Let’s face it—hearing aids can be frustrating.
You invest thousands of dollars hoping to finally reconnect with the world around you. But for many people, the result is a daily struggle:
- Voices are still hard to follow in noisy places
- The aids have feedback, or annoying hissing or squealing
- They don’t stream reliably to phones
- The devices are uncomfortable,
- The devices break or don’t work reliably
- And when you try to get help? You’re stuck in a loop of bad customer support
At Timpanogos Hearing & Tinnitus, we hear these stories every day. Almost every day we get calls in our office from people who have purchased expensive hearing aids online or from big box retailers, wondering if there’s any way we can help. Sometimes we can, but most of the time they’ve purchased off-brand or proprietary technology (such as the Kirkland Brand from Costco) that can only be adjusted by the company who sold them. We do what we can to help, but as with most things, preventing the problem in the first place is a better strategy.
These common problems aren’t inevitable, they’re fixable with the right plan, the right provider, and the right technology.
Here are a few of the most common complaints we hear, along with our solutions.
1. The Problem: "I can hear, but I can't understand."
The Fix: Speech-in-noise testing + real-ear measurements + smart programming
The dirty secret? Most hearing aids are programmed using averages and a lazy or untrained professional will just trust those averages and hope that, because it works for 80% of people, it will work for you. That’s like buying glasses off the shelf without knowing your actual prescription.
Best practices demand speech-in-noise testing to understand how your brain processes speech in chaotic environments—allowing programming of your hearing aids customized to your specific needs. Best practices also include real-ear measurements (REM), the gold standard in hearing aid fitting, to precisely calibrate how your devices perform in your actual ears, not in a lab. This is one of the major problems with devices you purchase online– you don’t get that individualized testing and calibration by a trained professional.
The good news is that these tests are simple, quick, and included with every treatment plan in our clinic.
2. Problem: “Even with hearing aids, I still feel exhausted and isolated.”
The Fix: Hearing is a brain activity, and we treat it that way.
Most people assume that we hear with our ears, but the truth is we hear with our brains. We are seeing new research nearly every week showing the vital relationship between hearing and cognitive health. Making sure that the brain is getting proper auditory stimulation is a key focus in our clinics. We don’t just fit devices—we build a comprehensive auditory rehabilitation plan that supports your brain’s adjustment to hearing sound again. This includes:
- Cognitive stimulation tools
- Listening therapy apps
- Gradual adaptation programming
- Yearly cognitive screening
- And ongoing fine-tuning based on your experience, not just your audiogram
Treating hearing loss isn’t just about your ears—it’s about helping your brain get the auditory stimulation it needs to stay healthy and active.
3. The Problem: “The constant squealing or hiss is unbearable.”
The Fix: Best-in-class digital feedback cancellation and personalized fittings
Have you ever sat by someone whose hearing aids are squealing and driving you crazy? Thank goodness modern hearing aid technology has evolved and that doesn’t need to happen anymore! We work with premium brands (like Oticon, Phonak, ReSound, and Widex) that use AI-powered feedback suppression and adaptive directionality to block out wind noise, reduce microphone hiss, and stop the embarrassing squeal of feedback.
One simple way to fix feedback is to ensure that you have the correct tip on the hearing aid. Many people don’t know that a poorly fit dome or mold is one of the top causes of feedback and one of the easiest fixes. However, if you purchase your hearing device online, you have to guess yourself which of the 2-3 sizes of tips they send will work for you. Take the guessing out of hearing health and start with a professional.
4.The Problem: “My hearing aids keep disconnecting from my phone or TV.”
The Fix: Reliable Bluetooth streaming with patient coaching and tech support
Our patients don’t just walk out the door with new hearing aids, they leave with hearing devices paired to their phones, with access to a library of videos to help them with common connectivity issues when needed, as well as walk-in access to our well-trained technicians who can generally fix connectivity problems quickly. They help pair your devices to phones, tablets, smart TVs, and more. And if things ever glitch? We offer remote support, tech tune-ups, and real-time help via phone, video, or in-office.
Pro tip: Some devices work better with iPhone, some with Android. We’ll help you choose the right fit for your tech life.
5.The Problem: “I don’t know what program I’m supposed to use!”
The Fix: Automatic scene detection + intuitive app controls
When we first opened our clinic, programmable hearing aids were just becoming a thing. We would set up 2-3 programs for users (one for church, one for restaurants, one for music, etc.) and the user had to push a button on the hearing aid to switch between programs. This was cutting edge technology – TWENTY YEARS AGO!
Some online devices still advertise having special programs as if that is a great feature, but using programs is like purchasing one of those brick-size cell phones from 1998. Why would you want to have to mess with programs on your hearing aids when today’s hearing aids adjust automatically based on where you are—crowded restaurant, quiet home, or busy street?
And with the help of your personalized app (which we train you on), you can fine-tune volume, directionality, and background suppression with just a tap.
We keep it simple. You stay in control.
6. The Problem: “They itch, feel weird, or fall out all the time.”
The Fix: Custom molds + gradual adaptation schedule + expert follow-ups
No two ears are the same. That’s why we offer custom earmolds, soft, hypoallergenic domes, hand-fitted to your anatomy. If your ears change (yes, they do with age!), we’ll refit you at no extra charge during your follow-ups. We have special anti-itch ear lotion to help your ears get used to the feel of hearing aids in them. Our award-winning providers are well-trained at fitting just the right sized speakers and tips to be comfortable without sacrificing sound quality.
We also provide a comfort-first adaptation timeline, so you gradually increase usage without feeling overwhelmed. These are seemingly small services that have big effects on how well you adapt to wearing hearing aids and how successful you are in your hearing journey.
7. The Problem: “I can’t reach anyone. And now I’m stuck with something I can’t use.”
The Fix: Dedicated, local care team with ongoing partnership and concierge level care.
This one infuriates us. We hear often that people purchase hearing aids online but can’t get anyone to help them when they break or have problems. The reality is that hearing aids are tiny computers with electronic parts that you are putting in your ears for 12-18 hours a day. Put ear wax, skin oils and tiny electronic components in the mix and you are bound to have occasional problems that require a knowledgeable human actually looking at the device to fix. (95% of the time people bring in non-functioning devices, we are able to fix in 5 minutes in our office!) We’re a locally owned clinic with deep roots in the community—and every patient gets personal, long-term care.
- Unlimited appointments during your adjustment period
- Lifetime cleanings, adjustments, and in-office repairs
- And real answers from a team who knows your name
You Deserve More Than Just “Better Than Nothing”
Too many people settle for hearing aids that don’t truly improve their lives. At Timpanogos Hearing & Tinnitus, we believe you deserve more—more clarity, more comfort, more connection. Every week, we see patients who tried to “save money” by purchasing hearing aids online or from the same place they buy giant bottle of peanut butter and bags of Doritos. Unfortunately this ends up costing them because eventually they either:
- Spend more money to do it right when that cheap option doesn’t pan out or
- Lose out on hearing family and friends, put their brain health at risk, increase risk of falls, and experience more tinnitus because they are too stubborn to fix the mistake and just live with inferior hearing care. (We call this sunk-cost fallacy thinking. You didn’t fail by choosing the wrong hearing aids—but you don’t have to keep suffering just to justify the money you spent!)
If your hearing aids aren’t working for you, or you’re overwhelmed by the process of choosing the right ones, let’s talk. Give us a call or download a free copy of our book today.
