Stanford Hearing Aids

10/21/2026

🔔 Persistent ringing, buzzing, or humming in your ears? You're not imagining it. And you're not alone.

Tinnitus affects roughly 15% of U.S. adults, about 50 million people. For some it's mild background noise. For others it seriously affects sleep, focus, and mood.

A few things most people don't know:

👂 Tinnitus is a symptom, not a disease. It usually points to something else going on with your hearing or health.

📉 It's often linked to hearing loss. When your ears aren't picking up certain frequencies, your brain sometimes fills in with phantom sound. Treating the hearing loss can significantly reduce how noticeable the tinnitus feels.

🎧 Modern hearing aids can help. Many current devices include built-in tinnitus masking programs that generate soft sounds to reduce how much your brain focuses on the ringing.

The old advice was "just live with it." That's outdated. If tinnitus has been wearing on you, come in for an evaluation. We'll help you understand what's happening and walk through your options.

📍 Sioux Falls, SD · Madison, SD · Buffalo, MN
👉 stanfordhearingaids.com

10/19/2026

🔍 Today is Evaluate Your Life Day. A quirky holiday, but a useful nudge.

Here's a five-question self-check that takes 30 seconds:

Do you find yourself turning the TV or radio louder than others prefer?
Do you avoid restaurants, family gatherings, or noisy events more than you used to?
Do you catch yourself saying "what?" or asking people to repeat themselves?
Do phone conversations feel harder than they should?
Has anyone in your family mentioned your hearing recently?

Yes to one or two: Worth monitoring.
Yes to three: Worth scheduling an evaluation.
Yes to four or more: Come see us this month.

Hearing loss develops gradually, which is why most people underestimate it. The average person waits about seven years between first noticing a problem and doing something about it. Those years matter. Your brain adapts to hearing less, and reversing that adjustment gets harder the longer it waits.

The evaluation itself is complimentary, takes under an hour, and comes with zero pressure to purchase anything. You'll walk out knowing exactly where you stand.

📍 Sioux Falls, SD · Madison, SD · Buffalo, MN
👉 stanfordhearingaids.com

10/14/2026

🔄 The most important part of getting hearing aids isn't the day you get them.

Here's something the ads for online and OTC hearing aids don't tell you: fitting hearing aids on day one is only about 25% of the work. The other 75% happens over the weeks and months that follow.

Here's why:

🧠 Your brain has to relearn. After months or years of hearing less, sounds like refrigerators, footsteps, and paper rustling suddenly come back. Some people describe it as overwhelming. Your brain needs time to sort what matters from what doesn't, and it takes guidance to get there.

🎛️ Programming changes. The settings that felt right in week one often need adjusting by week three. Then again at month two. Then again at the six-month mark. Small tweaks make a big difference in real-world listening.

🌍 Your environments change. Quiet office in the morning. Loud restaurant at lunch. Grandkids in the afternoon. Hearing aids need to be tuned for the way YOU actually live.

🧽 Devices need care. Wax filters, dome replacements, cleaning, moisture management. Skip these and even the best hearing aids stop working like they should.

At Stanford Hearing Aids, follow-up care isn't an add-on. It's included in the price of your hearing aids for the life of the devices. That means unlimited adjustments, cleanings, checks, and support.

Buy online and you're on your own. Buy from us and you have a team behind you.

📍 Sioux Falls, SD · Madison, SD · Buffalo, MN
👉 stanfordhearingaids.com

10/12/2026

📦 "Should I just buy hearing aids online or from the pharmacy?"

Since the FDA opened OTC hearing aid sales in 2022, options have exploded. Costco, Best Buy, Amazon, drugstores. Prices from $200 to $1,500+ per pair. Here's the honest breakdown:

When OTC can work:
✅ You have mild hearing loss (what the FDA approved OTC for)
✅ You've already had a professional evaluation
✅ You're comfortable with self-programming
✅ You accept limited support after purchase

Where OTC falls short:
❌ No diagnosis of why you have hearing loss (could be wax, could be a medical issue)
❌ Not designed for moderate to severe hearing loss
❌ No professional fitting for your specific ears
❌ Limited or no follow-up care

The pattern we see most often: someone buys OTC, gets frustrated because the sound isn't right, and gives up on hearing help entirely. The device wasn't the problem. The lack of professional fitting was.

Our recommendation: start with a complimentary evaluation. Learn what your hearing loss actually looks like. Then decide what path makes sense. We'll tell you honestly if OTC is a reasonable option for you.

📍 Sioux Falls, SD · Madison, SD · Buffalo, MN
👉 stanfordhearingaids.com

10/07/2026

🛡️ October is also National Protect Your Hearing Month. And most hearing damage doesn't come from where people expect.

The dramatic causes get all the attention. Concerts, fireworks, gunshots. Those matter. But the majority of noise-induced hearing loss we see in our clinics comes from ordinary, repeated exposures that never felt dangerous in the moment.

Common culprits:

🎧 Earbuds at high volume for long stretches
🚜 Farm equipment, tractors, and machinery (a real factor across our region)
🔧 Weekend projects like chainsaws, mowers, table saws, and leaf blowers
🎣 Boat engines and outboard motors
🏒 Youth hockey arenas (crowd noise + air horns hit surprisingly high)
🚗 Highway driving with windows down for hours

The fix is practical, not dramatic:

✅ Follow the 60/60 rule with earbuds. 60% volume, 60 minutes max.
✅ Keep foam plugs in your truck, workshop, and boat.
✅ Wear ear protection every time you run yard equipment.
✅ Consider custom-fit plugs if noise exposure is part of your job or your hobbies.

We make custom hearing protection at every Stanford Hearing location. Musicians, hunters, farmers, motorcyclists, industrial workers, sleepers. Whatever your need, we can fit for it.

📍 Sioux Falls, SD · Madison, SD · Buffalo, MN

10/05/2026

🎓 October is Audiology Awareness Month. Here's a straight answer to a question we get almost every week.

"What actually happens in a full hearing evaluation?"

Most people picture a beep test with headphones. That's one small piece. A comprehensive evaluation at Stanford Hearing Aids includes:

🩺 A complete case history and review of medications, health conditions, and noise exposure
🩺 Otoscopy, meaning a visual exam of your ear canal and eardrum to identify wax, infection, or structural issues
🩺 Pure-tone audiometry across your full frequency range
🩺 Speech-in-noise testing, which measures what you actually understand in real-world conditions
🩺 Tympanometry to check middle ear function
🩺 Bone-conduction testing to determine whether hearing loss originates in the outer, middle, or inner ear
🩺 A one-on-one conversation about your goals, your lifestyle, and what you specifically want to hear better

This is the difference between a hearing screening and a hearing evaluation. Screenings tell you if something might be off. Evaluations tell you exactly what is going on and what to do about it.

Every evaluation at Stanford Hearing Aids is complimentary. No commitment, no pressure, just a clear picture of where your hearing stands.

📍 Sioux Falls, SD · Madison, SD · Buffalo, MN
👉 stanfordhearingaids.com

09/30/2026

📆 Last day of September. Quick check-in.

Three-quarters of 2026 is officially in the rearview. Which means:

⏳ You've had about 275 days to schedule that hearing check you've been meaning to
📆 You have 92 days left in the year to use your insurance benefits before they reset
🎯 October, November, and December get progressively busier — the sooner you book, the more scheduling options you have

We're not here to guilt-trip. We're here because we know how these things go: it's not that people don't care about their hearing. It's just never urgent until it is.

Here's the easy version:

📞 Book online at americanhearing.us — takes 60 seconds
📞 Or call any location and we'll find a time that works

The hearing screening itself is complimentary and takes under an hour. Whatever you decide to do after that is entirely up to you — zero pressure, ever.

The last quarter of the year is the best quarter to knock this off the list. 💙

09/28/2026

⏰ Q4 alert: your hearing benefits probably expire December 31.

Most people don't realize what they're leaving on the table.

If you have any of the following, you likely have a hearing aid benefit you haven't used this year:

💳 Medicare Advantage plan — most now include hearing aid coverage
💳 UnitedHealthcare Hearing — hearing exams and aid coverage
💳 TruHearing or NationsHearing — bundled into many major plans
💳 VA benefits — full coverage for eligible veterans
💳 FSA or HSA account — hearing aids qualify

Here's the catch: whatever you're entitled to now, you lose in January. These benefits reset annually, and unused coverage doesn't roll over.

We verify your specific benefits for free, no obligation. Just a straight answer on what you're eligible for and how to use it before it disappears.

Three months isn't much. If you've been considering hearing aids or overdue for an screening — now's the smart time.

📞 Call any location or visit stanfordhearingaids.com

09/23/2026

🍁 First day of fall. Also: peak "when's the last time I did that?" season.

Something about the change in weather makes people take stock. The garage gets organized. The gutters get cleaned. The winter clothes come out of storage.

While you're going through the annual list — add this one:

📋 When was the last time you had your hearing checked?

If the honest answer is "I actually can't remember" or "I never have" — you're in good company. Hearing screenings are the single most underscreened part of adult healthcare in America. Most adults have never had one, even though roughly 1 in 3 people over 65 has measurable hearing loss.

The screening itself:
✅ Painless
✅ Non-invasive
✅ Under an hour
✅ Complimentary at every Stanford Hearing Aids location

Nothing about it is a big deal. But it's the kind of easy fall-cleanup task that pays off for years.

👉 stanfordhearingaids.com

09/21/2026

💜 Today is World Alzheimer's Day. And there's a link to hearing loss most people don't know about.

Research over the last decade has consistently shown a strong connection between untreated hearing loss and increased risk of cognitive decline, including dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

The current understanding is that untreated hearing loss contributes to cognitive decline in several ways:

🧠 Cognitive load — your brain works overtime to fill in missing sound, leaving fewer resources for memory and thinking
🧠 Social isolation — hearing loss quietly leads people to withdraw, and isolation is one of the strongest predictors of cognitive decline
🧠 Brain changes — the auditory processing regions of the brain may atrophy when they stop receiving clear input

The most encouraging finding: research suggests that treating hearing loss with hearing aids may help reduce cognitive decline risk, particularly in people already at higher risk.

If you or a loved one has been putting off a hearing check, today's a meaningful day to prioritize it.

👉 stanfordhearingaids.com

08/19/2026

✈️ Happy National Aviation Day — Orville Wright's birthday, and a great excuse to talk about your ears.

Airplanes are LOUD. Here's what your ears actually deal with:
🛫 Jet engine at takeoff: ~140 dB (permanent damage in seconds without protection)
✈️ Inside the cabin at cruise: 80–85 dB (edge of the safe zone for hours-long flights)
👷 Ground crew work: 130–150 dB (which is why they wear the big earmuffs)
🎵 Trying to hear headphones over cabin noise: 90–100 dB (a problem)

And that's before we get to "airplane ear" — that painful pressure or muffled feeling on climb and descent. Chronic issues here can actually signal underlying ear problems worth checking out.

If you fly often, a few upgrades that pay off:
✅ Custom filtered earplugs — reduce noise AND equalize pressure (yes, we make these)
✅ Noise-canceling headphones — protect your ears AND let you keep the volume down
✅ Chew gum, yawn, or swallow on takeoff/landing to help your ears equalize

The Wright Brothers gave us flight. Take care of the equipment that lets you enjoy it. 👂

👉 StanfordHearingAids.com

08/17/2026

💰 Let's talk about the number nobody wants to say out loud.

The #1 question people are too polite to ask us: "How much do hearing aids cost?"

Here's the honest answer, without the runaround:

Prices generally range from about $1,500 to $7,000+ per pair, depending on the technology level. That's a wide range — and here's what actually drives the difference:
1️⃣ Entry level ($2,000–2,500/pair): Solid amplification. Good for quieter environments. Manual adjustments.
2️⃣ Mid-range ($2,500–4,500/pair): Better noise handling. Bluetooth streaming. Rechargeable options.
3️⃣ Premium ($4,500–7,000+/pair): AI-driven sound processing. Excellent performance in loud environments. Advanced tinnitus programs. Direct streaming from phones, TVs, and more.

What's included matters too — professional fitting, adjustments over the life of the device, cleanings, warranties, and follow-up care. A hearing aid you paid $2,000 for that fits perfectly will always outperform a $7,000 pair that was set up poorly.

The best way to know what YOU need? Come see us. We'll evaluate your hearing, walk you through options in your budget, and help you find what fits — no pressure.

08/12/2026

🎶 It's National Vinyl Record Day — a holiday made for people who take sound seriously.

Vinyl lovers know: analog music just hits differently. The warmth. The crackle. The physical experience of hearing every subtle note in a Miles Davis solo or a Fleetwood Mac harmony.

But here's a truth vinyl collectors don't always want to hear (pun intended): if you have age-related hearing loss, you're missing the exact frequencies that make vinyl sound like vinyl.

🎧 That crisp cymbal tap? High frequency.
🎧 The breath before the singer starts? High frequency.
🎧 The gentle needle-on-groove hiss you love? High frequency.
🎧 The airy top-end of an acoustic guitar? You guessed it.

We meet a LOT of music lovers at our clinic. And one of the most common reactions after getting properly fit hearing aids is: "Wait — I forgot music sounded like THIS."

If you're a vinyl person, a concert person, or just someone who loves music — a hearing screening is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.

Come rediscover your record collection.

👉 stanfordhearingaids.com

08/10/2026

😴 Happy National Lazy Day.

Today, we officially give you permission to do absolutely nothing. Watch a movie. Nap. Order takeout. Ignore your inbox.

But if you're going to be lazy today, may we suggest ONE tiny non-lazy thing?

Schedule the hearing test you've been meaning to get to.

Here's the thing about being lazy with your hearing:
🛋️ It doesn't feel urgent — because it isn't, until it is
📅 It's the kind of task that stays on the list for years
🧠 And every year it waits, your brain gets a little rustier at processing sounds

The average person waits 7 years between first noticing hearing loss and actually doing something about it. That's not laziness — that's just how it goes when something doesn't hurt.

The good news: booking a complimentary hearing screening takes less effort than opening this Facebook post. And the actual evaluation is shorter than a Netflix episode.

Do it now. Then go be lazy the rest of the day. 🛌

📞 stanfordhearingaids.com or call any location

08/05/2026

⏱️ A 30-second test you can do at home right now.

Cover one ear. Rub your fingertips together right next to the other ear, gradually moving them away. Note how far away you can still hear the rubbing sound.

Now switch sides. Do the same thing on the other ear.

If one ear can hear the rubbing much farther away than the other — you likely have asymmetric hearing loss. That's worth getting checked, and pretty quickly.

Now try this: play a video with someone talking, turn your back to the screen, and listen. Can you understand what they're saying without watching their mouth?

If not — you may be relying more on lip-reading than you realize.

These aren't replacements for a real hearing test. But they're eye-opening. And if either of them raised a red flag, come see us — a proper screening is complimentary at every Stanford Hearing Aids location.

08/03/2026

🍽️ You don't need a hearing test. You need a menu.

Here's a trick used by audiologists to gut-check whether someone has hearing loss — before any equipment comes out:
Ask them how they feel about restaurants.
Not fancy restaurants. Loud ones. The kind with tile floors, background music, big groups, and hard walls. If the answer is "I used to love them, but now I dread them" — that's not a personality change. That's a hearing change.

Restaurants are the ultimate real-world hearing test because they layer speech on top of background noise — exactly the situation hearing loss makes hardest. When your ears can't separate the two, your brain gives up trying.

Other everyday "tests" that tell you more than you'd think:
🚗 Struggling to hear passengers from the back seat
📞 Preferring texts over phone calls
🎬 Turning on subtitles for movies you'd never have needed them for
👨👩👧 Missing what the grandkids are saying

If any of these are ringing bells (metaphorically), a real hearing screening is complimentary and takes around an hour.

👉 stanfordhearingaids.com

07/29/2026

🔊 "I can hear people, I just can't understand what they're saying."

If you've said this, you're not imagining it — and no, your hearing isn't "fine."

Here's what's happening: hearing loss almost always starts in the high-frequency range. Those are the consonant sounds — S, T, F, TH, SH, CH — that give words their crispness and clarity. The lower-pitched vowels still come through loud and clear, so it feels like you're hearing… you're just missing the parts that turn sound into meaning.

The everyday signs:
🗣️ Voices sound mumbled, like people are talking with their mouth full
🍽️ Restaurants are exhausting — too much noise, not enough clarity
👩👧 Women's and children's voices are harder than men's
📺 You catch the news anchor but miss the interview guest
🤔 You keep asking people to "speak up" — but volume isn't really the issue

A hearing evaluation can show you exactly which frequencies you're missing. And today's hearing aids can boost just those specific sounds, leaving everything else untouched — which is why people who hated their hearing aids in 1995 often love their new ones now.

Stop guessing. Come see us. ✨

👉 StanfordHearingAids.com

07/28/2026

🚨 Voting is wrapping up soon for The Local Best!

If you've been meaning to vote for us — now's the time! It takes less than a minute, and it would mean everything to our team. 🙏

👉 https://thelocalbest.com/vote/82282/

Thank you for an incredible year of trust, support, and shared moments. We're so grateful to serve this community. ❤️

Vote for Stanford Hearing Aids in Sioux Falls

07/27/2026

👂 "I'm not ready for a hearing aid — I don't want one of those big beige things hanging off my ear."

Friend. We need to talk. 😄

Today's hearing aids are nothing like what you're picturing. They:
🔬 Are small enough that most people won't even notice you're wearing them
📱 Stream calls, music, podcasts, and TV straight into your ears (yes — like wireless earbuds)
🔋 Recharge overnight — no more fumbling with tiny batteries
🤖 Use AI to automatically adjust to wherever you are (quiet room, busy restaurant, windy patio)
🌬️ Are sweat-resistant and built for active lives
🎧 Some even look like — and double as — Bluetooth earbuds

If the only thing keeping you from better hearing is what you think hearing aids look like, come see what they actually are. We'll show you the options at any of our locations. No pressure, no commitment, no big beige anything.

👉 StanfordHearingAids.com

07/23/2026

We may be a small local practice, but our impact on this community runs deep. 🌟

Every fitting, every follow-up, every "thank you" hug — it all adds up to something special. And being voted a "Local Best" would be the cherry on top!

If we've earned it, we'd be honored by your vote:
👉 https://thelocalbest.com/vote/82282/

Thank you for choosing local. ❤️

Vote for Stanford Hearing Aids in Sioux Falls