What sets us apart?
Tami Mehl Audiology pride ourselves on fitting the most technologically advanced hearing aids, from the best manufacturers available, to suit your personal needs. Identifying your individual requirements and choosing the right hearing aid for you is just the start of our journey together. Investing in state of the art equipment and international training allows us to deliver a premium experience so that you can get the results you expect from your investment.
Selecting Hearing Aids
Whether it’s just been confirmed that you need a hearing aid or you’ve been wearing hearing aids for many years, our audiologists specialise in helping you to select the most appropriate solution for your needs, in the context of your lifestyle and personal goals. Tami Mehl Audiology is proudly independent of any hearing aid manufacturer or commercial company. This enables us to choose any brand of hearing aid available in South Africa and to attend regular and diverse training, to stay on top of industry developments. We strongly advise every patient to ‘test drive’ a selection of appropriate hearing aids and to accept a hearing aid trial period. This is an important part of making an informed choice. In addition, once you buy your hearing aid, its servicing will always be a priority for us.
Technology and style
Tami Mehl Audiology supplies a vast selection of digital hearing aids that use advanced signal processing and directional microphones for optimal hearing. Our spectrum of devices includes both entry-level hearing aids and the latest in blue-tooth and wireless technology, which helps us to find the ideal solution for you as an individual living in the digital era. There are many styles of hearing the instrument, including completely-in-the-canal, in-the-canal, in-the-ear and behind-the-ear. Most hearing aid technology is available in your choice of these styles and our audiologists will help you to determine which will work best for you.
Validation and verification
Using advanced fitting equipment, we perform REAL EAR MEASUREMENTS (REM) that customise, verify and fine tune hearing aids in real time. By placing a very small microphone close to the eardrum and presenting a signal we can measure the actual response of your ear to sound. REM measurements measure the ‘actual’ response of the ear to sound and determine the real ear measurement, rather than an ‘estimated’ measurement recommended by fitting software. In other words … we personalise the response of the hearing aid to your individual and specific hearing needs.
With advances in technology, approximately 95% of people with a sensorineural hearing loss can be helped with hearing aids.
Debunking Hearing Aid Myths
- Hearing loss affects only “old people” and is a sign of ageing.
Did you know that, in fact, 65% of people with hearing loss are younger than 64? It can affect all age groups. - My hearing loss is normal for my age.
Okay. But it happens to be “normal” for overweight people to have high blood pressure. This doesn’t mean they shouldn’t receive treatment for the problem. - If I had a hearing loss, my family doctor would have told me.
Not true! Only 14% of doctors in first-world countries routinely screen for hearing loss. Since most people with hearing impairments hear well in a quiet environment, like a doctor’s office, your doctor may never recognise the extent of your problem. Special training and an understanding of the nature of hearing loss are required to diagnose a hearing problem. - I have one ear that’s ‘down’ a little, but the other one’s okay.
Everything is relative. Nearly all patients who believe that they have one “good” ear actually have two “bad” ears. When one ear is slightly better than the other, we learn to favour that ear for the telephone, group conversations, etc. This can give the illusion that “the better ear” is normal when it isn’t. Most types of hearing loss affect both ears fairly equally and about 90% of patients are actually in need of hearing aids for both ears. - My hearing loss can’t be treated/fixed.
Many people with hearing the loss in one ear, a high-frequency hearing loss or nerve damage have been told they can’t be helped. This may have been true years ago, but with modern technology, 95% of people with a sensorineural hearing loss can be helped.