Friday, August 24, 2012

What hearing aids can and cannot do...

Welcome to my Blog!

I am the owner of Hearing Aid Station, and this blog will post information about hearing, life, food, and other news about my industry.

For my first post I would like to introduce some sites you might find helpful.

My Website: www.TheHearingAidStation.com
Helpful Youtube videos:  www.youtube.com/ellenknows

Hearing Aids - What they can do vs. what they cannot do...

Hearing aids amplify sounds.  Simple as that sounds that is what they do.  Your ability to hear sounds then translate that into some sort of meaning is a product of listening skills.  Hearing aids can be adjusted for comfort in noise using something called compression.  Compression is just simply how and when something is amplified. 

A through examination of your ears is necessary for a proper fitting.  An audiogram for a hearing aid fitting must include an otoscopic examination of the ear canals, threshold testing with headphones or inserts, speech testing, uncomfortable loudness testing, bone conduction, and a COSI questionnaire. 

You cannot perform a proper audiogram that includes speech outside a booth.  The standard is that the patient must be in a seperate room for proper speech testing to be performed.  The reason is that the tester's voice can be audible even with headphones on. 

I mentioned speech testing because it is the only way for the Audiologist/Dispenser to know how well someone might do with amplification.  For example, if you are understanding amplified speech at about 60% correctness then you should expect to miss about 30% of words even with a hearing aid.  It will be worse when you are in noise.

That said, there is a program out there that will help you with listening skills called LACE.  You can do this online or with a software program.  It teaches the brain how to hear better in noise.  The program requires the listener to dedicate three 20 min sessions a week.  The program lasts about two months.  At the end, you should be hearing and understanding much better.

Hearing aids will not restore your hearing!  They do not "filter" out background noise.  They can change the way that background noise is amplified, but they cannot effectively edit your life. 

What hearing aids are for is making sounds audible so you can hear them.  Currently patients can expect more connectivity with their hearing aids for technologies such as cellular phones, televisions, and other like media devices.

Hearing aids are now rechargeable, but only a few manufacturers have this feature.  You need to ask your hearing aid professional about your options.

Well that is about it...  I will post again soon.