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Hearing Aids
Welcome to Ears of Texas Hearing Instrument Clinic
The Ears of Texas Hearing Instrument Clinic provides a full range of devices to improve your communication.
We offer:
- Hearing instruments (hearing aids) in all price ranges from economy to premium
- Hearing aid accessories
- Amplified telephones
- Custom hearing protection
- Custom earpieces for MP3 players and Bluetooth devices
- Many more devices to improve ease of communication and enhance listening
What makes u
s different?
The Ears of Texas Hearing Instrument Clinic is focused on providing the best hearing instrument services to San Antonio. Our clinic is a medical-based physician monitored hearing instrument clinic. We provide only the highest quality hearing instruments and we monitor and treat your complete hearing health with the full medical services of a physician, Dr. Wesley Krueger, who specializes in treating diseases of the ear.
Our Licensed Fitter and Dispenser of Hearing Instruments, Jackie Cooper, comes to us with 14 years experience working directly with hearing instruments and other devices to improve communication in our patients with hearing loss.
The Ears of Texas Hearing Instrument Clinic is dedicated to providing the highest level of customer service and guarantees your satisfaction with your hearing instrument fitting.
Why should I get my hearing instruments from a physician’s office?
The FDA regulates the hearing instrument industry and they have required all licensed professionals to recommend a full evaluation by a physician, preferably one who specializes in diseases of the ear, before purchasing a hearing instrument. This is because hearing loss can be caused by many conditions, some of which can be quite serious and affect your overall health. A physician who specializes in the inner ear is best able to determine the cause and recommend treatment that improves, stabilizes, or prevents further hearing loss. The physician may also resolve other problems related to the hearing loss, which can improve your health status and quality of life. All symptoms of hearing loss should be evaluated by a physician, and for some situations the physician will recommend hearing instruments. It is generally in your best interest to work with a hearing instrument office that also provides hands on physician care in the medical diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss, and not just a clinic that sells hearing aids.
What to expect
Hearing Tests
If you have not had your hearing tested within the last 6 months we would be glad to perform a full hearing test for you in our office. If you have received a hearing test and have a copy for your records, feel free to bring it to your appointment. We will gladly review it and if it meets all state and clinic requirements, you will not be required to take another hearing test.
Hearing Instrument Evaluation
All patients considering hearing instruments, whether they have worn hearing instruments in the past or not, will be scheduled for a hearing aid evaluation. This is an hour-long appointment where the hearing instrument dispenser and the individual (and family member, if present) discuss activity level and situations in need of listening improvement. These needs and activities then determine the most appropriate technology level of amplification (either hearing aids and/or assistive listening devices) for the patient. You will be provided with the opportunity to purchase the hearing instruments at this visit or you may return within 6 months with a decision to place the order.
Hearing Instrument Services
For those individuals who already own hearing instruments and simply need service on them, we have a full-service hearing instrument lab and can service most makes and models. In some instances we charge a $30 fee per half-hour for programming or in-office repairs and in some instances we may charge a small fee for parts. We will gladly inform you of any and all charges before they are incurred.
Hearing Instrument Costs and Financing
Hearing instruments have a wide range of pricing depending on the number and advancement of the features you choose to purchase. In general, hearing instruments range from $1195 to $3199 each in our clinic. Most often, the amount you spend on hearing instruments is completely up to you. Our prices are all-inclusive prices and cover most of the costs incurred during a hearing aid fitting, including warranties and coverage for loss or damage to the hearing instruments. During your hearing instrument evaluation every effort will be made to find hearing instruments for you that will resolve your listening needs and also fit into a price range you can afford. We also offer several interest-free payment plans for your convenience. Please feel free to ask about them or click the icon below to apply for credit:
How do hearing aids work?
Hearing aids may come from many different manufacturers but the basics are the same, regardless of size or styling.
They are electronic devices for amplifying certain sounds with four central components: a battery, circuit, microphone and receiver. Some hearing instruments have external controllers for volume or setting, some are fully automatic.
The microphone or microphones (some hearing aids have two, for a process that reduces background noise) receives the incoming sound from any source and changes or converts it into a digital signal. These then are sent to the circuit which is responsible for the amplification of the current according to its prescribed settings. These settings are very important, because different users will have different requirements from their aid, depending on their individual disability, and the sound environment that they are in. Next, the correctly amplified electric current is taken to the receiver, where it is turned back into sound again (acoustic energy) and presented to the ear. The battery is of course there to provide the power for the system to work, with modern batteries being quite long lasting.
It is important that the proper hearing instruments are selected for your hearing loss and your listening needs. During a hearing evaluation you will be discussing these factors with an experienced, trained professional who can help you make the best decision for your needs. Please contact us for your hearing instrument evaluation and we will be glad to make recommendations for you.
Common Myths and Misconceptions about Hearing Aids. (PDF)
What are the most common hearing instrument styles?
Hearing instruments come in many different styles. Finding one that's appropriate for you depends on your listening needs, the features you prefer and, most importantly, the severity of your hearing loss. Your hearing healthcare professional will help you find the right match.
Behind the Ear
BTE
Behind the ear (BTE) hearing instruments are growing in popularity and are some of the most successful hearing instruments on the market today. BTE hearing instruments are cosmetically appealing and have more power and flexibility that most in the ear hearing instruments. They can be fit using several different configurations for looks and ease of use and come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and colors.
Invisible Open Technology
IOT
The microphone and tubing of this type of hearing instrument are hidden in the ear’s natural contours, so the instrument is virtually invisibly in the ear. This unique microphone placement also provides natural suppression of wind noise.
Multi-venting allows air to travel freely in and out of the ear, ensuring an Open, comfortable fit that makes your voice will sound as natural as possible.
Custom In-the-ear
ITE, ITC, CIC
These hearing instruments are the most easily recognized and are what most people think of when they think of hearing instruments. They come in a wide variety of colors, styles, and configurations. There are literally hundred of different types. You hearing professional will help build these hearing instruments to the specifications that best suit your lifestyle and hearing needs.
Receiver in the Canal
RIC
Receiver in the canal hearing (RIC) hearing instruments are one of the most popular in our office. They have gain popularity due to their good cosmetic appeal, their low-hassle automation, and their choice of price ranges. These hearing instruments come in a wide variety of colors, levels of technology, and are very popular with our more active patients.
Implants and Devices
Implants
The Baha® System allows direct bone conduction through a titanium fixture or implant and is an acceptable alternative if an air-conduction hearing aid is contraindicated. - Learn More....
Cochlear Implant: What do you do if hearing aids are not enough? A cochlear implant may be the answer. Hearing aids and cochlear implants are not the same. - Learn More....
What are Assistive Listening Devices?
An assistive listening device, or ALD, is any type of device that can improve function of day-to-day communication. It can be used with or without hearing aids to overcome the negative effects of distance, background noise or poor room acoustics. ALDs are classified by how the signal is transmitted: BluetoothTM, infrared systems, frequency modulation (FM) systems, induction loop systems, various amplifiers and one-on-one communicators.
Assistive listening devices come in a wide range of styles, designs, and for a wide range of uses. We offer a full evaluation of your listening needs during a hearing instrument evaluation and would be glad to make recommendations for assistive listening devices to work, whether you use hearing instruments or not.
Please contact us for a complimentary ALD consultation
Devices for Safety and Convenience.