If you're searching for an audiologist or hearing aid specialist in Falls Church or across Northern Virginia, you're taking an important step toward better hearing health. Whether you're exploring hearing aids for the first time, need a hearing evaluation, or are looking for tinnitus treatment, understanding your options and finding the right local provider makes all the difference.
This comprehensive guide covers everything Falls Church residents need to know about audiology services, hearing aids, and hearing healthcare, including what to look for in a provider, what services are available locally, and how to make informed decisions about your hearing health.
Live Better Hearing + Balance recently opened in an audiology clinic in Falls Church at 6521 Arlington Blvd, bringing family-owned, patient-centered hearing care to Northern Virginia. Our clinic follows audiology best practices and offers comprehensive hearing services with a personal touch.
Falls Church and Northern Virginia residents are increasingly prioritizing hearing health, and for good reason. With the area's health-conscious population, active lifestyle, and proximity to urban noise from Washington D.C. and major highways, hearing challenges affect more people than many realize.
Approximately 15% of American adults report some degree of hearing loss, but in active communities like Falls Church, that number may be higher due to occupational noise exposure, commuting stress, and age-related changes. Many Falls Church professionals work in high-communication environments where clear hearing is essential for career success and personal relationships.
The good news? Modern hearing technology has advanced dramatically. Today's hearing aids are smaller, smarter, and more effective than ever before—with Bluetooth connectivity, rechargeable batteries, and automatic adjustments that make them nearly invisible and incredibly easy to use.
Research shows that untreated hearing loss doesn't just affect your ears; it impacts your overall quality of life. People with hearing loss are more likely to experience social isolation, depression, and even cognitive decline. For Falls Church's active senior community and busy professionals, addressing hearing loss early means staying engaged with family, friends, and the activities that matter most.
Many Northern Virginia residents first notice hearing difficulty in challenging environments: busy restaurants along Broad Street, crowded events at the State Theatre, or during conversations in noisy Metro stations. If these situations sound familiar, it may be time for a hearing evaluation.
When evaluating hearing care providers in Falls Church, it's important to understand what comprehensive audiology services look like. A quality hearing care practice should offer a full range of diagnostic and treatment options.
A thorough hearing evaluation is the foundation of effective hearing care. This goes beyond a simple hearing test—it's a detailed assessment of your hearing abilities across different frequencies and volumes, conducted in a soundproof booth using calibrated equipment.
During a comprehensive hearing evaluation, your hearing care provider will:
At Live Better Hearing + Balance Falls Church, we believe in taking the time to understand not just what you hear, but how hearing loss is affecting your daily life. Our evaluations typically take 45-60 minutes and include detailed counseling about your results.
If a hearing evaluation reveals hearing loss, hearing aids are often the most effective treatment. Modern hearing aids are sophisticated medical devices that can be precisely programmed to match your unique hearing loss pattern.
What to Expect from Professional Hearing Aid Services:
A quality hearing aid fitting process includes:
Our Falls Church clinic provides access to the latest hearing aid technology from all leading manufacturers. Whether you're interested in rechargeable devices, Bluetooth-enabled hearing aids that connect to your smartphone, or nearly invisible in-canal styles, we can help you find the right solution.
One of the most important aspects of hearing aid fitting is Real-Ear Measurement (also called Real-Ear Verification). This process uses a tiny microphone placed in your ear canal to measure exactly how much sound your hearing aid is delivering. It's the difference between guessing and knowing that your hearing aids are programmed correctly.
Not all Falls Church hearing care providers use Real-Ear Measurement, but it's a critical best practice that ensures optimal hearing aid performance. At Live Better Hearing + Balance, we use Real-Ear Verification for every hearing aid fitting. It's simply part of doing the job right.
Tinnitus—ringing, buzzing, or humming in the ears—affects millions of Americans and can be frustrating and disruptive to daily life. While there's no cure for tinnitus, effective management strategies can significantly reduce its impact. Occasionally, tinnitus can be temporary, but many times tinnitus is a permanent condition that a hearing specialist can help manage.
Tinnitus Services in Falls Church:
Our Falls Church clinic offers comprehensive tinnitus evaluations to identify potential causes and contributing factors. Treatment options may include:
Many Falls Church residents don't realize that tinnitus can be related to hearing loss, and that properly fitted hearing aids often provide significant tinnitus relief by amplifying external sounds and reducing the brain's focus on internal tinnitus sounds.
Hearing aids are sophisticated electronic devices that occasionally need maintenance, repair, or adjustment. Our Falls Church office provides comprehensive hearing aid repair and services including:
Even if you didn't purchase your hearing aids from Live Better Hearing + Balance, we're happy to help with repairs, adjustments, and maintenance for most major brands.
Not all hearing care providers offer the same level of expertise, technology, or patient care. Here's what Falls Church residents should consider when selecting a hearing care practice.
The hearing care industry includes several types of hearing professionals with different levels of education and training:
Audiologists (Au.D. or Ph.D.) hold doctoral degrees in audiology and are trained to diagnose and treat hearing and balance disorders. They can provide comprehensive audiology services including vestibular testing, cochlear implant programming, and complex diagnostic evaluations.
Hearing Instrument Specialists are licensed professionals who specialize in hearing aid fitting and dispensing. Many, like Jared Marcotte at our Falls Church office, have extensive training and years of hands-on experience working with hearing aids and patients.
The key is finding a provider with proven experience, ongoing education, and a commitment to best practices, regardless of their specific title. At Live Better Hearing + Balance, our entire team follows audiology best practices and participates in regular continuing education to stay current with the latest hearing technology and treatment approaches.
Modern hearing care requires modern equipment. When evaluating Falls Church hearing care providers, ask about:
Our Falls Church clinic is equipped with the latest diagnostic and fitting technology, ensuring you receive accurate testing and precise hearing aid programming.
Excellent hearing care is about more than technology—it's about the relationship between provider and patient. Look for a Falls Church hearing care practice that:
Jared Marcotte, our Hearing Instrument Specialist in Falls Church, brings more than a decade of experience to every patient interaction. His background includes working in private practice, retail hearing care, and even inside sales for Phonak, one of the world's leading hearing aid manufacturers. This diverse experience means he understands hearing technology from multiple perspectives and can find solutions tailored to your specific needs.
In the age of Google reviews and online feedback, it's easier than ever to learn about other patients' experiences. When researching Falls Church hearing care providers:
Live Better Hearing + Balance has earned more than 10,000 five-star reviews across our 27 Mid-Atlantic locations, with a 4.9-star average rating. Our Falls Church office is building on this reputation of excellence, bringing the same patient-centered care to Northern Virginia.
Many Falls Church residents delay seeking hearing care, often waiting 7-10 years from the first signs of hearing loss to getting help. All across our hearing clinics, our patients who are newly fit with hearing aids typically say they wish they had sought hearing care much sooner.
That's why understanding when to schedule a hearing evaluation can help you address problems early.
You may benefit from a hearing evaluation if you:
For Falls Church residents, these challenges often become noticeable in specific situations: dinner conversations at local restaurants like 2941 or Clare and Don's Beach Shack, family gatherings, phone calls, or professional meetings where clear communication is essential.
Even if you don't currently have hearing concerns, establishing a baseline hearing evaluation in your 50s can be valuable. This creates a reference point for monitoring any future changes and allows for early intervention if hearing loss develops.
Untreated hearing loss can lead to, what the Mayo Clinic has called, a "negative death spiral." Research shows that untreated hearing loss is associated with:
The good news? Modern hearing aids can effectively address these issues, and early intervention leads to better outcomes. Falls Church residents who address hearing loss promptly report improved quality of life, better relationships, and greater confidence in social situations.
Today's hearing aids bear little resemblance to the bulky, whistling devices of decades past. Modern hearing technology is sophisticated, discreet, and remarkably effective.
Bluetooth ConnectivityStream phone calls, music, and podcasts directly to your hearing aids. Take Zoom calls or listen to audiobooks with sound delivered right to your ears.
Rechargeable Batteries: No more fumbling with tiny batteries. Place your hearing aids in a charging case overnight, just like your smartphone.
Artificial Intelligence: Advanced hearing aids learn your preferences and automatically adjust to different listening environments. Some models even allow you to create custom programs for specific locations like your favorite Falls Church restaurants.
Smartphone Apps: Control volume, change programs, and adjust settings discreetly from your phone. Some apps even offer remote fine-tuning with your hearing care provider.
Invisible Styles: Many modern hearing aids are virtually invisible when worn. Options include completely-in-canal (CIC) devices that sit deep in your ear canal or receiver-in-canal (RIC) models with nearly invisible behind-the-ear components.
Noise Reduction: Sophisticated algorithms help reduce background noise and focus on the sounds you want to hear—particularly helpful in Northern Virginia's busy urban environments.
Tinnitus Management: Many hearing aids include tinnitus masking features that provide relief from ringing or buzzing sounds.
Behind-the-Ear (BTE) and Receiver-in-Canal (RIC): The most popular styles today. A small component sits behind your ear, with a thin wire or tube connecting to a speaker in your ear canal. These styles accommodate a wide range of hearing losses and offer the most advanced features.
In-the-Ear (ITE): Custom-made to fit your ear, these devices sit in the bowl of your ear. They're larger than some styles but offer easy handling and longer battery life (or rechargeable options).
In-the-Canal (ITC) and Completely-in-Canal (CIC): Smaller, more discreet options that fit partly or completely in your ear canal. Best for mild to moderate hearing loss.
Our Falls Church office provides access to all major hearing aid manufacturers, including:
The best hearing aid brand for you depends on your specific hearing loss, lifestyle, preferences, and budget. We'll help you navigate these options to find the perfect fit.
Our Falls Church hearing care clinic is conveniently located in the Arlington Two building at 6521 Arlington Blvd, Suite 302, Falls Church, VA 22042.
From Falls Church City: Just 5 minutes via Route 50
From Arlington: 10 minutes east on Arlington Boulevard
From McLean: 12 minutes south via Route 7 and Route 50
From Tysons Corner: 15 minutes east on Route 7 to Route 50
From Vienna: 15 minutes via I-66 east to Route 50
From Fairfax: 20 minutes northeast via Route 50
From Annandale: 10 minutes north on Annandale Road
We're located on Arlington Boulevard (Route 50) between the Shell station and South Cherry shopping plaza. Our office is in the Arlington Two building—look for the "6521" building number. Access our office from the Arlington Blvd service road. Click here for Google driving directions to our Falls Church office.
Parking: Free parking is available directly in front of our building, including accessible parking spaces.
Accessibility: Our office is elevator-accessible and designed to accommodate all patients comfortably.
Public Transit: Falls Church is well-served by Metro and bus routes. The nearest Metro stations are East Falls Church (Orange and Silver lines) and West Falls Church (Orange and Silver lines).
Monday through Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday and Sunday: Closed
Evening and weekend appointments available by request
We understand that Falls Church professionals have busy schedules. If our standard hours don't work for you, please ask about flexible appointment options.
As a family-owned audiology practice since 2007, Live Better Hearing + Balance has earned a reputation for clinical excellence and patient-centered care. Now, we're bringing that same commitment to the Falls Church community.
Founded by Drs. Ross and Jenifer Cushing, Live Better Hearing + Balance started with a simple mission: provide comprehensive hearing care with a personal touch. Unlike corporate chains focused on sales quotas, we're a family business committed to building long-term relationships with our patients.
Our Falls Church team follows the same best practices and protocols used by audiologists nationwide, ensuring you receive evidence-based, high-quality care:
We're proud to be a HearingUp Network provider, recognized by audiologist and educator Dr. Cliff Olson for our commitment to industry best practices.
Jared Marcotte, our Licensed Hearing Instrument Specialist, brings more than 10 years of hearing care experience to Falls Church. His journey into hearing healthcare began personally—when his grandfather needed hearing aids, Jared took an active role in managing his care. That experience ignited a passion for helping others reconnect with the sounds they love.
Jared holds dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Speech & Hearing Sciences and Communications: Audio/Radio from Hofstra University. His career has spanned private practice, retail hearing care, and even inside sales for Phonak, giving him unique insight into hearing technology from multiple perspectives.
Before entering hearing care, Jared worked as a Foley artist and sound designer for independent films, TV shows, and commercials in New York City—a creative role that deepened his appreciation for sound quality and the nuances of human hearing.
Now living in Fairfax with his wife and young daughter, Jared is excited to serve his Northern Virginia neighbors in Falls Church.
From your first hearing evaluation to ongoing hearing aid maintenance years later, we're here for you:
More than 1,500 physicians across Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic refer their patients to Live Better Hearing + Balance for hearing and balance care. This professional trust reflects our commitment to clinical excellence and patient outcomes.
Our patients agree—with more than 10,000 five-star reviews and a 4.9-star average rating across all locations, we've built a reputation for exceptional care.
While our Falls Church clinic is new, you're joining a practice with 18 years of experience and 27 locations across Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. This means:
We're proud to serve Falls Church's diverse community. Our Patient Care Coordinator, Abby Davis, is fluent in Tagalog and can assist our Filipino patients in their preferred language.
Hearing aid prices vary based on technology level, features, and the level of professional care included. At Live Better Hearing + Balance Falls Church, hearing aids typically range from $1,500 to $3,500 per device, with most patients choosing devices that fit their budget and lifestyle.
These prices include:
Most hearing aid purchases also come with a 3-year Peace of Mind plan, which provides continuous support for all your hearing aid requirements for up to two devices. On average, this reduces hearing aid service and maintenance costs by 70% over five years. Learn what our Peace of Mind plan covers.
If you have hearing aid benefits, we'll verify your benefits before your appointment so you know what to expect.
No referral is necessary for most appointments. However, some insurance plans may require a referral from your primary care physician. We recommend checking with your insurance provider if you're unsure.
Plan for about 45-90 minutes for a comprehensive hearing evaluation. This includes:
We take our time to ensure accurate results and answer all your questions.
That's completely okay. Many people aren't ready for hearing aids during their first visit, and we respect that. We'll provide you with your test results, discuss options, and invite you to return when you're ready. There's no pressure to purchase hearing aids at Live Better Hearing + Balance.
Some patients schedule monitoring appointments every 6-12 months to track any changes in their hearing. This allows for early intervention when the time is right.
Yes! We service and repair hearing aids from most major manufacturers, even if you didn't purchase them from us. Many repairs can be completed the same day. Call our Falls Church office at (703) 962-4964 to discuss your repair needs.
Tinnitus can occur with or without measurable hearing loss. We provide tinnitus evaluations and management strategies regardless of whether you have hearing loss. Treatment options may include sound therapy devices, counseling, and lifestyle modifications.
If you have hearing aids, we recommend annual hearing tests to monitor any changes. If you have normal hearing but are over 50, baseline testing every 2-3 years is a good practice. If you notice any changes in your hearing, schedule an evaluation regardless of when you last tested.
If you're experiencing hearing difficulty, curious about hearing aids, or simply want to establish baseline hearing health, Live Better Hearing + Balance Falls Church is here to help.
Schedule Your Appointment Today:
📞 Call: (703) 962-4964
📍 Visit: 6521 Arlington Blvd, Suite 302, Falls Church, VA 22042
🌐 Online: Schedule your appointment
📧 Fax: (703) 962-4965
When you visit our Falls Church clinic for the first time, here's what will happen:
Live Better Hearing + Balance Falls Church is proud to serve residents throughout Northern Virginia, including:
Falls Church City, Arlington, Fairfax, Annandale, McLean, Tysons Corner, Vienna, Merrifield, Seven Corners, Bailey's Crossroads, Lake Barcroft, Idylwood, Pimmit Hills, West Falls Church & East Falls Church
Live Better Hearing + Balance is a family-owned audiology practice serving patients across Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey since 2007. Founded by Drs. Ross and Jenifer Cushing, our practice has grown to 27 locations while maintaining our commitment to personalized, patient-centered care.
Our mission extends beyond hearing aids. Through the Live Better Foundation, we provide free hearing care to underserved communities, ensuring that financial barriers never prevent someone from experiencing the life-changing benefits of better hearing.
Whether you're in Falls Church, Arlington, or anywhere in Northern Virginia, we're here to help you reconnect with the sounds that matter most.
Contact Live Better Hearing + Balance Falls Church today at (703) 962-4964 to schedule your comprehensive hearing evaluation.
