Discover Types of Hearing Aids
Hearing Diagnostics Precision at its Best
Hearing aids are a long term commitment, and we are trained in guiding you to find the perfect match.
Since the experience of wearing hearing aids is unique and deeply personal, we customise our hearing solutions to meet your individual needs.
As a first step we investigate the hearing impairment by conducting free hearing tests for all our customers in order to acquire an in-depth understanding of the quality of their hearing. Equipped with cutting edge technology, our in-house diagnostic centres are led by an experienced and qualified team of clinical Audiologists who are hearing aid specialists that understand your medical requirements and personal preferences. The tests are conducted in a sterile environment and all our procedures are non-invasive, risk free and painless.
Holistic assessment of hearing loss
In broad terms there are two categories of hearing tests that we conduct in our diagnostic centres - objective and subjective assessments. Objective tests require passive participation from the patient, while subjective tests require active participation with responses to various stimulants administered by our audiologists.
In order to help find the most effective hearing aid for you or your loved one, we use state-of-the art technology in our diagnostic labs to perform non-invasive objective and subjective hearing tests for diagnosis of hearing loss in infants, children and adults. Prior to prescribing the most suitable hearing aid, our audiologists may recommend one or more of the following hearings tests based on the ENT's evaluation and the individual's symptoms.
Customer Feedback
I highly recommend Altair for hearing aids. I purchased hearing aid for my mom there. Both the staff were wonderful. Mr. Devanand explained to us thoroughly about various hearing aid options. After we decided on a specific model, in fact, he adviced us to try it for couple of days which made us to decide better. My mom is very happy with her new hearing aids. We visited couple of time after the purchase to tune the hearing aid and the service was great. I highly recommend Altair.
- Arunkumar SekarCustomer
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I was impressed with their excellent treatment and hospitality they provide. They suggest the correct model to suit our needs. This gives confidence, reliability and trustworthiness to their product and service.
- Jamuna JJCustomer
Customer Feedback
Very good response, excellent service. Purchased the hearing aid for my father two months back, Till now Altair staffs voluntarily calling us and asking whether any issue is available with the hearing aid and resolving the same and they are easily available all the time when we need help. Overall very good place to get hearing aid and there are many varieties available we can choose based on our budget.
- Raji ThirumuruganCustomer
Types of Hearing Tests That We Provide
This subjective hearing test is performed on adults and children to ascertain the quality of hearing experience including clarity, ability to distinguish sounds and ease of hearing. Audiometry tests are critical in diagnosing sensorineural hearing loss caused by damaged nerves or cochlea, and conductive hearing loss caused by damage to the eardrum or bones in the inner ear.
- Pure Tone Audiometry is a type of audiometry test that employs an audiometer to help estimate the softest tone that the individual has the capacity to hear in each ear. The sound is played over headphones at varying pitches to determine the range of hearing.
- Speech Audiometry determines the ability of an individual to hear one or two syllable words, as well as evaluates their comprehension of the words spoken.
This objective hearing test for adults and children uses tympanometry to examine the efficacy of the eardrum (tympanic membrane) and the middle ear. Audiologists use a tympanogram graph to determine the strength of the vibrations transmitted from the eardrum to the inner ear.
A second variant of the impedance audiometry test is the audio reflex test. When exposed to loud sound the stapedius muscle involuntarily contracts, this non invasive test thereby gauges an individual's tolerability to sound at different frequencies.
The Eustachian tube function test is another main impedance audiometry test which examines if the opening and closing of the tube that connects the middle ear to the throat is opening and closing normally.
Primarily focused on infants and little children, the otoacoustic emission (OAE) test is used to assess the functioning of the inner ear or cochlea. As a reaction to a sound produced externally, the hair follicles in the inner ear vibrate to produce a soft sound- referred to as an otoacoustic emission or OAE - which echoes back into the ear. In this non-invasive objective test, our Audiologists insert a small probe in the ear and introduce small sounds to study the resulting vibration of the hair cells in the inner ear and measure the OAE.
The test also checks for blockages in the outer and middle ear which may prevent sound from travelling to the inner ear.
Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry (BERA) is an objective neurophysiological assessment to evaluate the structural and functional capacity of the auditory pathway that connects the inner ear to the brain. It also verifies if sound signals are being delivered effectively from the cranial nerves to the brain stem.
Audiologists use clicking sounds to stimulate a cranial nerve and then study the electrical waves sent to the brainstem.
This test is often conducted on children between the ages of 1 and 3, to determine the extent of hearing loss, especially if subjective tests like pure tone audiometry showed sub optimal results. The test is also useful for adults who suffer from tinnitus, vertigo, imbalance and neurotology conditions, since they are often accompanied by a damaged auditory pathway.
The vestibular nerve is placed in the inner ear and is responsible for conducting 'balance signals' to the brain. The vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) is a neurophysical test that assesses the performance of the two otolith organs of the inner ear - utricle and saccule which maintain the body's equilibrium and help synchronise head, eye and body movements.
As part of this test, the audiologist tracks the vestibular function by introducing a series of tones though a pair of headphones, and uses electrodes on the neck to study the responsive muscle activity for every sound introduced.
Since inner ear issues can affect hearing and balance, it is quite common for people to experience both. In many cases the regular use of the correct type of hearing aid has helped improve both conditions.