Go independent!

We often hear patients say, “I wish I’d come to you first”. Many arrive after being fitted with unsuitable hearing aids, confused by inconsistent advice, struggling with poor aftercare or disappointed by rushed appointments that offer one-size-fits-all solutions. That’s why we were so encouraged by the latest Which? hearing care survey of 1,500 hearing aid users. Independent hearing clinics consistently outperformed all major high-street chains. Patients rated independents highest for:

• Quality and thoroughness of hearing assessments
• Choice of hearing options, brands and models
• Finding aids suited to individual needs and lifestyle
• Meaningful follow-up care and support
• Overall satisfaction and value

High-quality healthcare needs to be delivered by dedicated experts providing hearing care as a primary service.   Unlike retail chains – often criticised for limited choice, patchy aftercare, and lack of continuity – independent clinics put patients before profit. At Meadows & Wood, we’re not bound by sales targets or national buying agreements. Instead, we focus on careful listening, accurate diagnostic tests, and matching the right technology to each patient. Continuity of care also matters. Patients value seeing the same clinician who knows their hearing history and can notice subtle changes – increasingly rare in larger chains. And aftercare is essential. Hearing aids aren’t a quick fix; they need ongoing service and patient support. Independent practices like ours offer faster follow-ups and personalised expert care. So, whether you’re exploring better hearing for the first time or have been let down elsewhere, we encourage you to explore the independent route. At Meadows & Wood, we’re here whenever you’re ready to hear more clearly again.

We all forget where we left our keys from time to time, but did you know that untreated hearing loss could be playing a bigger role in your memory and brain health than you may think?

Recent studies suggest that people with hearing loss may be up to five times more likely to develop dementia in later years. Why? When a person starts to suffer from hearing loss and our ears stop picking up sound clearly, our brains have to work harder to understand conversations, especially in noisy environments. That extra strain on our brain can reduce its capacity to focus on other tasks like memory, thinking clearly, or increase the risk of illness such as dementia.

That’s where regular hearing check-ups can make a huge difference. Our expert Audiologists will examine your hearing health, spotting the early signs of hearing loss or any underlying conditions, so we can offer tailored solutions to help improve your hearing and prevent symptoms from getting any worse.

Researchers from John Hopkins University have found that wearing hearing aids can actually help slow the rate of cognitive decline in older adults. In fact, in some cases, they’ve found that regular hearing aid use can make the brain appear up to seven years younger!

Don’t put it off any longer. If you’ve noticed any changes in your hearing, even small ones, book a hearing consultation with one of our friendly Audiologists. 

As North Somerset’s only full-time, fully independent audiology and tinnitus treatment clinic, Meadows & Wood are here to support you every step of the way on your hearing journey. Request a consultation with us today.

Why can’t I hear my TV clearly? 

 “The sound and music are 50 per cent of the entertainment in a movie” so said Star Wars creator George Lucas! It’s unlikely that he was thinking about the television in your front room when he said it though.

The problem, is flatscreen TVs themselves. We all want a nice new telly to be as elegant as possible – but that makes the job of getting great sound out of it almost impossible. There’s just nowhere in that big, flat, glass-and-plastic frame to fit worthwhile speakers of a decent size – and so the sound your TV makes is weedy and thin in 95% of makes and models

Nowadays some TV manufacturers have started fitting bespoke audio systems to their sets, though these TVs tend to come at quite a cost!

So, what can we do to help ourselves hear TV more clearly?

1. Check the settings. Most TV settings will have an audio menu where you can adjust the sound quality, I would advise that selecting the “Speech” or “Clear voice” setting in the audio menu will often make a big difference.
2. If you have the option, then turn down the bass and raise the treble. This will give a cleaner, sharper sound.
3. Consider the placement of the set, too close or too far from a wall will often impact the sound quality.
4. I am a big fan of soundbars to improve clarity! If you have the space, then a sound bar can be expected to deliver the sound of the show in the way it was planned.

By trying out these adjustments you should have improved your listening experience greatly!

If you still find that you are struggling to hear TV clearly then I would love to welcome you for a free hearing screening at one of my clinics. A 15-minute check will give you better understanding of how well you are hearing many sounds, not just TV.

As we know from working in the hearing aid industry, and we’re sure you will know too, there is a certain stigma surrounding the use of hearing aids.

When we speak to clients about hearing aids, there’s an assumption that they’re going to be noticeable and ugly. Whilst this couldn’t be further from the truth, this commonly-held opinion often turns people away from hearing devices, even when they would drastically assist with improving their hearing.

With this in mind, Phonak decided to develop a series of hearing aids to alleviate these concerns:

“The Virto Black was designed to blur the lines between a hearing aid and a hearable. We want people to seek treatment sooner, thanks to the stylish design and innovative hearing aid technology.”

The most exciting thing about this new line of hearing aids is that you don’t have to compromise anymore! In the past, you had to make a choice when selecting hearing aids: small and discreet or large and technologically advanced. Thankfully, you don’t need to make this choice anymore.

Virto Black hearing aids provide you with all of the technology you need, in a discreet and comfortable hearing device. They’re designed to look like any other earbuds or headphones that you’d see people using in day-to-day life!

Here’s a list of all the amazing functionality built into the new Virto Black hearing device:

• Allows hands-free calls.
• Connects to various Bluetooth devices.
• Connects to the Phonak apps for better user control.
• Supports direct streaming to enable you to use them like a pair of headphones.
• Compatible with the Roger accessories for better listening in background noise.
• Reduces wind noise.
• Custom fit makes it ideal for intensive activities such as sport.
• Ideal for various degrees of hearing loss.
• Available in a range of skin tones, making it even more discreet.

We’re seeing some incredible changes happening in the hearing aid industry, and we expect this to only become better over the next year. If you want to know more about the Phonak Marvel Virto Black hearing aid, or anything else we’ve discussed in this article, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and speak with one of our hearing care professionals!