Frequently Asked Questions

Is it very expensive to buy a hearing aid privately?

Buying hearing aids privately is more affordable than ever before. At Boots hearingcare and David Ormerod Hearing Centres we offer a wide range of instruments priced competitively to suit all budgets.

For some people the initial outlay may seem significant but if you think that you will be wearing your hearing aids on average 17 hours a day, every day and that they could last you up to 5 years, per day the cost, which also includes a full aftercare service, is not as prohibitive as it might first seem. Prices start from just £149.

Sound Frequency

The NHS has told me that I have a very difficult hearing loss to aid as I can hear most sounds okay but it is just the very high frequency sounds that I cannot hear. Would Boots hearingcare and David Ormerod Hearing Centres be able to help?

We offer a much broader range of hearing aid solutions than the NHS. In particular we specialise in a concept called Open Fittings, which are excellent for people with high frequency hearing loss. Because they ensure that the ear is not blocked up, unrequired sounds are not amplified and emphasis can be given to the required high frequency sounds without creating feedback. It is certainly worth exploring the options with our hearing aid audiologists.

In many cases it is possible for you to have a demonstration during the consultation so you can experience how different hearing aids might sound.

Are all hearing aids beige?

The typical image that many people have of a hearing instrument is now long outdated. Whilst the aids available on the NHS are typically brown or beige, we offer a wide range of designs and colour options at Boots hearingcare and David Ormerod Hearing Centres.

Generally custom-made in-the-ear hearing aids are skin tone – they often have a colour range of skin tones to get a best match. Behind-the-ear devices range from skin colours and silvers to bright primary colours. There are even glittery ear moulds now available.

What type of hearing aids are available?

Hearing aids are available in a variety of different shapes, sizes and types.

Digital hearing aids are the latest in hearing aid technology and have a small computer inside them. This computer will process the sounds that the hearing aid receives. This small computer allows your hearing aid audiologist to customise the hearing aid to suit your hearing loss.

Most digital hearings aids come in the following styles:

On-the-ear digital hearing aids, typically the size of a paper clip, are attached to a small ear tip by micro tube, which fit discreetly behind your ear.

In-the-canal digital hearing aids are inconspicuous and customised to fit at the entrance of your ear canal.

In-the-ear digital hearing aids are customised to fit neatly into your ear; this digital hearing aid offers more power than other small digital hearing aids.

Behind-the-ear digital hearing aid fit comfortably behind your ear and attaches to a custom-made ear mould.

Your hearing aid audiologist will help you to choose the hearing aid that is best suited to your hearing loss, your preference for style and your budget.