protect their ears from hearing loss.

Robin is now able to nail her solos without a moment of hesitation. 

5. The Business Person

Curtis is in his early 60s and feels like he’s mostly at the top of his game at the office, where he runs a small tech firm. The only problem is that he’s beginning to miss every other word from his female co-workers. Also, he’s beginning to hear mumbling from some other coworkers.

Curtis came to visit The Hearing Lab at our store and we let him know this is very common in the early stages of hearing loss. Curtis was concerned that wearing a hearing aid might lessen the image of his virility and strength at the office. But after seeing our discreet hearing aid options, and hearing their awesome power, that concern was gone alone with the murmurs!

Sound familiar?

Do any of these customers or symptoms sound familiar? We are honored to be here for your hearing loss needs. Our store is a stylish, comfortable alternative to the clinical hearing aid providers you’re used to. Make an appointment to come in for a free hearing test or just stop in next time you’re at Southlake Town Square.

We can’t wait to meet you.

Sign up for your free hearing test here. And if you enjoyed this blog, visit our company blog page to read more tips about turning hearing impairment into hearing empowerment.

Did you know that nearly 400 million people around the world experience some form of hearing deficiency? Nowadays, there’s no need to be ashamed or embarrassed about hearing loss. We are surrounded by devices that are capable of playing audio and those that weren’t born with a hearing deficiency are constantly at risk of developing one.

Here are 7 things about hearing deficiencies that you need to know.

1. Only a fifth of people that would benefit from wearing a hearing aid actually wear one. This is truly a remarkable statistic, and it’s one of the reasons we decided to come to the United States. We want our product to assist every person that needs it.
2. Hearing loss increases the risk of dementia. A study conducted by Johns Hopkin University found this to be true. 
3. Over 25 million are exposed to noise levels that could compromise their hearing abilities every day.
4. Individuals with hearing loss wait on average more than 6 years before addressing the issue.
5. Over 30 million people affected by hearing loss are under the age of 15. Parents, take note. Hearing loss is not exclusive to older demographics.
6. ⅓ of people over the age of 65 experience hearing loss. This includes more than 160 million people around the globe.
7. 12 percent of the U.S. population, 38 million people, experience hearing loss. 

You don’t have to let hearing loss change your life. Our hearing aids provide our clients with the same happy life they experienced before they experienced hearing loss. Learn more about us here.

Our success in The Netherlands was very encouraging. This made us consider providing hearing solutions in other countries. We can do so much to help people in the USA with hearing loss and we are disappointed by how often it is ignored. 

We urge everyone with the need for a hearing aid to getting in touch with us. There is nothing we enjoy more than seeing the smile on the client’s faces with their hearing is restored to exciting levels. If this information has been helpful to you, check out our other blogs.

You’re Invited!

You’re invited to our Grand Opening Weekend. We’ll be throwing a special “Heareasy” party (our version of a speakeasy ) and a weekend of fun events. Sign up here and get a free hearing test!

Hearing aids are an evolving technology. Your options are plentiful, features are plentiful, and there’s a hearing aid for every budget small and large. If you’ve recently entered the market for a hearing aid, check out these facts to take your knowledge and awareness to the next level. 

Let’s talk about elephants!

Did you know that elephants have one of the strongest memories of any species on earth? Like these fantastic creatures, some hearing aids are capable of memorizing settings for different locations. For example, say you have a favorite restaurant. There’s a good chance this restaurant is going to be one of the noisier places you visit in your daily or weekly routine. Having a hearing aid with a strong memory is definitely a plus!

Hearing aids can treat loneliness!

Studies find that loneliness is linked to hearing loss in many cases. Studies have also found that when these individuals take action towards treating their hearing loss, loneliness retreats. 

Hearing aids are durable!

Modern-day hearing aids are more reliable and durable than ever before. In fact, some hearing aids are water-resistant. You no longer have to fear going on those hikes and other outdoor adventures!

Improved quality of life!

8 out of 10 users report that their hearing aid has improved their quality of life while 3 out of 4 have said that their hearing aid has made them more confident in social situations.

Gotta love technology! 

Some hearing aids allow you to stream audio from your tv, phone, or stereo directly to your device. It’s like getting your own secret pair of headphones! ;)

Track your health from your ears!

Many hearing devices will track your overall health like a smartwatch! Artificial intelligence has made its way into the hearing aid industry and you can reap the benefits!

Shoe me the money!

Studies have found that treatment of hearing loss with a hearing aid has an association with earning power!

It’s important to make informed decisions when treating your hearing loss. Make a list of the features that are most important to you and make sure you have a realistic budget set for a device with your favorite features. Always consult your doctor if you believe you’re experiencing hearing loss. If you’re in the market for a new hearing aid, check out our other blogs and schedule an at-home appointment with our team today.

So you’re in the market for a new hearing aid. Selecting one can be an intimidating task. Let’s take a look at how to choose the right hearing aid for you!

Step 1. Understand How Hearing Aids Work

All hearing aids use the same basic components to do one job: carry sound from your outer environment to your brain. They use tiny microphones with a small computer chip that amplifies the sound, making it easier for you to hear.

Step 2. Understand Different Styles

While all hearing aids have the same basic function, fitment will vary across different styles. It’s important to know the differences to ensure you’re able to choose the right hearing aid for you. Let’s take a look at some different styles.

(A) Completely in the canal (CIC) 

• Smallest 
• Unlikely to pick up wind noise
• Smaller batteries and therefore shorter battery life
• Usually has fewer features

(B) In the canal (ITC)

• Still less visible than larger hearing aids 
• Has featured you won’t find on CIC hearing aids
• May be difficult to adjust

(C) In The Ear (ITE)

• Plentiful features that won’t be found on smaller hearing aids like sound adjustment and directional microphones.
• Easier to handle 
• Larger battery mens longer battery life
• Could pick up more wind noise due to size
• More visible

(D) Behind the ear

• Traditionally larger in size
• Directional microphones
• More amplification capabilities 
• The rechargeable battery is common 

Step 3. Consider The Features

Now that you understand the different styles of healing aids, consider the features that are most important to you. Features like noise reduction, directional microphones, rechargeable batteries, and direct audio input won’t be available in every style of hearing aid. Make sure you have a happy balance of comfort and featured when selecting the hearing aid that’s right for you. 

If you found this blog helpful, check out our other blogs here!

It is our intention that  Ecoutez will remain open to serve our patients’ hearing needs because we know that hearing is essential healthcare.  However, like many offices, we are instituting regulations to ensure patients, as well as audiologists and staff, safety, and wellbeing.

In addition to an increase in regular, disinfectant cleaning, we require the following.

• If you are sick (or think you are sick); have a fever; have traveled to any of the coronavirus “hot spots,” such as China, South Korea, Iran, Italy, New York City, San Francisco, etc; or been exposed to someone with coronavirus, please do not come into the office.  If these conditions apply to you and you have an appointment, please call to reschedule.
• We will refrain from shaking your hand.  Please accept our nod or hand raise as a welcome.  
• If you need to come inside, or have an appointment, you’re welcome to come in while wearing a mask only.
• Our staff will be wearing gloves when we are cleaning your hearing aids.  If you need us to help you with your cell phone, we will guide you through the process and refrain from touching your phone.
• We will gladly mail your supplies and take payment over the phone if you don’t or can’t come to our office
• Patient, audiologists and any others present will be required to wear a mask for the duration of the visit. We ask that you limit the number of individuals present and please call to reschedule if anyone in the home is feeling ill or had possible exposure to an individual with Covid-19.

If you have any concerns, please call us, and we can update you on any changes we may make in the future.  Please check your email, our website, or our Facebook page for continued updates.