Advances in Hearing Aid Technology
By Jenny Head, CCC-A, Audiologist
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Photos courtesy of Phonak and GNReSound. |
Digital technology has revolutionized our world. The way we work, play and communicate has changed dramatically. We use email, hand held computers, text messaging and cell phones. We use digital and satellite TV, and download music into hand held devices. We have GPS navigation in vehicles to map our trips. We can pay bills on-line, earn a degree through on-line education and we have digitally based medical care. A day does not go by that we don't use blue tooth wireless cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and email. Hearing aids have been revolutionized as well!
Hearing instrument systems have taken some huge leaps over the last few of years. These leaps have been in the areas of technology, design, and cosmetics. The changes have been dramatic and translate into higher consumer satisfaction. In the past, consumers have ranked hearing aid satisfaction fairly low. Thankfully, that has changed and continues to improve. In 2005, Sergei Kochkin from the Better Hearing Institute reported that customer satisfaction with hearing instruments less than 6 years old was 71% and that 85% of consumers were satisfied with the benefit they received from their hearing instruments. The ratings were stellar for instruments less than one year old. Consumers reported 90% satisfaction rating! 90% of the consumers were pleased with the benefit they received from their hearing instruments, due in part, to the commitment of the industry to create hearing instruments that meet the lifestyles and needs of consumers. These are not your father's (or mother's) hearing aids! The systems are technologically advanced, user friendly, cosmetically appealing, and most are downright attractive.
In 2006, over 91% of all hearing aids dispensed in the U.S. used digital signal processing or DSP. In 2000, only 13% of the hearing instruments dispensed used digital signal processing. DSP instruments have become the standard technology in a few short years. Digital signal processing converts the electronic signals into digitized sounds that are processed by a digital signal processor. They are then converted back to electronic signals and reconverted to acoustical energy at the ear. For hearing instruments, DSP refers to complex, computer controlled, mathematical manipulation of sound, allowing more precise fine-tuning. DSP hearing instruments can be adaptive, i.e., the performance of the hearing instruments can change according to the listening needs of the hearing aid wearer.
Digital hearing instruments offer significant advantages to hearing-impaired consumers that was not available ten years ago. These include:
• Superior DSP capabilities, increasing the chances that noise sources will be removed and that the instrument will capture and understand more of the speech signal. The goal here is to maximize incoming speech sounds and minimize incoming noise.
• Active noise reduction and cancellation and therefore greater user comfort in noisy situations. An example is going to a large wedding reception and not being overwhelmed with the loudness of the music and people.
• Greater flexibility in fitting the instruments to the unique hearing loss characteristics of the consumer. Audiologists can fit more types and degrees of hearing loss than ever before. And, the hearing instruments can be fine-tuned to meet individual needs.
• Better ability to reduce internal noise in the hearing instruments through suppression of acoustic and mechanical feedback. Basically, hearing instruments can control feedback (whistling) while providing the appropriate amplification for a multitude of hearing losses.
• Superior optimization of microphones in directional hearing instruments. Many instruments have multiple microphones. The use of multiple microphones can significantly facilitate a person's ability to hear speech in a noisy environment.
• Better overall shaping of the frequency response, customizing to different types of hearing losses.
• The ability, through datalogging, to use DSP to better monitor hearing instrument use. The newest instruments can actually monitor when the hearing instrument wearer made volume or program changes to the instrument and update the settings automatically.
• Overall cleaner sound quality. Digital sound is a much better quality. The good news is you don't have to be "tech-savvy" to benefit from the newest hearing instruments! They are user friendly and highly automatic.
REFERENCES
Kirkwood, D. Led by BTEs, sales rise for fourth straight year to surpass 2.3 million. The Hearing Journal; 2006;59:11-20.
Kochkin, S. Customer Satisfaction with Hearing Aids in the Digital Age, The Hearing Journal, 2005;58(9):30-37.
Russ, D. Digital Signal processing and Hearing Aids. Healthy Hearing.org
Jenny Head, CCC-A, is an audiologist at ENT & Audiology, Raleigh. www.entandaudiology.com
Ask yourself the following questions. If you answer "yes" to three or more of these questions, you could have a hearing problem and may need to have your hearing checked by a doctor.
• Do I have a problem hearing on the telephone?
• Do I have trouble hearing when there is noise in the background?
• Is it hard for me to follow a conversation when two or more people talk at once?
• Do I have to strain to understand a conversation?
• Do many people I talk to seem to mumble (or not speak clearly)?
• Do I misunderstand what others are saying and respond inappropriately?
• Do I often ask people to repeat themselves?
• Do I have trouble understanding the speech of women and children?
• Do I hear a ringing, roaring, or hissing sound a lot?
• Do some sounds seem too loud?
Communication Tips
If you have a hearing loss caused by presbycusis or know someone who does, share these tips with them.
• Face the person who has a hearing loss so that he or she can see your face when you speak.
• Be sure that lighting is in front of you when you speak. This allows a person with a hearing impairment to observe facial expressions, gestures, and lip and body movements that provide communication clues.
• During conversations, turn off the radio or television.
• Avoid speaking while chewing food or covering your mouth with your hands.
• Speak slightly louder than normal, but don't shout. Shouting may distort your speech.
• Speak at your normal rate, and do not exaggerate sounds.
• Clue the person with the hearing loss about the topic of the conversation whenever possible.
• Rephrase your statement into shorter, simpler sentences if it appears you are not being understood.
• In restaurants and social gatherings, choose seats away from crowded or noisy areas.
From the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communications Disorders, www.nidcd.nih.gov
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