Frequently asked questions

No. Hearing tests are easy and painless. You listen to tones through headphones and signal when you hear them (ASHA, CDC).

Hearing loss often affects high pitches first. Many consonants, such as s and f, are soft and high-pitched, so speech can sound loud enough but still unclear.

Treat sudden hearing loss as urgent and see an ENT doctor straight away.

On MED-EL’s scale, 0 to 20 dB is normal. ASHA uses a stricter limit of 15 dB and notes that some professionals use 20 or 25 dB.

Lower marks mean a sound had to be louder before you heard it, so marks lower on the chart mean poorer hearing at that pitch.

A red O usually marks your right ear and a blue X your left ear, both tested through headphones (air conduction).

It is the difference between your air conduction and bone conduction results. A clear gap points to conductive or mixed hearing loss.

It shows the type and degree of hearing loss and helps identify a suitable solution (MED-EL). Your audiologist will combine it with speech tests and your daily needs before recommending an option.

No. Hearing aids make sounds easier to hear, but Mayo Clinic notes that they do not restore normal hearing.

It depends on your hearing in each ear. Starkey says about two-thirds of new users choose two hearing aids, and that as a group they report higher satisfaction than people who buy one.

Yes. Instalment plans are available through banks and instalment companies. Ask our team for the options when you visit.

Not yet. We are working on agreements with health insurance companies and will list them here once they are in place.

Many modern hearing aids stream calls and music over Bluetooth (FDA, Mayo Clinic). Ask us which Starkey models work with your phone.

The invisible-in-canal (IIC) style. Starkey calls it the smallest, most discreet hearing aid it makes, although whether it is invisible depends on the shape of your ear.

Starkey describes behind-the-ear (BTE) aids as ideal for moderate to severe hearing loss. Mayo Clinic notes that BTEs hold the largest receiver and can give the most volume.

Yes, in select styles. Starkey lists up to 51 hours of battery life for Omega AI+ and Edge AI in the RIC RT style. Other styles vary.

Not always. Smaller styles use smaller batteries that need changing more often, may not have room for controls and can be harder to handle (Starkey, Mayo Clinic).

The FDA notes that behind-the-ear aids are often chosen for young children, because the earmold can be replaced as the child grows.

Mayo Clinic says hearing aids should last about five years.

Tinnitus is hearing a sound that has no outside source, so other people cannot hear it (NIDCD). It can sound like ringing, buzzing, humming or hissing (NHS).

The NHS says tinnitus is not usually a sign of anything serious and may get better by itself. See a doctor urgently if it beats in time with your pulse, or comes with sudden hearing loss, facial weakness or a spinning sensation.

The NIDCD calls hearing aids one of the main treatment options for people with tinnitus who also have hearing loss, because they make outside sounds easier to hear. ASHA adds that some hearing aids have a built-in tinnitus masker.

The NIDCD says there is currently no cure, but there are ways to reduce symptoms. It also notes that supplements advertised as cures have not been proven to work.

A hearing aid makes sound louder. A cochlear implant works differently: it bypasses the damaged part of the inner ear and stimulates the hearing nerve directly with electrical signals. That is why it can help when hearing loss is too severe for hearing aids to give clear speech.

Children and adults with severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss, in one or both ears, who get limited benefit from hearing aids. Common signs are that hearing aids no longer help, phone calls are hard, or you rely heavily on lip-reading. A full medical and hearing assessment confirms whether an implant is right for you.

Children can be implanted from a young age, from around 6 months depending on the implant and the medical team, and children implanted early have the best chance of developing language like their hearing peers. There is no upper age limit: general health and willingness to take part in rehabilitation matter more than age.

Cochlear implant surgery is a routine procedure that usually takes 1 to 2 hours. Most people are up and about the next day and go home after a short hospital stay. Recovery generally takes 1 to 2 weeks, avoiding heavy lifting and strenuous exercise for a few weeks.

The audio processor is switched on at the first fitting, usually 2 to 4 weeks after surgery. Hearing then keeps improving over the following months with regular fittings and rehabilitation.

Yes, under certain conditions. The SYNCHRONY 2 implant is MR Conditional at up to 3.0 Tesla without removing the magnet, unless removal is needed for diagnostic reasons, and MED-EL covers its cochlear implants with a lifelong MRI guarantee. Always tell the radiology team that you have an implant.

Yes. SONNET 3 and RONDO 3 are waterproof (IP68) for fresh water, and the WaterWear cover makes them fully waterproof in salt and chlorinated water. Wear a helmet wherever one is normally worn, and protect the implant site from direct knocks.

No. MED-EL designs its new audio processors to work with MED-EL implants from the last 20 years and more, so upgrading only means a new processor and a fitting.

Many MED-EL users say they enjoy music and find it sounds natural, and some are professional musicians. MED-EL uses long electrodes that cover the whole cochlea and sound coding designed to bring out fine detail in music.

Yes. A cochlear implant in the deaf ear can restore hearing with both ears, which helps with understanding speech in noise, following group conversations and telling where sounds come from.

Most people recover within 1 to 2 weeks. Avoid heavy lifting and strenuous exercise for 2 to 4 weeks, and follow the advice of your surgeon.

The operation is done under anaesthesia. Mild to moderate discomfort afterwards is usually managed with ordinary painkillers.

Usually 1 to 2 weeks after surgery. Check with your surgeon before you travel.

Yes. Metal detectors do not affect the implant. MED-EL provides an implant ID card that you can show at security.

MED-EL cochlear implants are MR conditional. SYNCHRONY 2 allows scans at up to 3.0 Tesla without removing the magnet, unless removal is needed for diagnosis, and MED-EL offers a lifelong MRI guarantee. Always tell the radiology team that you have an implant.

Yes, with few restrictions. Wear a helmet where one is normally worn and protect the implant area from direct knocks. The latest MED-EL processors are waterproof, and WaterWear covers are available for the sea and swimming pools.

No. Upgrading usually means a new audio processor and a fitting, with no further surgery. MED-EL designs its new processors to work with its earlier implants.

Coverage depends on your insurer or scheme. Contact us and we will help you understand your options.

No. The vibrations are passed to the inner ear and heard as sound, not felt.

Abutment-type bone-anchored aids use a screw that passes through the skin, leaving a site that needs daily care. Headband-type aids press on the skin and can be uncomfortable. BONEBRIDGE sits completely under the skin, so there is no open wound and no pressure.

Yes. A non-surgical device such as ADHEAR lets you experience bone conduction hearing before you decide on an implant.

The latest BONEBRIDGE and VIBRANT SOUNDBRIDGE implants are MR conditional at 1.5 Tesla and covered by the MED-EL lifelong MRI guarantee. X-ray and CT scans have no restrictions. Always tell the radiology team that you have an implant.

SAMBA 2 is water resistant for everyday life. For swimming, in the sea or in a pool, use a WaterWear cover.

Recovery from BONEBRIDGE surgery usually takes 2 to 4 weeks, and you should avoid heavy lifting for about 2 weeks. Your surgeon will advise you.

MED-EL lists ADHEAR for all ages and VIBRANT SOUNDBRIDGE for children from 5 years. Your ENT surgeon will advise on the right option and timing for your child.

With VIBRANT SOUNDBRIDGE, avoid contact sports that could hit the implant site. Take the audio processor off to sleep, shower or bathe.

MED-EL describes hearing loss in one ear as surprisingly common. Many people live with it for years because they can still follow conversations in quiet places.

Hearing aids make sound louder, so they help when an ear still has usable hearing. For a deaf ear, a CROS hearing aid sends sound from that side to your hearing ear. Bone conduction devices and cochlear implants are other options.

Yes. CROS hearing aids and ADHEAR need no surgery, so you can try them with your audiologist first (MED-EL).

Please do not wait. ASHA notes that children with hearing loss in one ear can have more difficulty with speech, learning and social skills. A hearing test is the first step.

Treat it as urgent and see an ENT doctor straight away.

MED-EL cochlear implants work with any brand of hearing aid, including the one you are wearing now (MED-EL). Your audiologist will check that it still suits your hearing.

No, bimodal hearing works with any brand. Streaming from an iPhone to a MED-EL processor and a hearing aid at the same time works with Starkey hearing aids, through the DualSync partnership.

No. MED-EL notes that you can keep using your hearing aid in your other ear after the implant is switched on.

MED-EL says combining both gives better sound clarity than a hearing aid or a cochlear implant alone, especially in noise. Results differ from person to person.

MED-EL says about two hours, and most people return to their daily routine after a few days.

Yes. ASHA states that audiologists test children of all ages, even babies. The CDC explains that hearing tests are easy and not painful, and some can be done while the baby sleeps.

Yes. NIDCD notes that hearing loss can occur at any time of life. The CDC recommends that children at risk of later hearing loss have at least one hearing test by 2 to 2½ years of age. If you notice any warning signs, book a test.

It depends on the cause. Some hearing problems are temporary. For example, NIDCD notes that fluid left in the middle ear after an infection usually clears within three to six weeks. Other types of hearing loss are long-term, and some can get worse over time. Do not wait to see: only a hearing test can tell you what is happening.

As early as possible. The CDC’s 1-3-6 guideline aims for intervention by 6 months of age. MED-EL also notes that children who receive a cochlear implant at a young age are more likely to succeed, because the young brain is ready to learn language.

MED-EL describes cochlear implant surgery as safe and routine, taking about one to two hours, with a hospital stay of a day or two. Like any surgery, it has some risks. Your ENT surgeon will explain these and check whether an implant is right for your child.

Many can. NIDCD states that many children who receive cochlear implants succeed in mainstream classrooms. With the right device, therapy and support from teachers, children with hearing loss can learn alongside their classmates.