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FAQ

• Are you a national company or are you based in my area?
• Is it better to deal with a locally based company or a national one?
• What about other companies advertising on the internet?
• How common is hearing loss?
• Are all hearing aids visible, bulky, and behind the ear?
• How old do I need to be before I need a hearing aid?
• If I start wearing an aid which amplifies sound into my ear, won't it make the hearing worse?
• What is the actual cost to me?
• What about everyday running costs?
• What guarantees, and what do I get for my money?
• Does the hearing test hurt?
• Will I be seen by a qualified person?
• Do I have any rights?
• Can I wear my hearing aid when I'm asleep?
• Can I wash my hearing aid?
• How do I know when the battery is flat?
• My new hearing aid fits well but sounds "tinny" or "bassy" why?

If I can't find the answers here or would like further advice, how do I contact you?

Are you a national company or are you based in my area?

Digital Hearing Care has it's head office and administration base in Keighley, West Yorkshire. We are a family run regionally based independent hearing aid supplier covering Yorkshire, Lancashire and Manchester. We are very locally focused and take great care to supply to areas where we know we can offer a high standard of aftercare.

Areas covered include in Yorkshire, Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate, Wakefield, Halifax, Keighley, Skipton, Otley, Ilkley, Bingley, Shipley, Wetherby, York, Malton, Scarborough, Ripon, Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Knaresborough, Doncaster, Castleford, Pontefract, and Sheffield.

In Lancashire, Preston, Blackburn, Burnley, Colne, Barnoldswick, Clitheroe, Nelson, Accrington, Southport, Blackpool, Garstang, Lancaster, Morecambe, Wigan, Bolton, Oldham, and Greater Manchester.

We may also offer service in the surrounding areas. If you are not sure whether we cover your area please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be very pleased to help, even if we cannot help you ourselves we may be able to point you in the direction of a good quality independent hearing aid supplier more local to your area.^ TOP

Is it better to deal with a locally based company or a national one?

Why deal with us instead of a national company? Three reasons - Price, Choice and Aftercare. Compared to dealing with most of the national companies you could reduce the purchase cost of hearing aids by 20-60%, that can equate to a very substantial saving. Also, most of the national suppliers supply from a very limited number of manufacturers, and even then not the full range of hearing aids available from the manufacturers they use. We supply the full range of technology available from all these manufacturers ; Phonak, Oticon, Widex, Starkey, GN Resound, Bernafon, Puretone, Unitron and Siemens hearing aids. This, along with Digital Hearing Care's commitment to excellent aftercare makes us the number one choice.^ TOP

What about other companies advertising on the internet?

If you are reading this page you will have more than likely found our website via a search engine. One of the main points that distinguish us from a lot of the hearing aid companies you might find in this way is that we are genuinely based in the area we supply hearing aids to. We do not aim to supply outside our trading area. The majority of the other companies are one of two things. Either a one man band masquerading as a national company and travelling half the country to see you (not an ideal scenario for ongoing aftercare, which you are likely to need at some point), or a truly national company with unfeasibly high prices. My recommendation to you is that if you wish to enquire about hearing aids it would be a good thing to ask 'Where is your head office' and 'How far do you have to travel to visit me if I need you'.^ TOP

How common is hearing loss?

You might be surprised to know that just short of 9 million people in the UK suffer some form of hearing loss, of those around 6.5 million are over the age of 60, with quite a sizeable percentage younger. Over 70% of the population over the age of 70 have at least a degree of hearing loss. It is believed that around 4 million people in this country could benefit from wearing hearing aids but have not yet done anything about it! An astounding set of facts.^ TOP

Are all hearing aids visible, bulky, and behind the ear?

Not at all! As modern technology has improved, hearing instruments have progressed and are also getting smaller and more sophisticated. If this fact is coupled with the fact that the old stigmas associated with the hearing impaired are disappearing fast, more people than ever are turning to professional help to improve their quality of life.^ TOP

How old do I need to be before I need a hearing aid?

The largest percentage of hearing loss can be attributed to the ageing process, but we regularly see clients in their 40's and 50's whose hearing has been damaged due to exposure to excessive noise levels and need a little help to hear clearly. We also see people quite regularly who have had hearing problems from early childhood. If you are having problems with your hearing it is a good idea at the very least to ask us for a free hearing check to put your mind at ease.^ TOP

If I start wearing a hearing aid which amplifies sound into my ear, won't it make the hearing worse?

In a word, no. Your hearing will remain the same regardless of whether or not you wear hearing aids, although once you start to hear better your expectations of how well you should hear are higher, so you notice more when you are not wearing any aids. If you find loud sounds are being made uncomfortably loud you just need to ask for an adjustment and we can reprogram your hearing aids instantly to avoid the problem.^ TOP

What is the actual cost to me?

Prices vary depending on size and type of hearing aid and level of technology. You can buy cheap amplifiers from newspaper advertisements for less than £20 and some companies advertise very basic technology from around £200 or so. For the better quality digital hearing aids we can dispense from just under £500, which when considered as investment for a better quality of life is reasonable. ^ TOP

What about everyday running costs?

The main ongoing cost is batteries. Typically in the high street you would pay just under £4.00 for a packet of 6 batteries, depending on how you buy our batteries you might be paying less than £1.40 a pack!. We only supply the best quality branded hearing aid batteries, Rayovac and Duracell. Each battery is usually spent in 1 to 3 weeks, depending on the size of the battery and the level of hearing loss. The other main cost is repairs out of warranty. If your aid needs attention, even if it's out of warranty, and we can fix it, there is no charge to you. A charge is incurred if the aid is out of warranty and the aid needs to be sent back to the manufacturers for attention.^ TOP

What guarantees, and what do I get for my money?

You get an individual assessment of your hearing loss, individual hearing instruments custom built to the exact shape of your ear and matching closely to your prescription, the professional hearing aid audiologist's time, patience and experience in helping you to rehabilitate. The guarantees vary from company to company, but at Digital Hearing Care we offer a minimum manufacturers warranty of two years from date of fitting. This can be extended at the outset if required to a maximum of five years. Digital Hearing Care also offer a 60 day money back guarantee. This means that if you are unhappy with the instrument and we cannot resolve the problems for you we will refund your money less a fitting fee of £50. There is also the free back up service once you become our client.^ TOP

Does the hearing test hurt?

Not at all. After we have asked you some important background questions about your hearing we take a look in your ear canals to check for excessive wax or any other problems that might affect your hearing or general health. We then use an audiometer to measure your hearing loss through headphones and bone conduction generators worn like a headband. The whole process should be painless, comfortable and reassuring. If you are relaxed the readings will be more accurate. ^ TOP

Will I be seen by a qualified person?

All dispensers employed by Digital Hearing Care are Registered Hearing Aid Dispensers, we only employ fully qualified staff registered with the Health Professions Council (HPC). We pride ourselves on our professionalism and integrity and are always looking at new technology to be able to offer our clients the best we can, with the best value and a high level of service. It is very important to us that you the customer feel completely confident and motivated towards improving your hearing. ^ TOP

Do I have any rights?

It is illegal for any home visits to be made unsolicited. You cannot be visited in your home unless you have agreed to or requested a visit.

Only dispensers registered under the Health Professions Council (HPC) are allowed to dispense hearing aids after a long training period and both theory and practical examinations passed. A registered dispenser will be only too happy to show you his registration card on request.

Your terms are laid out on the paperwork we supply to you, and are in full compliance and support the Health Professions Council codes of conduct. Your rights are laid down, together with the sale of goods, consumer protection and trades description acts; your rights are well protected. As an aside Digital Hearing Care prides itself on its friendly helpful service, which is hoped will lead to repeat and recommendation business.^ TOP

Can I wear my hearing aid when I'm asleep?

In general no, but it is possible to "nod off" in the chair whilst watching TV without too much problem. It is better when you climb into bed (or before the shower/bath) to remove your hearing aids. Your hearing aids are better left open when not wearing them to allow any moisture built up during the day evaporate overnight. ^ TOP

Can I wash my hearing aid?

Not a good idea! Water and electronic components do not mix at all well, and the warranty does not cover this type of eventuality. If your hearing aid is subjected to excessive moisture or is accidentally submerged in water and stops working, sometimes a period of slow drying out over a couple of days in a warm dry environment can bring a hearing aid back to life. Otherwise the hearing aid might need to go back to the manufacturers to be mended. Of course we can show you how to clean your hearing aid and are on hand for further advice if any problems arise. ^ TOP

How do I know when the battery is flat?

Hearing aid batteries are designed specifically to run at full output and then stop working pretty much instantly, unlike a torch battery that gradually grows dimmer. All our digital hearing aids have a useful feature that gives you an audible tone to let you know when the battery is nearly spent. For a small charge we can also supply a battery tester so you can see for yourself how much power a battery has left. Speak to our accessories department. ^ TOP

My new hearing aid fits well but sounds "tinny" or "bassy" Why?

Often this is because hearing aids are helping you to hear types of sounds at levels you have not heard for a long time and it takes time for your hearing and brain to get used to hearing differently. Quite often we tone down the response of hearing aids initially to give you time to get used to them, and at a later date adjust the response closer to the optimum level to give best benefit. It can often be a matter of choice and persistence. ^ TOP