General Advice on Conventional Hearing Aids
Here's a collection of really great advice from some folks who know what
they're talking about when it comes to hearing aids. These articles will be
especially helpful if you're new to hearing loss.
You're probably familiar with Mark Ross. He's a Ph.D.
with a hearing loss heavily involved in making hearing aids better. Here
are his thoughts on the care and feeding of a hearing
aid.
Getting a proper hearing aid and being sure that it is
working properly is perhaps the single most important thing a person
with hearing loss can do to promote vocal communication. Here is an
extremely informative list of hearing
aid
recommendations developed by Curtis Dickerson. Even long time
hearing aid users remark that they weren't aware of all these
recommendations.
We're also fortunate to have the thoughts of Say What
Club member Andy Evans. He has some hearing aid recommendations, as well
as some thoughts on the experience of using them, the hearing aid
industry, and hearing loss in general. Read Andy's
Odyssey.
August
2000 - Is feedback a problem for you. Do your hearing friends and family
members complain about that awful noise? This article on
Feedback
Causes and Diagnosis can't do much about that, but it can at least
help you figure out what's causing the feedback.
September 2001 - Self Help for Hard of Hearing People (SHHH) recently
released a position paper on hearing aids. Called SHHH
Position Statement on Hearing Aids for People with Hearing Loss,
it's very interesting and informative reading.
November 2001 - There's nothing like advice from someone who's
already been down the path, is able to retain the important information,
and can express it clearly and concisely. Steve Barber clearly does all
this. Read his recommendations on hearing aids.
February
2002 - Here are hearing aid recommendations from
Curtis Dickinson. If you wear aids or are considering getting aids, you
need to read this!
July 2002 - Want to know the what one of the premiere experts on
hearing loss and hearing aids thinks about current hearing aid research.
Here's a report on
Mark Ross' workshop at the 2002 SHHH Convention in Seattle.
April 2003 - Here's another great article on the care
and feeding of a hearing aid!
April 2003 - Going to be buying a hearing aid? Then the SHHH booklet
entitled "The Consumer Guide to Hearing Aids"
may contain just the information you need before you take the plunge!
January 2006 - More from Mark Ross on the Care and
Feeding of hearing aids
January 2006 - Is a Hearing Aid Remote Control for
You?
February 2006
- Annalise Walker provides some interesting perspectives
on the love-hate relationship many people have with hearing aids and the
hearing aid industry.
March
2006 - Here's Jim Lemonds' very
insightful article on how hearing loss affects people, and on some of
the things we can do to reduce the impact of hearing loss.
March
2006 - Hearing
Aids for Musicians
April
2006 - Interview
with Lou Ferrigno
April 2006 - Siemens presents the first earwax
protection system for hearing instruments
May 2006 - Can You
Repeat the Question?
June 2006 - Study Finds Hearing Aids Unavailable
and Underused
June 2006 - The Hidden Costs of Hearing Aid
Ownership
March 2007 - How to Feel Confident When Buying
Hearing Aids Online
April 2007 - Hearing
aids: How to choose the right one
May 2007 - Hearing
Aid Users Earn More
June 2007 - Hearing aid users believe they are not
adequately informed
June 2007 - Good Hearing Aid Primer
June 2007 -
The Oticon Library is Now Open
July 2007 -
Hearing Aids: Inquiring Minds Want to Know
- Presented at the 2007 HLAA Convention
January 2008 - Ensuring Realistic Expectations from
Your Hearing Aids
February 2008 -
Rechargeable Hearing Amplifier Under $30
March 2008 -
6 Cheap or Discount Hearing Aids Available Online
March 2008 -
Startup Promises Quicker CI
and Hearing Aid "Tuning"
June 2008 - $80 Songbird Disposable
Hearing Aid Debuting Soon
July 2008 -
The Basics of
Achieving Comfortable Listening with Hearing Aids
September 2008 - Hearing Aid Fitting: Getting it
Right (and is that all there is?)
January 2009 - Hearing Aids Dissipate Depression
January 2009 -
Re-evaluating the Efficacy of
Frequency Transposition
February 2009 - Revisiting the Perennial
Question: What is the "Best" Hearing Aid?
February 2009 -
Musicians and Hearing Aid Design
February 2009 -
What's So Special About Music?
February 2009 -
What Special Hearing Aid Properties Do Performing
Musicians Require?
February 2009 -
The Use of a High Frequency Emphasis Microphone for
Musicians
February 2009 -
A Digital Signal Processor for Musicians and
Audiophiles
March 2009 -
Noise From Hearing Aid Causes Dog To Attack
March 2009 -
Guide for New Hearing Aid Users to be Released
May 2009 - Hearing Aids Have Positive Impact on
Quality of Life Issues
June 2009 - Consumer Reports: Hearing Aid Shoppers
Pay High Prices, Get Mediocre Fittings
July 2009 - Listening to Music Through Hearing Aids:
The "Music" Program
August 2009 - Hearing impaired get
better hearing with cochlear implant plus hearing aid
October 2009 - Take Care of Your Hearing Aids, So They
Take Care of You
October 2009 - FDA Launches New Hearing Aid Website
March 2010 - Doctor creates
affordable hearing aids costing less than $200
March 2010 -
New Technology Improves Speech
Intelligibility in Noise
April 2010 - Part Two of BHI's MarkeTrak
VIII Report Tracks Customer Satisfaction
June 2010 -
HLAA Convention:
Hearing Aid Research and Development - Part One
June 2010 -
HLAA
Convention: Hearing Aid Research and Development - Part Two
June 2010 -
HLAA
Convention: Hearing Aid Research and Development - Part Three
October 2010 - Some Comments on Hearing Aid
Features
February 2011 -
Hearing Aid History: From Ear Trumpets to
Digital Technology
March 2011 -
Cell phone inspires ear specialist to design
affordable hearing aid
March 2011 -
MDHearingAid Offers Affordable Hearing Aids
March 2011 -
A Patient-adjusted Fine-tuning Approach for
Optimizing the Hearing Aid Response
July 2011 -
The Top-10 Ways to Create Consumer Delight with
Hearing Aids
August 2011 -
Highlights from the American Academy of Audiology's
annual AudiologyNOW! Expo
August 2011 -
Why Getting the Correct Hearing Aid Fit Is
Vital
September 2011 - Decibels and Dollars: A Look at Hearing
Aid Features Across Price Points
More on this and related
topics
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January 2006
Hearing
loss guru Mark Ross, Ph.D., provides wonderful insight into the things
that cause hearing aids to break, how to diagnose a problem, and what to
do about it once you've figured out the cause. Major topics include:
*
Protection and Storage
*
Hearing Aid Batteries
*
Earmolds and Tubing
*
In-The-Ear Hearing Aid Care
*
Hearing Aid Problems / Troubleshooting
Here's
the story!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January
2006
The wireless revolution has changed the way we access the rest of
the world. Wireless remotes unlock cars and houses, and now wireless
remotes operate hearing aids. For technologically savvy people, an extra
gadget to play with can be an alluring option. But even those who are
not computer-savvy will find remote controls easy to understand and
operate. If you can manage a TV remote control, you can manage a hearing
aid remote control. Full
Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 2006
When
comparing music to speech, there are four essential physical differences
that warrant consideration during a hearing aid (or cochlear implant)
fitting. Understanding these differences and selecting appropriate
hearing aid circuitry will help to optimize the enjoyment of music for
the hard-of-hearing listener. This applies equally to those who are
musicians as to those who like to listen to (sometimes loud) music.
Full
Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April
2006
Interview
with Lou Ferrigno, Two-Time Mr. Universe and TVs "The Hulk"
Topic:
How to Wear One Hearing Aid, Digital Aids and Wireless Technologies
Dybala:
Hi Lou, thank you for spending time with me today.
Ferrigno:
You are very welcome, Paul.
Dybala:
If you don't mind I would like to review a little bit of your hearing
history for our readers. I read in your previous interviews that your
hearing loss started when you were an infant and you have worn hearing
aids your entire life.
Ferrigno:
That is correct. I actually started with just wearing one hearing aid.
My family could not afford two hearing aids, so I wore one hearing aid,
but I would switch ears every 6 months. So, when I was about 21-22 years
of age, I finally bought myself two hearing aids and have been wearing
two ever since! Full
Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April
2007
Many
types of hearing aids exist. So which is best for you? Find out what to
consider when choosing a hearing aid. Perhaps you've thought about getting
a hearing aid, but you're worried about how it will look and wonder
whether it will really help. Knowing more about the hearing aid options
available to you, what to look for when buying one and how to break it in
may help alleviate some of your concerns. Full
Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
June 2007
Here's a pretty good article for people who are just
starting to learn about hearing aids. It discusses how we hear, types of
hearing loss, hearing aid styles, some of the issues with hearing aids and
what is being done about them. Overall it's a well-written and concise
introduction to hearing aids! Full
Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
June 2007
Douglas L. Beck, Director of Professional Relations at
Oticon Inc., announced today the opening of the new online Oticon Library.
Although The Oticon Library is founded on recent
USA-based Oticon publications, there are two international sections. At this
time, the Library contains seven sections, with an additional one or two
anticipated by the end of 2007.
The “Oticon Clinical Update” (OCU) features articles
from across the globe. OCU articles address amplification and related
sciences. The “News From Oticon” (NFO) is a USA-based publication dealing
with a vast array of clinically-based topics. “Oti-Contact” offers quick
reads of product news and “People First” stories. “Recommended Readings”
contains an eclectic clinical and research-based collection of articles from
across the globe by Oticon authors. The Oticon Library also contains PDFs of
our most recent articles as they appeared in the “Hearing Review” the
“Hearing Journal” and on “Audiology Online.”
The Oticon Library gives everyone instant access to
Oticon materials. The Oticon Library can be easily accessed online at
http://www.oticonusa.com/Oticon/Professionals/Library.html. If you have
questions or comments about the Oticon Library, please contact Douglas L.
Beck Au.D. at dmb@oticonusa.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 2008
This miniature sound amplifier maximizes the natural
ability to hear sounds and conversation. Lightweight, it fits comfortably in
either ear. Affordable device is also a great emergency hearing aid backup.
Up to 7 hours of continuous use on a single charge. On/off volume control.
Recharger included.
Item #:
K8134
Price:
$29.99
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 2008
Hearings aids are undoubtedly expensive, and what
with the increasing rates of health insurance, there's a need more than ever
to find cheaper, discounted medical supplies. Here are six hearing aids that
are quite inexpensive and available online.
[Author
discusses the following 6 hearing aids:]
1. Ampli Ear
2. Digi Ear
D1
3. Sound
Device 001c
4. Open Ear
5. Hearpod
6. Earmate
4000
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January 2008
Untreated hearing loss has serious emotional and
social consequences for older persons, including depression, according to a
large-scale study by the National Council on Aging (NCOA).2 Although the
study was released almost a decade ago, it remains a classic in debunking
"the myth that hearing loss in older persons is a harmless condition,"
according to Dr. James Firman, president and CEO of the council. The survey
of 2,300 hearing impaired adults age 50 and older found that those with
untreated hearing loss were more likely to report depression, anxiety, and
paranoia and were less likely to participate in organized social activities,
compared to those who wear hearing aids. Additionally, the survey found that
significantly more seniors with untreated hearing loss (those who did not
wear hearing aids) reported feelings of sadness or depression that lasted
two or more weeks during the previous year.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 2009
Welcome to the first of two issues of The Hearing
Review devoted to a special group of people who have special-and fulfillable-technological
needs. The hearing industry has made great strides of late toward providing
effective solutions for people with hearing impairment. However, our
experience is that an important group of hearing-impaired people has been
neglected and denied easy access to technology that already exists and
effectively addresses their needs. Musicians with hearing loss are that
group. So far, the availability of hearing aids effective for musicians who
perform on stage is scant. This should not be the case! We see these
publications as a means to an end: namely, to put a swift end to the
unaddressed technical difficulties faced by performing musicians with
hearing loss.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 2009
Personal and technical observations related to
hearing aids and the performance of music-from the point of view of a
musician with a severe hearing impairment. Although modern digital hearing
aids can do a fairly good job of helping a hearing-impaired person enjoy
listening to music, my experience is that the needs of performing musicians
are not often met by today's hearing aids. Here's why. You've probably heard
this song before: "Music is my life." Certainly, there are other vital
aspects to my life, but here's the way it is for me: Unless I regularly
engage in the practice and performance of music, my enjoyment of living
seems to decline rapidly. That makes music very special to me, personally.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 2009
Performing musicians need a dispensing professional
who will listen to both them and their hearing aids. This paper summarizes
information on what is required of a high-fidelity system. Much of the
information was already contained in Snow's 1931 paper on the audible
frequency ranges of music and speech. Research since that time has done
little to modify those conclusions. [snip] In this paper, a summary of the
requirements for high-fidelity reproduction of live music is followed by a
review of some recent verifications of these guidelines as applied to
hearing aids, using listening tests, Accuracy Scores, and
intelligibility-in-noise tests. None of these measures support a digital
advantage for music, although digital processing can be used to improve the
accuracy and smoothness of the real-ear hearing aid insertion response.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 2009
Of the many differences between speech and music as
an input to a hearing aid, the one that is perhaps the most important is the
intensity. Whether the music is being played by a hard-of-hearing musician
or listened to by a hard-of-hearing novice, the higher intensities of the
input to the hearing aid can result in problems. Speech at average
conversational levels is typically in the 65-70 dBSPL range with more
intense components being up to the mid-80 dBSPL region. Shouted speech can
be slightly more intense but typically only in the lower frequency regions
(on the vowels and other sonorants). In contrast, even quiet instrumental
music can be in excess of 90 dBSPL with sustained levels greater than 105
dBSPL. This is true of both classical and popular forms of music. A
Wagnerian opera can have instrumental levels in excess of 120 dBSPL.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 2009
The main focus of hearing aid research and
development has been on the use of hearing aids to improve speech perception
and intelligibility. Hearing aid designs have, naturally, evolved with this
primary goal in mind. Fortunately for hearing aid designers, measuring
hearing aid performance solely using speech perception measures has been
somewhat forgiving of design trade-offs. This is due to the fact that such
measures of performance are relatively insensitive to some rather severe
distortion. A hearing aid that performs well with speech signals, however,
may not perform well with music. Music signals are much more variable than
speech, and our perception of music is more sensitive to distortion.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 2009
An 86-year-old woman was badly injured in a freak
animal attack Tuesday. When her hearing aid fell out of her ear, it beeped
so loudly the family dog attacked her outside a home in the Hunters Creek
subdivision. The dog has been quarantined for at least ten days of
monitoring and the 86-year-old victim's injuries are being described as
severe. The black dachshund mix named Sammie was still dazed and squirmy as
his owner tried to load him into Animal Services' truck after the attack.
Just minutes earlier, the owner says the high-pitched squeal of a hearing
aid sent the dog into a vicious attack on an elderly woman who lived in the
home.
Full
Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 2009
Auricle Ink Publishers will offer in April a new
release of Hearing Aids: The First 30 Days, by Jess Dancer, EdD, professor
emeritus of audiology. "This little 72-page book invites new hearing aid
wearers to read two pages each day to gain the benefit, insights, and wisdom
to make it through the first 30 days," says Richard Carmen, Auricle's
publisher. "While readers will know what this is about, this word trial is
actually never used in the book." Judi Biederman, editor at ADVANCE for
Audiologists, says the instructive handbook takes new hearing aid wearers on
a wonderful journey. "It should be standard issue with every new hearing aid
dispensed," she says.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
October 2009
Well, now that you're a member of the Ear Gear Gang,
doesn't it just make sense to learn all you can about taking care of those
electronic gizmos that let you hear the grandkids' laughter for the first
time since the Clinton years? You bet it does. And chances are, your
audiologist or hearing aid professional gave you a long list of dos and
don'ts but, well, sometimes you forget. We often take for granted the things
that mean the most to us and, in your case Mr. or Ms. Hearing Aid Wearer,
those hearing aids mean more than you can imagine. They keep you plugged in
to the world around you. So how about a few quick tips on taking care of
those hearing aids, you know, the ones that let you hear the world? Yeah,
the ones you wear all day and into the night.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February 2011
Hearing loss has been a problem for as long as
humans have been around and because hearing loss affects people's ability to
connect and form relationships with others, Hearing aids were quickly
developed to help those who could not hear. Here's a short history of
hearing aids - a brief guide to how we got to where we are today.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 2011
Although 36 million people in the United States need
hearing aids, experts say 77 percent go without them because of the expense.
. . . "Today, the cost of a hearing aid ranges from $800 to more than
$1,200. They're a luxury many simply cannot afford," Cherukuri said. So, two
years ago he created an affordable hearing aid - the MDHearingAid - priced
at $179.99 for one ear device and $329.99 for a pair.
Full Disclosure: MDHearingAid advertises with
Hearing Loss Web.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 2011
It's a statistic that confounds and frustrates just
about anyone who works to make sure the sounds of everyday living are heard:
Only about 1 in 5 Americans with hearing loss actually uses a hearing aid.
The stumbling blocks? The cost of hearing aids, and the fact that most
insurance policies won't cover the devices that make it possible to hear a
bird chirping or someone yelling across the room. Or a siren. Or fire alarm.
. . . For the MDHearingAid, visit mdhearingaid.com.
Full Story
Full Disclosure: MDHearingAid advertises with
Hearing Loss Web
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By Harvey Abrams, PhD; Brent Edwards, PhD; Susie Valentine, PhD; and
Kelly Fitz, PhD
March 2011
In most cases, there is potential for a better set
of electroacoustic characteristics than the patient's initially fit
parameters, but neither the patient nor the dispensing professional is
capable of knowing what that ideal setting is and how to achieve it given
current fitting practices. Clearly, there is a need for a new approach, one
that directly involves the patient in optimizing the hearing aid fitting.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 2011
There has never been a more critical time for all
hearing care professionals-audiologists, hearing instrument specialists,
manufacturer's representatives, and business executives-to embrace the need
to raise quality standards. Competition from direct-to-consumer hearing aid
distribution models and quasi over-the-counter instant-fit devices are among
the threats practitioners must face over the next decade. These industry
changes are likely to force hearing care professionals to differentiate
their products and services or risk the marginalization of the traditional
patient-provider business model. The ability to differentiate with quality
is especially critical for service providers who have worked for several
decades within a relatively stable distribution system, and have recently
felt the rising tide of less expensive alternative systems, including the
Internet and the over-the-counter sales of personal sound amplification
products (PSAPs). Fortunately, the path to differentiation rests in the
hearing care professional's ability to customize delivery of products and
services to patients. Three recent studies underscore this trend.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
August 2011
Did you ever think you could visit a hearing
healthcare professional and be fitted with a hearing aid the same day? Or
that you could wear a state-of-the-art hearing aid-and go swimming? These
technologies, among many others now available, were showcased at the
American Academy of Audiology's AudiologyNOW! convention held in early April
in Chicago. Over 7,000 attendees previewed exciting new products from more
than 200 exhibitors, making the Expo Center at AudiologyNOW! one of the best
opportunities available to see the innovations and trends of the hearing
industry. Here is our roundup of the highlights.
Full Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
August 2011
Advances in hearing aid design and technology have
led to major improvements in the fitting of hearing aids. Almost all hearing
aids nowadays are digital and are fit using computers, making the process
more accurate than ever before. The design of the hearing aid, how it
couples to the ear, and how it fits the individual's specific and unique
hearing profile is a combination of science and art. Getting the right fit
requires a skilled practitioner and a set of protocols to be adapted to each
individual patient. There are four basic steps to get the right fit.
Full Story
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September 2011
This article will define the basic functions in
hearing aids that address these common needs as well as providing a few of
the more common brand names for these features. Following that, we will look
at the current offerings by the top six manufacturers and give you an idea
of what features you should expect in several price categories.
Full Story
