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Hearing Aid Express Celebrates Kingwood Grand Opening

Tuesday, February 5th, 2013

Hearing Aid Express is now open in Kingwood.

Hearing Aid Express in Kingwood is located at 1247 Kingwood Drive, in the same shopping center as Stein Mart.

The grand opening celebration starts Monday, Feb. 4. Hearing Aid Express, one of the largest independently owned and operated practices in Texas, opened its 11th location at 1247 Kingwood Drive.The office is easily accessed from Interstate 59 and is in the same shopping center as Stein Mart and Palais Royal.

A grand opening celebration will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 4-Feb. 8 at the new location.Texas residents can get a free screening for a free amplified phone through the Specialized Telecommunications Assistance Program (STAP), meet Licensed Dispenser Bill Boatman, tour the facility and get coupons worth $1,000 in savings for new hearing aids.

“We are very excited to open our Kingwood office, our sixth in the Houston market,” said Brad Brumback, President and CEO of Hearing Aid Express. “Kingwood is a great community and the new location will add more convenience to our growing number of customers in the Kingwood and Humble areas.”

Hearing Aid Express has helped hearing impaired Texans for more than 20 years, with 11 offices in Houston, Dallas and Austin.

The company is a long-term member of the Better Business Bureau, is a registered provider for Medicaid, STAP and coordinates the Hearing Benefits Program for the Texas Retired Teachers Association. Hearing Aid Express has more than 70 different hearing aid models from multiple manufacturers at numerous price points. Battery prices are 50 cents each, the same price for 20 years.

For a free consultation and screening, please call 281-348-0001

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Don’t Let Hearing Loss Ruin The Holidays

Wednesday, December 12th, 2012

The holiday season can be a nightmare for someone with a hearing loss. Dinners, visits with grandchildren and crowded family gatherings can all be experiences that cause someone with hearing loss to act like Scrooge. That’s because these situations can be very difficult for someone with a hearing loss.

Situations with a lot of background noise like holiday music and multiple conversations occurring in the same room can make it nearly impossible to hear. It’s also hard for someone with a hearing loss to understand the voices of children and women.

Here are a few other signs you might have a hearing loss:

 Turning the television volume up louder than others in the room.

 Avoiding social situations or asking others to repeat themselves frequently.

 Hearing, but not understanding.

The holidays don’t have to be miserable. If you are experiencing any of these situations or think you may have a hearing loss contact our professionals today for a free hearing screening. After all, you deserve to enjoy the holidays just as much as anyone. Request an appointment today by clicking here .

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Hearing Aid Express Now Open In Georgetown

Monday, August 20th, 2012

Hearing Aid Express is celebrating the grand opening of it’s newest location in Georgetown, Texas.

The new office is located at 1102 South Austin St. Suite #106 in historic downtown Georgetown. It is on the northwest corner of South Austin and West University in the same center as UPS. The office is easily accessed from Interstate 35.

A grand opening celebration will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 20 – Aug. 24 at the new location. Texas residents can get a free screening for a free amplified phone through the Specialized Telecommunications Assistance Program (STAP), meet Licensed Dispenser Mysti Hodges, tour the facility, receive a free package of hearing aid batteries and get coupons worth $1,000 in savings for new hearing aids.

“We are very excited about our new Georgetown office,” said Brad Brumback, President & CEO of Hearing Aid Express. “With hundreds of current customers in the Georgetown area, this office will allow us to serve those clients while offering hearing healthcare to a whole new group of people.”

We are also celebrating the grand opening with special offers that can be redeemed at any of our 10 locations. To see these specials offers, visit http://hearingaidexpress.com/georgetown-grand-opening/

Call any of our locations today for a free hearing screening.

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ReSound Introduces New Budget Hearing Aids

Monday, August 13th, 2012

ReSound, a technology leader in hearing aid solutions, has launched ReSound Vea, a brand new line of hearing aids for budget conscious consumers.

ReSound Vea delivers superior sound quality and speech understanding in noise. The advanced features of Vea are based on ReSound’s latest technology, enabled by its Range chip. Warp processing and Dual Stabilizer II DFS deliver superior sound quality, while adaptive directionality, wind noise reduction and Noise Tracker II improve the patient’s hearing in noise.

“Compared to competing products, ReSound Vea has a huge advantage in the areas of adaptive directionality and reduction of both wind noise and background noise,” said Kevin Mensink, VP of Marketing, ReSound.

Vea also offers greater fitting flexibility, which means better ability to customize the gain in the hearing instrument to the patient’s individual hearing loss. Vea is treated with iSolate nanotech to ensure the same level of durability and protection against moisture, sweat and cerumen that is available on high-end ReSound models.

“At the end of the day, someone buying ReSound Vea is looking for a reliable hearing aid that delivers speech understanding in dynamic listening environments – without feedback and at a decent price,” said Jennifer Carlson, Commercial Product Manager, ReSound.

For more information on ReSound Vea, call your area Hearing Aid Express.

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Tinnitus Treatment Now Featured In Wireless Hearing Aids

Monday, December 5th, 2011

ReSound’s wireless hearing aid, the Alera, is now available with a tinnitus treatment option.

Tinnitus causes ringing in the ears and affects about 15% of the world’s population. It is the most prevalent physical condition reported by military service members and veterans.

The Bluetooth Alera TS combines an advanced hearing aid with a Tinnitus Sound Generator. The technology is used to administer sounds that make the disturbing tinnitus noise less noticeable, drawing your attention away from it. Over time, it can help retrain your brain to not notice the tinnitus even when you aren’t wearing the instrument.

“This kind of sound therapy when combined with informed counseling is recognized as a highly effective way of managing tinnitus,” said Michael Piskosz, M.S., ReSound.

The cause of tinnitus is unknown, but more than 80% report a significant or satisfactory improvement in tinnitus symptoms after using the Tinnitus Sound Generator feature, studies show.

The Alera also uses accessories to play sound wirelessly from your television, phones and computer directly into your hearing aids. It is available in custom, receiver in the ear and remote microphone styles and is available in three different technology levels.

“These people now have a flexible solution, and no longer have to live with tinnitus interrupting their daily lives,” Piskosz said.

To learn more about the Alera TS or to have a free demonstration, call a Hearing Aid Express office today.

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Myth Busther: Hearing Loss Isn’t Measured In Percentages

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

There are more myths surrounding hearing loss and hearing aids than most professionals can even keep track of. If you aren’t careful where you get your information, you could end up confused or even causing more damage to your hearing. That’s why it’s important to find a hearing professional you trust. In the meantime, here is one common hearing loss myth we want to set the record straight about.

Myth: It’s accurate to describe your hearing loss in a percentage.

Maybe you have heard a friend say something like this: “My doctor told me I have a 30% hearing loss in my right ear.”

Fact: Hearing loss isn’t measured in percentages. It’s measured by frequencies and pitches. When you lose your hearing, you lose the ability to hear certain sounds or frequencies. When you get a hearing test, hearing professionals check to see which frequencies (and to what degree) you hear and determine the ones you don’t. Your ability to hear one frequency could be much worse than that of another frequency. Describing a hearing loss with a single percentage wouldn’t take into account that you may have a hearing loss in more than one frequency. It also doesn’t take into account that the degree of loss could be different in those frequencies, making it an inaccurate description of your hearing loss. Hearing professionals usually refer to a hearing loss using these terms:

n Normal hearing, 0 to <25 dB

n Mild hearing loss, a 26 to 40 dB hearing loss

n Moderate hearing loss, a 41 to 70 dB hearing loss

n Severe hearing loss, a 71 to 90 dB hearing loss

n Profound hearing loss, great than 91 dB hearing loss

This chart is called an audiogram. To check your hearing, you will sit in a sound booth with earphones. During one portion of the test, a hearing professional plays tones at various pitches from soft to loud to determine at what point you can first detect each sound. The results of your hearing test are recorded on a graph called an audiogram.

Degrees of Hearing Loss

On the top of the audiogram are the pitches that are important for understanding speech. On the side, you will see the loudness level. As the numbers increase, so does the volume of the test signal. The further down the symbols are on the graph, the louder the sound had to be turned up before you could just barely hear it. In other words, the lower the symbols are on the graph, the more hearing loss you have at that pitch.

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Recognize Common Signs Of Hearing Loss

Friday, October 21st, 2011

It seems like your significant other or close friend just isn’t behaving normally. They are withdrawing. They don’t seem to be interested in conversation. They just don’t seem to want to take part in activities that used to interest them. They often don’t respond appropriately to questions or while engaging in conversation. For awhile you have suspected they have a hearing loss, but you just aren’t sure what to do.

It isn’t abnormal for someone with a hearing loss to isolate themselves. The best way to show you care is to accompany them to a professional hearing consultation, where a hearing test is performed.

According to the Better Hearing Institute, someone might have a hearing loss if they…

Require frequent repetition.
Have difficulty following conversations involving more than 2 people.
Think that other people sound muffled or like they’re mumbling.
Have difficulty hearing in noisy situations, like conferences, restaurants, malls, or crowded meeting rooms.
Have trouble hearing children and women.
Have their TV or radio turned up to a high volume.
Answer or respond inappropriately in conversations.
Have ringing in their ears.
Read lips or more intently watch people’s faces when they speak with you.

Or if they:

Feel stressed out from straining to hear what others are saying.
Feel annoyed at other people because they can’t hear or understand them.
Feel embarrassed to meet new people or from misunderstanding what others are saying.
Feel nervous about trying to hear and understand.
Withdraw from social situations that they once enjoyed because of difficulty hearing.

Or if they:

Have a family history of hearing loss.
Take medications that can harm the hearing system (ototoxic drugs).
Have diabetes, heart, circulation or thyroid problems.
Have been exposed to very loud sounds over a long period or single exposure to explosive noise.

If you suspect you or someone you care about has hearing loss, contact the professionals at Hearing Aid Express for a free consultation and demonstration of the latest technology. We are here to help.

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Free Amplified Phones Available To Texans With Hearing Loss

Tuesday, August 16th, 2011

Did you know there is a program in Texas that provides specialized amplified phones – for free – to Texans who have a hearing loss? It’s called the Specialized Telecommunications Assistance Program, or STAP. The program is part of the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

A paragraph from their website explains what it is: “The Specialized Telecommunications Assistance Program (STAP) is a statewide program that provides financial assistance for the purchase of specialized assistive equipment or services for Texans having a disability that interferes with their ability to access the telephone network.”

Here is what it means: If you are a Texas resident and have a hearing loss, the STAP program will provide you with a voucher that you can use to purchase a specialized amplified telephone. It doesn’t cost you anything, and you are eligible whether or not you wear hearing aids.

Hearing Aid Express is a registered vendor with the STAP program, and can help you get your amplified phone. Here are some frequently asked questions to help you better understand the program:

Who is Eligible for a Free Amplified Phone?

The STAP (Special Telecommunications Assistance Program) program is available to Texas residents who have a certain amount of hearing loss. Each household is eligible for one device every five years.

How Do I Find Out if I am Eligible?

We need a copy of a recent hearing test. If you haven’t had your hearing tested recently, Hearing Aid Express can screen your hearing in our offices for free to see if you qualify.

Who Pays for the Amplified Phones?

The STAP program, part of the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services under the Public Utility Commission of Texas, is funded by taxes assessed on people’s telephone service. A portion of these taxes is used to fund the STAP program and pays for the amplified telephones and other equipment.

Do I have a Choice of Phones?

At Hearing Aid Express you do. We have corded and cordless phones and even phones that work with caller ID.

When Do I Get My Phone?

Once the STAP program receives and processes your application, they will mail a voucher to you. When you get your voucher, call us or bring it in to one of our locations. We will exchange your signed voucher for a Free Amplified Phone.

Are There Other Products Besides Phones?

Yes! The STAP program has a wide variety of products available for hearing impaired Texas residents. Hearing Aid Express carries phones, ring signalers and wireless Bluetooth neck loops for people with hearing aids to connect to their cell phones and more.

What Should I Do Next?

Call us toll free at 800-348-2018 or come in to one of our stores. Be sure to bring proof of Texas residency with your current address on it (such as your driver’s license or a utility bill). We will help you fill out the STAP application and mail it in for you.

For more information about the STAP program you can visit their page on the Public Utility Commission’s website at: www.puc.state.tx.us/relaytexas/Overview.aspx

To find out how to get a free amplified phone go to: http://www.hearingaidexpress.com/free-amplified-phone.php.

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TSA Offers Advice For Flyers With Hearing Aids

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010

The check list of things to do when flying seems to be constantly changing. Travelers are often warned about what they can or can’t bring in their checked luggage. Most travelers also know you may pass through an X-ray, metal detector or be manually checked by airport security officials.

The process, at times, seems daunting, especially if you have trouble hearing.

The Transportation Security Administration travel guidelines assure travelers that bringing your hearing aids shouldn’t be a problem.

Here is the most up-to-date information regarding hearing aids from TSA. You can find more information at, www.tsa.gov.

It is not necessary to remove hearing aids at security checkpoints.

It is best if you wear your hearing device while going through the metal detector.

According to Otolaryngologist and Otolaryngology surgeons, hearing devices such as hearing aids are not affected by X-ray inspection, the walk-through metal detector, or the hand-held metal detector.

If the screening process is unclear to you, ask the Security Officer to write the information down.

If you can read lips or are hard of hearing, ask the Security Officer to look directly at you and repeat the information slowly.

If you need to communicate with the Security Officer, inform her/him of your disability and the way in which you can communicate. TSA Security Officers are trained to provide whatever assistance they can to persons with hearing disabilities.

If you are concerned or uncomfortable with going through the walk-thorough metal detector, you can ask for a full body pat-down of your person and a visual and physical inspection of the exterior component while it remains on your body.

We wish you a safe and happy holiday season whether traveling or not – Hearing Aid Express.

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State Benefit Helps Texans Get Free Amplified Phones

Friday, November 19th, 2010

Texans listen up: if you have a hearing loss, free help is available.

First, if you do have a certain level of hearing loss, we can help you get a free amplified telephone through the state’s STAP (Special Telecommunications Assistance Program) so you don’t have to strain to hear those important conversations.

STAP is part of the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services and is funded by taxes assessed on people’s telephone service. A portion of these taxes is used to fund the STAP program and pays for the amplified telephones. The program pays for one telephone per household every five years.

To be eligible for the program, we need a copy of a recent hearing test. If you haven’t had your hearing tested recently, we can screen your hearing in our offices for free.

If you have a certain level of hearing loss, we will help you fill out your STAP application and mail it in for you. If you are eligible, you will receive a voucher from the state. Bring us that voucher and you will be able to select the phone that’s best for you.

We have corded and cordless phones. Some are designed to us with caller ID while others are not. We even have Bluetooth neck loops designed to work with compatible cell phones.

Stop wondering if you have a hearing loss. Call the hearing professionals at Hearing Aid Express today.