Our Newsletter

21st century Hearing Aid Technology

A newsletter for our patients, their families and friends

In the good old days, hearing aids amplified sound pretty much the same whether soft or loud, low-pitched or high-pitched, speech or noise. But the modern digital hearing aid adjusts automatically to the sound around you, using a program custom-designed for your own hearing pattern.

For example, for someone with good hearing in the low pitches but hearing loss in the high pitches, the instruments are programmed to provide no amplification where hearing is good and significant amplification for the high-pitched sounds.

As microchips have gotten smaller and faster, engineers, hearing scientists and programmers have used the advanced processing capabilities to improve older techniques. Other developments, such as speech recognition and wireless connectivity, are entirely new approaches.

For example, directional microphones provide more amplification for sounds coming from the front and less amplification for sounds coming from the back. Hearing aids now use digital technology to control directionality automatically and more precisely.

Compression is the technique of automatically reducing amplification as sound gets louder. This is important because people with sensorineural hearing loss are often hypersensitive to loud sounds. Older hearing aids offered compression, but the amount was fixed. The 21st century hearing aid allows compression to be customized, depending on the person’s sensitivity to loud sounds. The compression can also be programmed separately for different pitches.

Noise suppression detects incoming sound that is relatively constant (typical of noise) and then reduces amplification of that sound. The result can be improved comfort and word understanding in noisy settings. While effective, noise suppression programs do not eliminate background noise entirely.

Telecoils have always been important for people with hearing loss who have difficulty using a telephone. But telecoils can be awkward to use, with a telecoil switch that must be moved to the “T” position. New telephone detection circuits allow the hearing aid to detect when a telephone is brought up to the ear and then automatically switch to the telephone mode, allowing the hearing aid to amplify sound from the telephone (but no other sounds).

Feedback reduction programs the presence of feedback (the whistling sound caused by sound leakage from the hearing aid). The hearing aid can then minimize or cancel the feedback. Because digital hearing aids control it so effectively, feedback can be virtually eliminated, even for individuals with severe hearing loss.

Speech recognition circuits use the power of digital technology to detect and then provide additional amplification when speech is present. This is a relatively new technique and research continues to investigate ways to identify speech and process it differently than competing noise.

Wireless capability uses technology similar to Bluetooth to connect wirelessly to a cell phone, television set or landline telephone using a wireless transmitter connected to the phone or television. This allows the signal to be sent directly into your hearing aids.

Wireless technology also allows two hearing aids to communicate with each other, sharing information such as directionality and the hearing aid settings. For example, the hearing aid can automatically go into the telephone mode (amplifying only the voice on the phone) and at the same time signal the hearing aid in the opposite ear to turn itself lower.

Millions of people have already benefited from these advances. Hearing aids still cannot – and never will – restore “normal hearing” to people with hearing loss. Ironically, the most common complaints that remain involve other manmade technologies, such as movies and television. Still, we have come a long, long way from the days when hearing aids simply made sounds louder.©

Keeping Your Hearing Aids in Good Shape

Hearing aids can malfunction at any time for no apparent reason. Sometimes it seems as if hearing aids stop working the day before a family wedding or the night before you leave on a trip. About 50% of the repairs of in-the-ear and canal hearing aids are due to earwax (cerumen). If your aid is using too many batteries, sounds weak, or has no sound at all, it may be due to earwax blocking the sound opening. There are several things you can do to minimize this problem.

Many hearing aids have built in wax guards. These should be replaced occasionally. If your aids don’t have a wax guard, use a wax loop or brush to remove cerumen and debris from the sound opening. Be sure not to push the wire or brush into the sound opening itself.

If wax is a frequent hearing aid problem, consider periodic removal of wax from your ear canals using an over-the-counter wax removal system. Do not use cotton swabs, as this pushes the wax further into your ear, possibly damaging your ear.

Some other tips:

Throw away your old batteries to avoid mixing them with good ones.
Use only high-quality batteries. They will last longer and provide a more uniform power supply. Store batteries at room temperature.
Don’t use hair spray or powder with your hearing aids in place.
Avoid excessive moisture.
Store your hearing aids in a dehumidifier container at night.

These steps will minimize hearing aid repairs and help keep your hearing aids in good working order.©

Help Others to Hear Better

People often ask us, “How can I convince my (husband/wife/friend) to get help for his or her hearing difficulties?”

Why do so many people put up with hearing less than they could, and why does the typical person wait more than seven years before getting help? Actually, there are good reasons why hearing loss is one of the most common undetected and untreated problems in adults:

Hearing loss usually develops very, very gradually – so the person does not notice any difference.
It’s painless and invisible - so there are no obvious signs.
Only certain sounds are affected, so noises and speech may be loud enough, but many words are not clear enough.
Since the problems seem so inconsistent, depending on the place, the speaker, and the background noise, it’s easy to blame something else for the hearing problems (“I would hear fine if people didn’t mumble, if the TV were turned up, if the phone connection were better”).

Unfortunately, this also means that family and friends have to put up with the annoyances and aggravations caused by untreated hearing loss, while the person with the hearing loss is convinced there is really no problem, or at least that “it’s no big deal.”

About that friend…

Nobody wants to be told “you should get hearing aids.” Instead, try the following:

Suggest a hearing test. Get specific information and professional advice. An audiologic evaluation doesn’t hurt, and no one complains if the results indicate normal hearing.
Don’t criticize. Instead, stress that you simply want the person to be able to stay in touch with people as easily and as well as possible.
Don’t compensate. By talking louder, you’re helping to pretend there isn’t a problem. When you have to speak louder, let the person know that you’re speaking louder than normal.
Direct them to this newsletter. Information and knowledge are important tools in the effort to hear as well as possible

Sometimes People Talk to Fast!

One of the most common complaints we hear is the difficulty understanding fast speech. People often say, “I just can’t keep up when people talk fast.”

We live in a fast-paced world. We’re bombarded with television, radio, as well as phone calls from people we don’t know, and it all comes at us at a fast pace.

Understanding fast speech is a common hearing complaint of older adults with normal hearing. The problem may be related to reduced memory abilities and an age-related decrease in the efficiency of the nervous system. This difference is seen in adults even in their 40s.

This “age-related slowing” also occurs for non-language tasks. In fact, older adults maintain their linguistic skill quite well, perhaps because they have become so experienced at it.

Rapid speech is difficult even for normal hearing older adults, but it becomes easier when there are pauses in the speech. For improved communication with older adults, or anyone over the age of 50, the speaker should use pauses and phrases to allow the listener to “catch up.” Compare that recommendation with the typical, rapid fire speech of sports announcers and flight attendants!

Of course, understanding rapid speech is even more difficult if you have a hearing loss. People with hearing loss say that understanding fast speech is harder than understanding soft speech. To make it easier, ask the speakers around you to:

Speak at a normal rate (speaking slowly is not helpful; just don’t speak fast)

Use pauses

Face me when you talk to me

On a positive note, cognitive abilities, memory and hearing can be preserved and even improved by exercising these functions. The "use it or lose it" principle is very applicable here! Researchers have pointed out:

“An active, engaged lifestyle, including intellectually stimulating activities, helps maintain our health and cognitive (and hearing) abilities.”

Tips for Using Your Cell Phone

Are you thinking of buying a new cell phone?

Try before purchasing

Anyone purchasing a cell phone should try it out first. Retail mobile phone outlets are required to have several hearing aid compatible models. Be sure to understand the store’s return policy before purchase.

Cell phone accessories can provide convenience and improved sound quality:

Bluetooth technology allows a wireless connection between your cell phone and the Bluetooth receiver, which can be a regular earpiece or a hearing aid.
Neckloops plug into the cell phone to use with your hearing aid’s telecoil.
Direct audio input uses a wire connection to send the cell phone output directly to your hearing aid.

Fortunately, since all cell phones have a volume control, most hearing aid users can use their cell phone without any special accessory.

INTERESTING FACT: Seeing Sound in Colour

A small percentage of people, including composer Franz Liszt and author Vladamir Nabokov, actually “see” sounds in color.

Synesthesia is a phenomenon where people experience a mixing of their senses. Someone with auditory/visual synesthesia might actually see blue when he hears a violin, or see red when he hears the speech sound “s”.

This ability appears to run in families and occurs in less than 1% of people. Recent research has identified a genetic base for it by studying 196 individuals in 43 families who all reported seeing colours when they heard certain sounds.