Hearing Aid Program

Personalized Hearing Aid Services in Central Massachusetts

The Audiology Program at UMass Memorial Health offers the latest hearing aid technology. These small battery-powered devices make sounds louder, allowing you to hear better. Our hearing specialists (audiologists) partner with you to select the hearing device that’s right for your needs and diagnosis.

Understanding Hearing Aids

Our audiologists may recommend a hearing aid if hearing tests show you have sensorineural hearing loss. Damage to your inner ear — from aging, loud noises, tumors and certain health conditions — causes this type of hearing loss.

There are three key parts to a hearing aid:

1. Microphone: A microphone picks up sound waves and changes them to electrical signals.
2. Amplifier: An amplifier increases the power of these electrical signals.
3. Speaker: A built-in speaker (also called a receiver) sends the enhanced electrical signals into your ear.

Types of Hearing Aids We Offer

The right hearing aid for you depends on many factors, including the severity of hearing loss and your preferences. Many of the latest hearing aids are rechargeable, so you don’t have to replace batteries. They can also connect to your smartphone, so you can easily adjust them to hear better in noisy settings.

We offer a full range of hearing aids, including:

• Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid: A tiny plastic device behind your ear connects to a custom-fitted earmold or tubing in your ear. 
• Canal hearing aid: An in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aid fits the size and shape of your ear canal and sits deep in the canal. A completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aid fits is nearly impossible to see.
• In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid: This device fits entirely inside your outer ear.
• Receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) hearing aid: A tiny device behind your ear connects to a thin receiver wire that goes into your ear canal.

Our Hearing Aid Services

UMass Memorial provides a full range of hearing aid services, including:

• Accessories, such as cleaning kits, wax guards and charging cords
• Assistive listening devices
• Consultations, ear measurements and hearing aid fittings
• Custom-fitted earmolds and hearing protection
• Hearing aid inspections, cleaning, reprogramming and repairs
• Hearing tests