Frequently Asked Questions

With hearing loss often being a gradual process, it is often difficult to tell what the extent of your hearing loss is until you come and have it formally tested. Friends and family will often offer their appraisal of your hearing abilities.

Two ears give you better hearing, in most cases and better directionality of sound, which is very important in group situations and when crossing the road. Hearing Consultants offer you a no-obligation free trial of hearing aids so it is easy to assess the benefits of two vs one hearing aid.

There is a range of costs, from $1000 - $4000 incl GST each.

The more expensive hearing aids have more features, might be more powerful or might be extremely small. As a rule the more technologically advanced, the higher the cost. There are however some very good entry level hearing aids.

Yes. Every 5 years you are entitled to a Government Hearing aid subsidy of $198 per hearing aid providing you obtain your hearing aid from an Audiologist who is a Member of the NZ Audiological Society.

Enable Funding is also available if you meet their criteria

ACC funding is available for hearing damage caused by excessive noise.

Veterans Affairs can also fund hearing aids if your hearing loss is due to military service.

Click here to find out more about Hearing Aid Funding.

The models of hearing aids vary in the amount of amplification they provide, their features, comfort and ease of fit. It is best to discuss your option with the team at Hearing Consultants since there are many considerations, as well as personal preference.

Most of the newer hearing aids have a dedicated phone setting, which automatically detects the phone is there and switches over. Otherwise it is necessary to either have an amplified telephone or manually activate a phone switch (or ‘T’switch) on the hearing aid.

Tinnitus (noises in the ears) is a very common complaint. There is enormous amount of worldwide research being conducted on the topic. We are still trying to fully understand the cause and how best to treat it. We do know that wearing hearing aids can mask out or significantly reduce the level of tinnitus heard. For the latest discussion on tinnitus by New Zealander Dr Grant Searchfield, Auckland University click THIS LINK to his article.

For information on loop system availability at popular venues all over the Wellington region just consult the venue listing here.

More information on loop systems...

Most hearing aids are compatible with loop systems, or can be made compatible. You will need a telecoil fitted in your hearing aid. If you are not sure whether you have one, ask the staff at Hearing Consultants. For best performance, get the Audiologist to boost your ‘T’ coil gain to maximum as you will never get feedback from ‘T’.

Click here for more information.

An Audiologist is a specialist in the field of hearing health. Audiologists have a minimum of a Masters Degree in Audiology. More recently others have completed a Doctorate in Audiology.

Audiologists are the only specialists trained to provide aural rehabilitation, perform audiological assessments and provide recommendations for treatment. They examine your overall hearing and prescribe and fit hearing aids. Audiologists are also trained to provide counselling to people who are learning to cope with the practical and emotional repercussions of hearing loss.

All audiological care in NZ funded by ACC, Veterans Affairs and Enable funding must be undertaken by a fully qualified audiologist who is a member of the NZ Audiological Society.

Today's digital hearing aids are miniature electronic devices that sit in or on the ear, and selectively amplify and process sounds. All hearing aids contain one or more microphones to pick up sound, an amplifier that amplifies and processes sound, a speaker that reproduces the signal from the amplifier into your ear, and a battery to power the device. All these components are packaged into various ‘shells’ to fit people’s cosmetic needs and power requirements.

All new hearing aids today employ digital processing which enables very complex manipulation of signals, for example, to separate speech from noise. Hearing aids today have powerful processing power – gone are the days when hearing aids were simple amplifiers. Complex algorithms separate sound into different frequency bands and amplify each band selectively, depending on the wearer’s unique hearing loss.

Algorithms also enable different amounts of amplification for soft, moderate, and loud sounds, so sounds are audible, but loud sounds are not uncomfortable or over amplified. And, digital processing ensures a precise replication of the original signal with minimal distortion, resulting in excellent sound quality for even the most discriminating audiophiles.

Today's digital hearing aids are programmable, meaning the amplification and special features can be precisely fine-tuned and customised for each hearing aid wearer, using special hearing aid software on a computer. Your Audiologist will customise the hearing aids for both your hearing loss your preferences as the wearer.

Our visiting Ear Health nurse offers the safe removal of ear wax or other debris blocking the ear canal using a microscope and gentle micro-suction. Compared to the traditional forms of wax removal – ear drops and irrigation or “syringing” – micro-suction is: Safer, quicker, better tolerated, more effective, does not require pre-treatment with ear drops and has a lower risk of infection. The procedure is carried out by a registered nurse who has been fully trained in ear health.