Expert Hearing Aids & Fittings in Sioux Falls, SD
Today you have your choice of almost invisible, comfortable and high fidelity hearing aids. There are literally hundreds of hearing aid types and styles on the market. With the right hearing aids, your life could be transformed. With the wrong ones, your hearing could get worse.
Your audiologist or hearing aid specialist can help you choose hearing aids that are right for your hearing needs, the environments where you spend time, your lifestyle and your budget. Your hearing expert can fit, adjust and program your hearing aids so you get the best hearing possible.
Your options include traditional behind-the-ear (BTE), receiver-in-the-ear (RITE), and receiver-in-canal (RIC) types, as well as completely-in-canal (CIC) devices that fit discreetly inside the ear. There are even extended wear hearing aids that you leave in for months at a time, and hearing aids that wirelessly connect to your TV through your smartphone.
Discover the discreet and powerful digital or wireless hearing aid that will work for you.
Call Audiology Specialty Clinic, SD—serving Sioux Falls, Brandon, Hartford, Tea, Worthing, Crooks and surrounding areas—to schedule a visit to get your hearing tested and talk about which hearing solution is right for you.
CHOOSING HEARING AIDS
How Hearing Aids Work?
Hearing aids use small microphones to collect sounds. A computer chip then converts the incoming sound, analyzes it and adjusts the sound based on your hearing loss. Then you hear the audio signals through miniature speakers in your ears.
Which hearing aid is right for you? It depends on the severity of your hearing loss, the environments where you want to hear better, how active you want to be and which technology you are comfortable with.
How Does a Hearing Evaluation Work?
At the time of your hearing evaluation, we will take a case history to determine the type of hearing problem that you have. We’ll ask you questions about the onset of your hearing loss, and whether you are experiencing tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and/or dizziness.
Based on the results of the hearing test and the answers to these questions, our highly trained hearing experts may make a referral to a medical doctor for an examination and possible treatment. If the testing reveals a sensori-neural hearing loss, we may recommend hearing aids.
There are literally thousands of hearing aids from which to choose. Our highly trained staff will use the information that in your case history and in the audiological evaluation to help narrow those choices for you. You will make the final decision on which hearing aid to purchase. The two main types of hearing aids available today are conventional analog hearing aids and digital hearing aids.
What Is a Hearing Aid Fitting?
During the hearing aid fitting, we program the device to meet your specific needs. We’ll give you instructions on how to put the hearing aids in your ears and remove them, how to change batteries and how to care for and clean the devices. We’ll also review with you the function of your hearing aids as it relates to your lifestyle, and how to get the most benefit from wearing your hearing aids. You can read more about hearing aid fitting here.
Digital Hearing Aids: 21st Century Solutions
If you plan to only use your hearing aids at home, the more basic units may suffice. On the other hand, if you want to enhance your hearing at home, in the car, at the supermarket, at restaurants, and at the concerts and football games you attend — in other words, across a wide variety of listening environments, then you’ll want a more full-featured advanced digital hearing aid.
Of course the more you use your hearing aids, the more they will help you, the more you’ll be engaged with your friends and family and the more you’ll get out of life.
Why Getting Your Hearing Aids from an Audiologist in Sioux Falls Matters
With hearing aids now available at big-box retailers, pharmacy counters, and online, a reasonable question is: does it matter where you get them?
The short answer is yes — significantly.
Hearing aids purchased at Costco, Sam’s Club, or through an online retailer may come from reputable manufacturers, but the fitting process is not the same. Here’s what that means in practice:
The fitting is where most hearing aid outcomes are won or lost. A hearing aid that isn’t properly programmed to your specific audiogram, ear anatomy, and listening environments will underperform — regardless of how advanced the device is. Studies consistently show that many hearing aids dispensed without proper verification measures are not optimally programmed for the patient wearing them.
At Audiology Specialty Clinic, we use Real Ear Measurement (REM) — a clinical gold-standard verification tool that measures exactly how much sound your hearing aids are actually delivering into your ear canal in real time. Unlike relying on manufacturer software defaults (which is standard practice at many retail dispensaries), REM accounts for the unique shape of your ear canal, which dramatically affects how sound reaches your eardrum.
What this means for you: your hearing aids are verified to meet your prescription targets — not just approximated. The difference in speech clarity can be substantial, particularly in noisy environments.
Beyond fitting, an audiologist’s scope of practice matters. Dr. Kristen Kaufman, Au.D., CCC-A brings full doctoral-level training in auditory science, anatomy, and hearing healthcare. She can identify when a hearing loss has a medical component requiring physician referral, assess for tinnitus and balance disorders alongside your hearing, and provide ongoing care that adapts as your hearing changes over time. This is a fundamentally different level of care than what is available at a retail counter.
When you invest in hearing aids in Sioux Falls, SD, the device is only part of the equation. The expertise and follow-up behind it is what determines whether those hearing aids actually transform your daily life — or end up in a drawer.
Schedule a Consultation with Dr. Kaufman 605-250-0539
One Hearing Aid vs. Two Hearing Aids
You have two ears because you need two ears. If you have hearing loss in each ear that could be reduced by hearing aids, you should wear two hearing aids.
Wearing hearing aids in each ear will:
- improve your ability to hear in noisy settings,
- allow you to determine where sounds are coming from,
- improve your ability to understand speech, even from a distance,
- help you hear soft sounds at lower levels,
- and give sound a fuller quality.
Which Brands Are Best?
We’ve spent the last decade or longer selecting the few hearing aid manufacturers that we know from experience are the cream of the crop.
Why do we only carry the best? Because we want to help you truly get more out of life. Call us to get a free demo and find out which individual hearing aid type and brand is right for you.
The longer you live with hearing loss, the more difficult it is to adjust to hearing aids. Call us today and get on your way to better hearing!
Why wait? You don’t have to live with hearing loss.
Why wait? You don’t have to live with hearing loss.
HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU PAY FOR HEARING AIDS?
On the other hand, even if you live by yourself, if you spend time in meetings at work, or like to watch TV, talk on the phone or listen to the news on the radio; if you enjoy socializing with friends and family, your use is going to be high. In fact, you’ll probably wear your hearing aids for 12 to 16 hours a day. You’ll want hearing aids that consistently perform well.
Given your high use, paying for high quality hearing aids is a good investment in your quality of life, in your ability to stay connected and to communicate well.
The Price and Value of Hearing Aids
Cost and value are two different things. Take out a piece of paper and make a list of how many times each day and each week you could benefit from using hearing aids. What are situations where hearing more clearly would help you enjoy life more? Look at your list and calculate what it would be worth to you, per day, to be an active part of the conversation. That’s the value to you of wearing hearing aids.
Considerations and Limitations
What Determines the Cost of Hearing Aids?
Cost is determined by features and function. The more features you want and the higher level of performance you’d like, the more you’ll pay. Almost-invisible hearing aids that work well across a broad spectrum of listening environments and are designed for someone with an active lifestyle are likely to be more costly (and work better) than cheap imitations.
Like any other technology, your hearing aid price depends on which features you choose and, more importantly, what your hearing healthcare professional recommends for you. The more features you receive, the more the hearing aids will cost.
For example, if you live a very active lifestyle, we may recommend dual microphones to help you hear better in noisy environments. Our patients are typically very satisfied with this feature.
All hearing aids come with an adjustment or trial period, typically 30 days from date of purchase. During this adjustment period, you’re welcome to visit us for any necessary fitting issues. If for any reason you are not satisfied with the hearing aids you buy, you can return them for a refund minus a small fitting/restocking fee.
Does Insurance Cover Hearing Aids?
Hearing aids are generally not covered by health insurance companies, with some exceptions. For eligible children and young adults ages 21 and under, Medicaid will pay for the diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss, including hearing aids, under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) service. Also, children may be covered by their state’s early intervention program or State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
Medicare does not cover hearing aids for adults; however, diagnostic evaluations are covered if they are ordered by a physician to assist in developing a treatment plan. Since Medicare has declared the bone anchored hearing aid (BAHA) a prosthetic device and not a hearing aid, Medicare will cover the BAHA if other coverage policies are met.
Some nonprofit organizations provide financial assistance for hearing aids, while others may help provide used or refurbished aids.
We’ll help you make the right choice for your hearing needs, lifestyle and budget. Call us today at 605-250-0539
Today’s Hearing Aid Technology — What’s Available at Audiology Specialty Clinic
Hearing aids have changed dramatically in the last five years. If your mental image of a hearing aid is a large beige device with feedback issues and a dial on the side, the current generation will surprise you. Here’s an overview of what today’s hearing aids in Sioux Falls can actually do — and how we think about helping patients choose.
What modern hearing aids can do:
- AI-powered sound processing — Today’s leading devices use deep neural network technology to continuously analyze your listening environment and automatically adjust sound processing in real time — separating speech from background noise with a precision that earlier generations couldn’t approach
- Rechargeable, all-day power — Most premium hearing aids now offer rechargeable batteries lasting 18–30+ hours per charge, eliminating the need to manage small disposable batteries
- Bluetooth streaming — Hearing aids connect directly to smartphones, TVs, tablets, and other devices, streaming audio directly to your ears at a quality and volume adjusted for your hearing loss
- Smartphone app control — Volume, directionality, and environment settings can be adjusted from your phone. Your audiologist can also make fine-tuning adjustments remotely between appointments
- Own-voice processing — A common early complaint about hearing aids was how unnatural the wearer’s own voice sounded. Current technology processes your voice separately from environmental sounds, restoring a natural quality
- Health and activity tracking — Some models include step counters, fall detection, and cognitive engagement tracking integrated into the hearing aid itself
How we think about hearing aid technology levels:
Not everyone needs the most advanced — or most expensive — hearing aid on the market. We match patients to the technology tier that fits their lifestyle and listening environments:
Premium — Best for highly active patients who move through many different listening environments daily: busy workplaces, restaurants, events, travel. Maximum automatic adaptability and the widest feature set.
Advanced — A strong performer for moderately active patients who want excellent results in dynamic environments without the full premium price point. Feature-rich with fewer automatic programming layers.
Mid-Level — Well-suited for patients who spend most of their time in predictable environments — home, small gatherings, one-on-one conversation. Solid automatic features for common situations.
Essential/Base — Appropriate for patients whose primary concern is hearing clearly in quiet and one-on-one settings, or for whom cost is a significant consideration. Even at this level, treating hearing loss protects brain health and quality of life.
All technology levels are available in rechargeable options. We carry devices from the leading manufacturers — including Phonak, Oticon, ReSound, Starkey, Signia, Widex, and Unitron — and our recommendation is always based on your audiogram, lifestyle, and budget, never on margin.
We offer a trial period on all hearing aids so you can experience how your devices perform in your actual life — at home, at work, and everywhere in between — before you commit.
Call 605-250-0539 to Schedule Your Hearing Aid Consultation in Sioux Falls
Why wait? You don’t have to live with hearing loss.
Why wait? You don’t have to live with hearing loss.
QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE YOU BUY
Before you buy a hearing aid, ask us these important questions:
- What features would be most useful to me?
- What is the total cost of the hearing aid?
- Do the benefits of newer technologies outweigh the higher costs?
- Is there a trial period to test the hearing aids? (Most manufacturers allow a 30-to 60-day trial period during which aids can be returned for a refund.)
- What fees are nonrefundable if the aids are returned after the trial period?
- How long is the warranty?
- Can it be extended?
- Does the warranty cover future maintenance and repairs?
- What service do they provide after the sale? Can the audiologist make adjustments and provide servicing and minor repairs?
- Will loaner aids be provided when repairs are needed?
- What instruction does the audiologist provide?