Follow-up Care Once your hearing aids have been fitted to your complete satisfaction, we will provide you with detailed information on how they should be maintained. Of course, you can have your hearing aids checked by us at any time. This will ensure that the sound quality remains as good as ever, and will extend the life of your aids. Our Services Losing your hearing is unfortunate and the time spent with family and friends that you once enjoyed now seems difficult. You miss part of the conversation, voices are difficult to understand, and you feel left out. Your relationships become strained and you find yourself going out less often. Let us help you put enjoyment back in your life with better hearing. We are glad that you have decided to take action for your hearing loss and for that you are to be commended. At Gulf Coast Hearing Centers, Inc., we provide our patients with a free comprehensive hearing evaluation without obligation to buy. We carry several brands of hearing aids, featuring the latest in digital technology, and offer a 30-day trial on all purchases. We have a complete line of health care products as well as, assistive listening devices. Most importantly we provide our patients with support and education. With todays hearing technology we are able to provide patients with hearing aids that have a clearer sound, smaller appearance, increased comfort, and overall increased satisfaction. However, with all these developments come more choices. It is important that your hearing instrument specialist is competent as well as, compassionate to help you make the most informed decision. We hope to hear from you soon. Test & Audiometry In order to adjust your hearing aid to your individual requirements, we first determine your personal hearing profile, or audiogram. This is done by testing your ability to hear a variety of speech and environmental sounds. The Ear Impression Since the various systems produce different hearing impressions, it is important for you to make a comparison yourself. For this purpose we will produce custom-made earmolds based on the exact contours of your ears. We can then ensure that your hearing aid fits perfectly. The Fitting To determine the optimum settings for your hearing aids, we use your audiogram, as well as your personal impression of how well you can hear. This adjustment process is carried out using a computer. When adjusting your hearing aids, we take various measurements to check how well you can hear. Once we teach you how to operate them and instruct you on the energy supply (batteries), you should wear your new hearing aids for a few days in your regular surroundings. Based upon what you tell us about how well you can hear in your everyday surroundings, we will make any necessary final adjustments to your hearing aids. The Process of Getting Hearing Aids Once you have told us your history and your personal expectations with regard to your hearing, we provide you with detailed advice on the most appropriate products and facilities to meet your requirements: Which ear has a problem hearing? Which style of hearing aid is most suitable for you: analog, digitally programmable or fully digital? Do you want to regulate the volume of the hearing aid yourself, or would you prefer a hearing aid that adjusts automatically to any hearing situation? Which aid best suits your hearing loss or your personal situation? A Completely-in-the Ear, In-the-Canal, In-the-Ear (ITE), or behind-the-ear aid (BTE) aid?