Monday, May 23, 2011

Understand Conversations In Noisy Places!

LACE Software Training
Whether you wear hearing aids or simply wish to improve your listening skills, LACE training improves the brains ability to comprehend speech up to 40% better in difficult listening situations such as noisy restaurants, fast talkers, and competing voices.  On average, studies show that those who complete 10 sessions of LACE enjoy 33% greater speech-in-noise intelligibility.  Those who complete 20 sessions enjoy 43% greater speech-in-noise intelligibility.


Monday, May 16, 2011

Hearing Aids 101

A hearing aid is an electronic device usually worn in or behind the ear to amplify sound.  More than 1,000 different models are available in the United States. All of them include a microphone (to pick up sound), amplifier (to boost sound strength), a receiver or speaker (to deliver sound to the ear), and are powered by a battery. Depending on the style, it's possible to add features to filter or block out background noise, minimize feedback or lower sound in noisy settings.  Hearing aids are either "monoaural" (a hearing aid for one ear), or "binaural" (for two ears); more than 65% of all users have binaural aids.

A hearing aid enhances sound so you can hear better. Since hearing loss is gradual, it's common to become unaccustomed to environmental sounds such as traffic noise or background conversation. Because of this, when a person begins wearing a hearing aid, it is necessary to re-educate the brain to practice selective listening, the ability to choose only those sounds which you wish to hear.
For more information, visit our website!

Monday, May 9, 2011

Troubleshooting Your Hearing Aids

Does your hearing aid ever:
  • Whistle or give feedback?
  • Sound weaker than normal?
  • Go dead without warning?
  • Give a scratchy sound or go off/on?
Click here for some helpful troubleshooting tips!

Monday, May 2, 2011

A Cure for Tinnitus?

Tinnitus (TIN-a-tus) is commonly described as "ringing in the ears." It is defined as the perception of sound in the head when no external sound is present. In addition to "ringing," head noises have been described as hissing, roaring, whooshing, clicking, pulsing, and whistling.  Ringing and head noises can occur in one ear or both ears, and can be perceived to be occurring inside or outside the ear.  It can accompany hearing loss or exist independent of hearing loss.

A variety of factors including earwax blockage, stress, antiobiotics, and age-related hearing loss can lead to or worsen tinnitus.  While it is a fairly common problem, there are many effective methods to treat or at least reduce the severity of its symptoms.  Investigating its underlying cause, examining possible hearing instruments that "mask" the noise it creates, and counseling are all possible components of a comprehensive treatment plan for managing tinnitus.

While there is no known cure for tinnitus, hearing aids can help manage its symptoms.  However, they are only one component of a comprehensive approach to helping people cope with this condition.

For more information on tinnitus, visit our website.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Hearing Aid Models For Specific Conditions

There are several models of hearing aids designed to help the ear's ability to hear in noise and cope with tinnitus.  There are also several hearing devices that can stream the volume of the television and phone directly to the hearing instruments.  Here are a few examples.

Hearing better in noise while streaming phone and television volume to your hearing aids:
Phonak's Audeo Smart IX
Ideal for hearing in noise, Phonak's Audeo Smart IX is a newer hearing aid with bluetooth connectivity.  It features Zoom technology which allows the wearer to enhance their hearing in challenging, noisy environments.  It also features the ability to stream phone and television volume directly to the hearing aids through the use of a necklace streamer.

Hear better in noise while streaming phone and television volume to your hearing aids- without using a necklace streamer:
GN Resound Alera 9
One of the key features of the Alera is the built in streamer technology.  This feature allows you to stream the volume of your cell phone and television directly to your hearing aids without wearing a necklace streamer.  However, this hearing aid does not feature Zoom technology.
Hear better in noise, stream the volume of your television and phone, and never worry about the hassle of changing batteries: 
Siemens Pure 701
Siemens Pure series automatically adjusts volume and program settings to match your surroundings, so your hearing experience is completely customized.  Also, as the only rechargeable hearing device on the market, you rarely have to change the rechargeable batteries.  Using Siemens Tek, you can also stream the volume of your television and phone to your hearing aids.

A Hearing Aid that helps mask tinnitus:
Widex Mind Series
This model of hearing aid features what the manufacturer calls a "Zen" program.  The Zen program is a dedicated relaxation feature used to mask the symptoms of tinnitus by producing a range of harmonic tones. 
 

Monday, April 18, 2011

The Two Most Common Reasons Hearing Aids Malfunction and What You Can Do About It

When a hearing aid malfunctions, it's usually for one of two reasons:
--Moisture
--Wax build up
It is critically important to dehumidify your hearing instrument on a nightly basis.  Often times, the hearing device will malfunction if moisture builds up inside the casing.  To ensure this doesn't happen, place your hearing instruments in a Dry and Store or Dry Spot dehumidifier each night before you go to bed.  Each patient who purchases hearing instruments through Appalachian Audiology automatically receives a Dry Spot dehumidifier.

If your hearing aid suddenly stops working, it could be due to wax buildup.  Each hearing aid should come with common tools used to keep the aids minimally cleaned.  If your hearing device is equipped with a wax trap, by changing the wax trap, it will most likely cause the hearing aid to resume its normal function.  Our offices are equipped with more complex tools used specifically to clean hearing aids, remove excess wax build up, and change out wax traps.  If you purchased your hearing instruments through Appalachian Audiology, free lifetime service is included in the purchase price of the hearing aids.
For more information, visit our website.

Monday, April 11, 2011

The Difference Between Hearing Aid Dealers and Audiologists

We frequently receive questions from patients who are trying to understand the difference between hearing aid dealers and clinical audiologists.  Dr. Robert Glaser, former President of The American Academy of Audiology, details the differences between Hearing Aid Dealers and Clinical Audiologists the following way: 

Hearing aid dealers specialize in the measurement and testing of human hearing by means of an audiometer for the purpose of selecting, adapting and selling a hearing aid to any person.  Hearing Aid Dealers are limited to testing hearing solely for the purposes of fitting hearing aids. Unlike Audiologists, they may not engage in, nor are they trained to complete diagnostic hearing or balance examinations nor participate in the assessment of patients with tinnitus.

An audiologist has completed a minimum of 350 patient care hours obtained in an accredited college or university program, and spent one year as an extern with a clinical audiologist.  A clinical audiologist is  skilled in the planning, directing, supervising, and conducting of habilitative or rehabilitative counseling programs for individuals who have been diagnosed or are suspected of having disorders of hearing.  This includes assistive listening device evaluation, selection, preparation, dispensing, and orientation.  It also includes the fabricating of ear molds, providing auditory training, and administering tests of vestibular function and tinnitus. Audiologists are uniquely qualified and trained to identify a wide variety of pathology and underlying medical conditions of the hearing and balance systems and to refer these cases for appropriate medical or surgical treatment.
 For more information, visit our website!
For more from Dr. Glaser, click here.