Hearing Aid Technology
Services at RK Audiology include comprehensive hearing evaluations, tinnitus assessments and treatment, real ear measurement, video otoscopy (view of the ear with a small camera that transmits images to a larger screen), ear cleaning/earwax removal, 3D digital ear scans, and ear impressions. The RK team specializes in evaluating, fitting & programming, servicing, and repairing all makes and models of hearing aid technology.
Financing is available through CareCredit; click here to apply online for RK South and click here for RK West.
To learn more about Lenire Tinnitus Treatment: https://rkaudiology.com/lenire-tinnitus-treatment-in-austin-tx/
Read more about tinnitus and treatment options by visiting the American Tinnitus Association site: https://www.ata.org/about-tinnitus/
SERVICES MENU
» Hearing Tests
» Tinnitus Evaluation
» Ear Wax Removal
» Real Ear Measurement
» Hearing Aid Fitting
» Hearing Aid Maintenance and Repair
» Sensorineural Hearing Loss Treatment
Check out videos from Dr. Cliff, AuD, for information on the latest hearing aids, ear candling, and other hearing-related topics.
Watch MythBuster’s cast member and Tested podcast founder Adam Savage as he raves about his Widex Evoke hearing aids and how they let him personalize sound to best enjoy every moment.
Signia Active X
Bridging the gap between hearing aids and consumer electronics
Ready to wear, Signia Active X combines an iconic user-friendly design similar to premium consumer earbuds with audiological high-tech. This includes Signia Xperience technology for enhanced speech understanding in noise, Bluetooth® connectivity, portable Li-ion rechargeability, and the self-service convenience of the Signia Assistant.
Phonak
Phonak Lumity
In order to fully participate in conversations, it’s important to understand what is being said, in any listening situation. Featuring our cutting-edge Phonak SmartSpeech™ Technology, Phonak Lumity prioritizes speech understanding and lets you experience conversations with peace of mind. Now available in our expanded Lumity portfolio, fitting a wider range of ages and degrees of hearing loss with the latest Lumity technology.
Virto B-Titanium
Super discreet
The smallest Phonak in-the-ear hearing aid ever.
Titanium strong
Custom made from titanium to fit perfectly in your ear.
Automatic adaption
Excellent hearing performance with AutoSense OS.
Phonak Virto Black
Custom hearing aid now also available in stylish black finish with direct connectivity and hands-free calls.
Available Features:
• Custom
• Low visibility
• Mild to profound hearing loss
• Wireless
• Direct connectivity
• Hands-free calls
Oticon has also introduced HearingFitness – the world’s first hearing fitness tracking technology. Similar to an exercise tracker, HearingFitness monitors and analyzes hearing aid use, listening environments, and other behaviors to determine the impact of hearing on the wearer’s overall health, and makes recommendations to help wearers optimize the use of their hearing instruments.
Financing is available through CareCredit; click here to apply online for RK South and click here to apply online for RK West.
Oticon Real Hearing Aids
Hearing aid technology designed to support your brain. https://www.oticon.com/solutions/real-hearing-aids
Now you can get back the real sounds of life — precise and balanced — with Oticon Real, delivering:
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Technology that supports how the brain naturally processes sounds
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Better access to the full sound scene
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Increased awareness, engagement, and focus in the real world
Real power. Real styles.
Oticon Real has a distinct, elegant design and is available in 4 styles, nine colors*, and two charger options.
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Oticon Real miniRITE T style comes with disposable batteries for hassle‑free, immediate replacement of power.
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Oticon Real miniRITE R rechargeable style allows for overnight charging or charging on the go with our SmartCharger.
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Oticon Real miniBTE T style is ideal for those who prefer disposable batteries.
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Oticon Real miniBTE R is available for those who want the convenience of a rechargeable hearing aid.
Widex
Even a great hearing aid has always sounded like a hearing aid – until now. The revolutionary WIDEX MOMENT™ has changed the game by delivering the most pure, natural sound ever. Typically, sound processed in a hearing aid reaches the eardrum later than sound heard directly through its vents. When these two ‘out of sync’ signals mix, they create an artificial sound. Through industry-leading ZeroDelay™ technology, WIDEX MOMENT™ eliminates this delay—and the distortion it creates.
RK Audiologists are Certified Providers of Lyric hearing instruments.
Lyric is a great solution for active lifestyles and those seeking discreet hearing instruments. Incredible hearing, all day, every day. Lyric is 100% invisible, hassle-free, sweatproof, and shower proof, worn 24/7 for 2-3 months at a time.
Phonak Lyric – The world’s only 100% invisible hearing aid that delivers clear, natural sound!
• 100% Invisible
• Clear, natural sound
• 24/7 hearing
Placed in your ear canal, Lyric remains completely out of sight – invisible to the world. Lyric uses the natural anatomy of your ear to localize sound and delivers a full, natural listening experience. Wear Lyric around the clock for months at a time without taking it out through daily activities such as exercising or even showering.
This is micro-engineering at its best. Lyric is a very small, discreet hearing aid. Its miniature size combined with its exceptional build quality, allows it to withstand the challenging conditions within the ear canal. Lyric uses the natural anatomy of the ear to amplify and give you a full, natural listening experience.
To learn more about invisible hearing with Lyric, make a Lyric appointment.
SUPPORT & CARE
Need help with your hearing instruments outside of our office hours? Send us a message here or check out the options for additional online help, below.
Online help is available 24/7 to fix common challenges and/or help in pairing your hearing instruments with your smartphone or other accessories. See below for support links for Oticon, Phonak, Resound, Signia, Sonic, Starkey, and Widex.
- Click here for Oticon.
- Click here for Phonak.
- Click here for Resound.
- Click here for Signia.
- Click here for Sonic.
- Click here for Starkey.
- Click here for Widex.
RK Audiology fits, programs, reprograms, updates, and repairs all brands of hearing aids, including Lyric Hearing, Oticon, Phonak, Resound, Signia, Sonic, and Widex.
High-Tech Options Released
Many hearing aid devices now have a rechargeable option.
An easy overnight charge gives you full power for the day without the hassle of handling batteries.
Hear from a musician who discusses the benefits of playing music wearing the hearing technology.
Customize your listening experience by matching to your own preferences, easily, discreetly from your phone. Additional helpful features include “find my hearing aid” and geotagging. With this feature, the wearer can set a certain location (such as the car, favorite restaurant or theater) with particular settings. When re-visiting the same place, the device will prompt the user to activate these same settings.
Styles
Hearing instrument styles may be broadly classified as standard or custom. In addition, they may be further defined as daily or extended wear.
Standard includes receiver-in-the-ear (RITE), receiver-in-the-canal (RIC) and behind-the-ear (BTE) devices. These are designed to fit most ears and usually require some customization of the earpiece and the connection of the device to the earpiece.
Custom includes in-the-ear (ITE), in-the-canal (ITC), completely-in-the-canal (CIC) and invisible-in-the-canal (IIC) devices. These require a custom-molded shell which houses the electronics. Both standard and custom hearing aid technology are available in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. Read more about the Virto B-Titanium, the discreet custom-made IIC hearing aid from Phonak.
Extended wear devices are non-surgically placed in each ear canal by an audiologist and stay in 24/7 for 2-3 months at a time. These invisible hearing aid devices are purchased on a subscription basis and replaced in our office.
Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAPS)
Personal sound amplification products (PSAPs) are devices used to amplify hard-to-hear sounds for those with normal hearing. For example, PSAPs may help to hear from the back of a lecture hall, while eating in a crowded restaurant or to assist in hearing the high-pitched call of various birds while bird watching.
Sound Advice: If your hearing is impaired, don’t use a PSAP as a substitute for a hearing aid. That may delay the diagnosis of a potentially treatable condition, and cause more damage to your hearing.
(Excerpt taken from the Federal Trade Commission Consumer Information: Buying a Hearing Aid)
One or Two Hearing Instruments
If both ears need amplification, your audiologist will recommend two devices. Research has shown that two hearing aids provide superior benefit including better word recognition in quiet and noisy backgrounds, better quality of sound, localization ability, and more natural hearing.
Research has also shown that when both ears have hearing loss and only one ear is fitted, the unaided ear may lose speech recognition ability more rapidly than the fitted ear.
Features
Several features are available to improve your hearing technology experience. Directional microphones enhance speech understanding in noise, smart algorithms help manage background noise, feedback cancellation alleviates the annoyance of whistling and buzzing, and telephone/telecoil options access sound from phones and other sound sources.
Smart apps, wireless / bluetooth / remote microphone technologies allow for smart communication between hearing devices as well as pairing to cell phones, TV, MP3 players and other devices.
Fitting
Following your hearing evaluation and hearing instrument selection, the devices are fit and programmed, tailored to your own hearing thresholds, communication needs and preferences.
Your new hearing instruments will allow you to hear without discomfort while being secure and physically comfortable. This new technology will be evaluated in our office with tests including real ear measurement, as well as in sound environments important to you.
Untreated hearing loss impairs memory, may cause difficulty related to learning new tasks and may result in decreased job performance. Hearing loss treated with the use of hearing technology has been shown to decrease fatigue and irritability, lower risk to personal safety and decrease withdrawal from social situations. Numerous research studies have found that the regular use of hearing aids increases the wearer’s quality of life.
Portions of this information have been republished with permission from the American Academy of Audiology.
For more information, review the Consumer Reports Hearing Aid Buying Guide, updated April 24, 2023.
Hearing Aid Care
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the benefits of Rechargeables?
- What if I have ringing in my ears? (Tinnitus)
- What if I forgot to charge my batteries?
- More reassuring – Charging your hearing aids overnight quickly becomes a routine. The charger gives them an overnight “home” so you always remember where they are, and you can count on a full charge in the morning, so you are ready for your day.
- More convenient – There’s no need to replace batteries every few days. You don’t even have to open the battery drawer.
- More efficient – Save the time, money and environmental impact of buying hundreds of batteries every year.
New rechargeable options from Phonak are making the news. You can enjoy 24 hours of hearing with one simple charge.
Hearing instruments including the Oticon OPN have proven sound generator technology integrated into the hearing aids for all styles and performance levels to help with relief from ringing in the ears (tinnitus). The wearer can select from a wide range of customizable tinnitus relief sounds which are dynamic, yet soothing — including broadband (white, pink and red noise) and nature sounds, including the sound of the ocean. Wearers can discreetly adjust these sounds using an iPhone or Android device.
Read more about tinnitus and treatment from the American Tinnitus Association.
Although the rechargeable battery has plenty of power for the day, you can still use standard disposable batteries in emergencies.
It’s always smart to have a backup. Opn’s hybrid battery design allows you to use either a rechargeable or a standard battery. You can be confident that your hearing will not be interrupted if you forgot to charge.