Real Hearing Aid Reviews, Independent Advice From an Expert » Digital Hearing Aids

Two Solutions to Reduce Wind Noise in Hearing Aids

admin — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 02:55:22 +0000

Most new hearing aids, with current technology, have wind reduction algorithms and generally do not require wind protection. My hearing aids (Starkey X110 RIC) have no problems in the wind. I hear the wind for a fraction of a second as a crackle, but then it is reduced to just a full frequency version of the wind that is blowing in a normal ear. To the best of my knowledge (given the laws of physics), wind noise cannot be reduced beyond the level that would be blowing in a normal year. I play golf and fish in open saltwater with my aids and have no major issues. When I was in Antarctica last Christmas, the wind was blowing at 30 knots and if I kept my stocking cap pulled down over my ears, I had no issues. But you need both a wind algorithm and feedback elimination to pull that off.

Another way to reduce wind turbulence, is to put a sock over the aid. You can purchase a product that is designed to reduce moisture build up that will baffle the turbulence over the microphones. It looks much like a miniature gym sock. The problem is the vortex over the microphone ports. Think of the microphone opening as the top of a jug in a jug band. When air moves over the opening, it creates a minor “tornado” over the on top and a resonance in the throat of the mic; you hear that turbulence. Notice the reporters standing in the storms on the Weather Channel, they always have a huge foam cover for the microphone. If they did not, you would only hear rumbling. Even with the foam, you often hear wind noise, it is just reduced. Directional mics, by having two openings, have double the issues of a single mic system.

What’s New With Hearing Aids in 2011

admin — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 03:02:04 +0000

There are several newer hearing aids (look for a review of several that is in the works right now and will be published here soon) that are offering some significant improvement for people with severe S/N loss. One of the aids in the review is a Phonak unit. There is also a unit from Oticon and one from Starkey. Our rough data would suggest that while all these units have a special feature that shifts speech signals out of regions where the patient has little or no hearing and moves the information into areas where there is more hearing; the Starkey with Spectral IQ seems to do the best job. This is a feature on the new X Series from Starkey and your hearing professional should be getting up to speed on it soon. Almost everybody in the industry is familiar with the older systems used by Phonak and Oticon, but the new Starkey aid will require that the professional do some study to be fully proficient. The important things to look for when researching a hearing aid for someone who is severely impaired are:

1. A top quality feedback elimination system. The better the feedback elimination, the more power and more clarity a unit is capable of.

2. Wide frequency band width. The wider the frequency band of the unit, the better the professional can “tune” the unit to the patients needs and the better they can focus on areas of the greatest loss.

3. Background noise filtering systems. Even the cheapest hearing aids have and can claim a background noise reduction system. The key is whether that is a drop off system or a filter system. A drop off system simply takes lower frequency sounds and reduces the gain in that region. That offers a great “WOW” effect, but does little for speech in noise. A true filter system will “read the noise” and then construct an ever changing dynamic filter to reduce the noise in the speech circle. Your hearing professional should be able to do a HINT (Hearing In Noise Test) to show a difference between different models. Starkey has an Ipad app that demonstrates it for the patient, some of the other companies should have something similar.

Widex Clear Hearing Aid – A Personal Review

admin — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:13:23 +0000

I’m be glad to offer a glowing testimonial of my new Clear hearing aids since their performance is phenomenal compared to whatever preceded it but first there seems to be confusion as to which hearing aids I actually purchased. My audiologist Bonnie Rubin tells me I do not have the Fusion since the Fusion is only available in the mini and does not have a receiver in the ear. However from my calls to Widex in LIC I do indeed have the Fusion. I do have aids with a receiver in the ear. My curiosity reason is that I wished to know if my aids had ClearBand which Bonnie tells me I don’t have but if I have the Fusion, the Fusion comes with it. In any case my model # is C4FSBR, serial #032731 and #038472. The C4-FS does not have ClearBand. My comments would apply to the correct designation of my aids. Please tell me what I have. In any case I have mild to moderate hearing loss that is partly genetic and partly occupational I assume since as a dentist air turbine drills that I use are known to impair high frequency Hz. I am 69 years old and my loss has been fairly constant the last 5 years or so. My first hearing aids were in approximately in 2000. I purchased a partly digital aid then from Resound. My next hearing aid was purchased in 2004 and was the Widex Diva and was an in the ear model. They were an improvement but my ears itched a lot and my ability to specialize sounds was limited. The person I was seeing at the time urged me to try in 2007 a Starkey – Destiny 1200 which I was unhappy with and returned shortly thereafter. These 2 aids were acquired at Community hearing in Mt. Kisco, N.Y. I then went to see Bonnie and purchased the Widex Inteo IN9E I believe serial #s 1183l73 and118331 which were a behind-the-ear model and were much more comfortable and produced a much more natural sound. My next aids were the Widex Mind 440 Micro behind the ear which were my mom’s aids retuned for my hearing loss since she passed away 2 years ago. During the short time she had them it was a pleasure communicating with her. Nevertheless, I felt these aids were only a slight improvement over the Inteo’s notably in headroom for music and locating sound direction. However they were no better in crowded environments where speech discrimination was still difficult. These new aids whatever they are have finally allowed me to converse in noisy environments. I hear a more complete sound stage and in greater fidelity. I can make these statements comfortably since I have regularly done A-B comparisons with my Mind 440s. They are a quatum leap in performance over whatever preceded them. Thank you Widex

Ringing in the Ears – An Overview of Tinnitus

admin — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 18:49:11 +0000

Tinnitus is derived from the Latin word “tinnire” which translate to tinkling or ringing like a bell. Tinnitus is a condition that causes ringing in the ears which can be both dramatic or just a minor annoyance. “Tinnitus is a condition in which a person hears a ringing, buzzing or hissing sound which is caused by the hearing system itself and not by any external sources.” Worldwide, about 10-17 percent of people suffer from Tinnitus. Here in the United States about 44 million people are affected.

Sounds

The sounds of Tinnitus can be very different for each person. It can be high, low pitched or a pulsation. Only the person affect with Tinnitus can hear the sounds. For this reason, a lot of people who have Tinnitus don’t ever get diagnosed with the condition.

Causes

Causes of Tinnitus can be very diverse. The source of Tinnitus can range from ear wax built up, to damage of the ear itself, to health issues (diet) to tumors or cancer. Most commonly, it can be directly related to aging.

Damage to the internal ear can be caused by the use of Q-Tips or similar objects. Damage can also be caused by external noises that have been too loud and have damaged the ear drum itself. There are many social activities that can cause this type of damage: firing guns, extremely loud music at a concert or through using earphones.

Tinnitus can also be related to one’s diet. “Nutrition can also have an incidence on tinnitus, for instance: excessive consumption of caffeine, alcohol, drugs, spicy products, etc.” Research shows that caffeine can be one of the triggers for Tinnitus as well as Nicotine, Aspirin or a diet that is high is salt. These external influences can be linked to restrictive blood flow which can aggravate Tinnitus.

Tinnitus can be one of the symptoms of a more serious condition called Meniere’s Disease. It can also be related to the presence of a tumor in different sections of the ear.

It is very important to consult a doctor to determine the cause of Tinnitus.

The Montreal Tinnitus Clinic. http://www.mytinnitus.ca/tinnitus-definition.html

SCENIHR. “Potential health risks of exposure to noise from personal music players and mobile phones including a music playing function Preliminary report” June 24, 2008.

USAToday. Health Encyclopedia – Diseases and Conditions. Tinnitus. http://www.healthscout.com/ency/68/211/main.html

WebMB. The Ringing and Buzzing of Tinnitus. http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/ringing-buzzing-tinnitus

Happy To Hear

admin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:42:10 +0000

Almost ten million Americans today are currently using hearing aids. This number is just a mere fraction of those who have actually been diagnosed with some form of hearing impairment. A lot of people who are experiencing hearing loss choose not to wear hearing aids because of their high costs. These people need not suffer from such impairment. There are varied options nowadays that are priced reasonably enough. The cost of purchasing hearing aids should not be a hindrance to improving a patient’s sense of hearing. There is simply no cost to being able to live life with all your senses working.

Hearing aids is considered to be one of the best life-changing inventions of our time. The growing number of people whose lives have been positively impacted by the use of these hearing aids is a testament to its great benefits. Hearing aids have come a long way from the older way of trying to improve their hearing through the use of hollowed sheep’s horn. These devices have shrunk over time and have progressed to more efficient and less bulky devices. Today, people who are experiencing hearing loss can enjoy the benefits of digital hearing aids. These hearing aids are more convenient to use as they are smaller in size and are able to produce better quality sounds.

The digital hearing aid was developed and introduced to the market in the 1990s. These devices are made by making impressions of the ear opening to serve as a mold for the hearing aid shell. Depending on the degree of hearing loss, an audiologist might prescribe an in-the-canal digital hearing aid, a completely in-the-canal digital hearing aid, an in-the-ear digital hearing aid, or a behind-the-ear digital hearing aid. It is always recommended that a medical practitioner, an audiologist, or a hearing care professional be consulted before purchasing a digital hearing aid. These professionals can point you to the right direction.

Digital hearing aids are not usually covered by medical insurance or healthcare coverages. The costs to having these devices made could be high depending on which type you need. Digital hearing aids are generally get more expensive as they become smaller and more discreet. Those digital hearing aids that are fitted behind the ears are found to be helpful for those with extreme hearing loss. Other types of digital hearing aids can work as well for those who have lesser degrees of hearing loss. It would be a good idea to try and find out what options you have available to you with the help of your audiologist. Digital hearing aids have the advantage of being programmed and re-programmed to fit the changing hearing needs of the person wearing it. Check on the service agreement that comes with the device that you are buying to find out to what extent the manufacturer will render free service on your digital hearing aid. Find out also if the unit you are considering comes with a money back guarantee so that you can return the device if you are not satisfied with it.

Losing your sense of hearing can be an uncomfortable and disorienting condition. Having a hearing aid that is properly configured to your personal specifications would get you out from the doldrums caused by your condition. Those who have had their digital hearing aids custom-fitted already are happy to have restored part of their senses.

TV EARS Review: Wireless Headphones For TV- READ BEFORE YOU BUY

admin — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:28:27 +0000

Let’s face it. Sometimes you just want to hear the television. For some people expensive hearing aids can’t be afforded or are just over kill to be able to listen to the TV set. If you have seen any late night commercials then you’ve probably come across one for TV Ears. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the product, it’s a listening device or hearing amplifier made specifically for watching television.

One of the big advantages of using this product is that is gives you the ability to control the volume for yourself personally and not have to change the volume on the TV it’s self so that others can watch and not have to be blasted away with volume. What users really like about this product is that when they are using the product, it does not change how your TV would normally operates. So the tv can actually be on mute and the person wearing TV Ears is able to adjust the volume as they please. For this reason, those without hearing loss find this product very useful. For example, if you like to watch TV in Bed and your partner prefers to read or sleep then this can be a great solution so you don’t bother the other person with the volume of the TV.

Another reason why this product is so popular is that it is able to work with just about any television set which includes HD TV, Digital, cable, and even satellite. Hooking up the electronics is easy and there is a support number to call if you have any issues with setup. The company offers four models including Tv Ears 2.3, TV Ears Original, TV Ears Professional, and TV Ears Home Theater. It is important to note that the original version does not work with Plasma or LCD TVs.

Here are some things we liked about TV Ears.

The unit is adjustable so you can customize your listening experience by volume, tone, and balance. It’s wireless so you don’t have to worry about any one tripping over annoying cords. We also like the fact that it comes with rechargeable batteries and a charging unit. TV Ears has what it calls Voice Enhancement Technology and Automatic Commercials control however we were not totally sold on how well these technologies actually worked.

Some complaints about TV Ears

Some users have complained that the device hurts their ears while others have had issues with the construction of the wireless set being flimsy and breaking. Users have also complained that the TV Ears transmit too much static noise.

It should be noted that customer service with TV Ears seems to be solid. When people had problems with the device they were able to get a hold of customer service via phone and it most cases a new unit was shipped out to them. This is more than can be said for other hearing amplifier companies’ customer service.

Idiopathic Hearing Loss

admin — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 15:46:02 +0000

Idiopathic hearing loss is defined as a sudden hearing loss occurring from unknown causes. Maybe sudden is too much said, as in fact it is a loss of minimum 30 dB within 72 hours or less, over minimum three frequencies. If affects men and women within the 30 – 60 years old age range and it can be accompanied by vertigo or tinnitus. Although it occurs suddenly, idiopathic hearing loss may pass unnoticed by the patient in milder cases. The hearing loss degree may differ from one person to another, it may include one or both ears and it can be either permanent or only temporary.

There are many cases when patients stated that their hearing went back to normal in less than one month without any medical treatment. Idiopathic means of unknown origin, yet doctors suspect it may be triggered by a series of conditions such as ototoxic medication exposure, vascular diseases, tumors, stroke, acoustic neuroma, otitis media or viral diseases like infectious mononucleosis, rubella, mumps, measles, or herpes. There are even scientific studies which try to establish a connection between progressive idiopathic hearing loss and genetic mutations in the DNA, but all they managed to demonstrate was the need for more studies on a larger number of persons affected by this type of hearing impairment.
Healthcare professionals are trying various treatments, amongst which, steroids are thought to be the most effective for this condition. Other treatments may include anti virals, vitamins, diuretics or oxygen therapy.

Anybody who wakes up in the morning and experiences a hearing loss, no matter how mild, should immediately schedule an appointment with a medical specialist in order to determine the cause of this condition and to discover if it’s something reversible or an idiopathic hearing loss which will hopefully get cured by itself.

Sensory Hearing Loss

admin — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 15:44:54 +0000

Sensory hearing loss, also known as sensorineural hearing loss, is the result of a damage of the cochlea or of the auditory nerve. Such damages may be hereditary or they may occur as a consequence of diseases such as meningitis, mumps, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, Waardenburg’s syndrome, Alport’s syndrome or Meniere’s disease. It has been estimated that about 30% of people who suffered from meningitis develop sensory hearing loss. Aging can be another cause for this type of hearing deficiency, because of degenerative processes that take place as the human body gets older, and which can impact the hair cells of the organ of Corti, situated in the cochlea. In most of the cases, sensory hearing loss is a permanent ailment, very hard if not impossible to be treated medically or surgically.

Cochlear damage which can go as bad as to lead to complete deafness may also be induced by long-term, repeated exposure to loud noise, like in the case of musicians, who are exposed to high-frequency sounds, or in the case of workers who work in a noisy environment. This is why musicians should wear special earplugs or mute their instruments when practicing, in order to minimize the damage. In the US, noisy occupations are regulated by laws which enforce noise protection means as compulsory for such workplaces. Even the common mp3 player headphones we all are so familiar with may cause hearing loss if one listens to very loud music for as long as a few hours. Studies have shown that even intensities of 70 dB, which are not the maximum possible for such devices, can result in hearing loss.

Sensory hearing loss is diagnosed with the help of an audiogram, which can also provide information regarding on the prognosis of the disease. It is treated with hearing aids or cochlear implants.

Hearing Cochlear Implants

admin — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 15:42:04 +0000

Hearing implants, also called cochlear implants are electronic devices that are surgically implanted in the cochlea of patients suffering from severe hearing loss, but who still have functional auditory nerves. While hearing aids serve as signal amplifiers, hearing implants work by generating an electric field that stimulates the auditory nerves each time the external microphone detects sounds, bypassing the damaged segments of the ear. The cochlear implant consists of two parts: the stimulator and receiver part which is implanted behind the ear, under the skin, and the microphone and transmitter part which attaches magnetically on the scalp, over the receiver. As there are no wires between the inner and outer parts of a hearing implant, the risks of getting infections are reduced.
With hearing implants, people learn to associate various signals with sounds they used to know from the time when they were hearing fine. Hearing through such an implant is different from the natural way humans hear, therefore a period of therapy and accommodation with the device is required. Another type of hearing implants are middle ear implants, which convert sounds into mechanical vibrations, thus stimulating the middle ear bones and making hearing possible. Such hearing implants are suitable for treating mild to severe sensorineural, conductive and mixed hearing loss. The first condition for somebody to get such an implant is to be healthy enough to withstand surgery with general anesthesia.
In order to benefit from hearing implants, a patient will have to go through a thorough medical assessment. Usually, this happens only after a certain period of time of wearing hearing aids, when there’s no other solution for restoring the hearing function.
As hearing implants are expensive, insurance would cover only a part of these costs, the patients being required either to bring in their own savings or to find funding elsewhere for their surgery.

Hearing Aid Phones

admin — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 02:29:44 +0000

Having telephone conversations can be difficult if not impossible for people with hearing deficiencies. Not to mention that many times, they don’t even hear the phone ringing, thus missing important calls. Hearing aid phones can help these people get back into normality, because they come with amplifiers which adjust the ringing and the speaking volume to really high levels. Some of these phones feature flashing lights which get activated by incoming calls or by call waiting. Another useful function is the phone memory, which can hold up to nine direct memories and in some cases three more emergency memories.

If the hearing impaired person lives with other people, they may choose one of those hearing aid phone models which allow deactivating the ringer and using only the flashing lights for signaling the incoming calls. In case your hearing aid is equipped with a function for streamlining sounds from other devices such as TV sets, phones or mp3 players, you need to purchase a hearing aid compatible phone, in order to benefit from that function. Hearing aid compatible phones feature a telecoil, or a t-switch, which can be activated from a switch and which transmits the signal directly to the hearing aid, as radio waves, for an optimal listening experience. In case you don’t have this capability on your hearing aid, you still can reduce whistling and annoying feedback when listening on the phone, by using a hearing aid phone pad, which is a special ring made of foam, that helps keeping a safe distance between the phone and the hearing aid.

If you find difficulties in using your cell phone, you can turn it into a hearing aid phone by connecting it to a special device called HATIS (Hearing Aid Telephone Interconnect System), which will make it possible for you to hear better.