UNDERSTANDING HEARING AID TECHNOLOGY:

Hearing aid technology has evolved heavily over the last few years. Just as music and television transistioned from an analog to a digital format, hearing aids themselves have transistioned to digital. Digital Hearing Aids utilize advanced microchips and digital circuitry to control and amplify the sounds.

• Microphone(s) strategies
• Feedback Management
• Noise reduction features
• Channels
• Gain for soft sounds (compression threshold)
• Data-logging.

Mmicrophones- Adaptive microphones make adjustments for the user based on the listening situation. For example, if the speaker is in front of the user, the microphone zooms to the front; if the speaker is on the side, the microphone pattern zooms to the side. In many ways, these microphones think intelligently based on the speakers that surround the hearing aid user. This is an impressive accomplishment in the hearing aid industry.

ADAPTIVE MICROPHONES PROVIDE EASIER COMMUNICATION IN DIFFICULT LISTENING SITUATIONS.

Feedback Management-The most desirable means of controlling feedback is an active feedback cancellation that does not reduce gain. This type of feedback manager can increase the gain for soft sounds in the higher frequencies by up to 10-15dB which means better speech recognition for soft speech. DEFINITELY A BENEFIT FOR PATIENTS WITH SEVERE HEARING LOSS OR PATIENTS WITH GOOD LOW FREQUENY HEARING THAT REQUIRES A VENT.

Number of independent Channels- To qualify for premium, the processor needs at least 10 independent channels. This becomes extremely important in patients with a steep drop in hearing in the higher frequencies. Indirectly, this feature also decreases the risk of feedback as well. THIS FEATURE IS IMPORTANT FOR A STEEPLY SLOPING LOSS.

Gain for soft sounds- This is determined by the compression threshold of the circuit. The compression threshold can range from 0dbHL to 40dBHL. The lower the compression threshold, the more gain for soft sounds can be accomplished. THE SOFTER SPEECH SOUNDS INFLUENCE THE DEGREE OF RECOVERY IN THE SPEECH REGION, WHICH IS A GOOD PREDICTOR OF UNDERSTANDING SPEECH.

Noise reduction features of the processor- This feature can greatly facilitate the use of communication in a noisy environment, particularly when coupled with adaptive microphones. These noise reduction features are most beneficial when the noise is a “steady-state” noise such as the engine of a car, fans, motors, dishwashers, etc. Situations least effective is when speech is the offending background noise. NOISE REDUCTION CIRCUITS ARE PROPRIETARY AND SOME WORK BETTER THAN OTHERS. HAVING A NOISE REDUCTION FEATURE WILL VARY AMONG MANUFACTURERS AS TO THEIR EFFECTIVENESS. A FEW MANUFACTURERS HAVE CIRCUITS THAT WORK VERY WELL.

Data-logging- This is a fairly new feature offered on premium products. BENEFICIAL TO DETERMINE HOW MANY HOURS PER DAY THE USER HAS WORN THE HEARING AID, WHICH PROGRAMS WERE USED THE MOST. ADJUSTMENTS IN VOLUME THAT WERE MADE WITHIN EACH PROGRAM CAN BE USED TO RESET THE DEFAULT.

HEARING ASSOCIATES has cataloged hearing aids into the four categories: (1) Premium Digital, (2) Advanced Digital, (3) Mid-Level Digital, and (4) Economy. We are in the process of collecting data regarding patient satisfaction scores of each manufacturer based these categories. This website will provide these findings when this information is made available.

PREMIUM DIGITAL

A premium digital hearing aid provides excellent gain for soft sounds, active feedback cancellation, adaptive microphones, adaptive noise reduction circuit, data-logging. They provide the best technology available to compensate for hearing loss, and will likewise be the highest price.

ADVANCED DIGITAL

Hearing aids considered as advanced provide a good gain for soft sounds, feedback management, adaptive noise reduction, fixed directional microphone. The are the second most highest price aids.

BASIC DIGITAL

Basic Digital Hearing Aids typcially do not provide directional microphones, feedback management (if found in this category) reduces gain for soft sounds in the high frequencies and therefore may compromise understanding of speech; minimum help for difficulty in background noise.

ECONOMY

Economy Hearing Aids are the most affordable of all the types. However, they have signifiant limitations. They typically amplify speech but have no noise reduction capabilities. The aid should be comfortable to wear with minimum volume changes.