The Types Of Modern Hearing Aids And Their Applications
Did you know that the National Institutes of Health estimates that only one in five people who require hearing aids wear them? This isn’t so surprising considering that old-fashioned hearing aids have a clunky design – big in size, small in features with audible buzzes and whistles that worsen hearing loss instead of improving hearing capacity.
Fortunately, digital technology has ushered in a new age in hearing aids! These products are now significantly smaller in size while offering better features, thanks partly to microcomputers. These are virtually invisible, if you want to be discreet about your hearing loss, too.
Styles to Choose From
Check your hearing aids prescription since it may contain one of these modern types of the device.
- In-the-ear (ITE) devices completely fit in the outer ear typically used in the management of mild to severe hearing loss. Made of hard plastic, the case holds the circuitry but the device itself can be damaged by ear drainage and wax buildup.
- Behind-the-ear (BTE) devices are obviously worn behind the ear with a plastic earmold fitting inside the outer ear. These are typically prescribed for people with mild to profound hearing loss, as well as can be linked to your cellphone using Bluetooth technology. Basically, you can hear directly from your phone so there’s little to no background noise – and it’s definitely a cool feature.
- In-the-canal (ITC) devices are customized according to the unique size and shape of your ear canal. These are used for mild to moderately severe hearing loss, as well as the most popular type of hearing aids since these are small in size and fits well into the ear canal without being placed deep in it that there’s reduced reception.
Your audiologist and/or ear specialist will suggest the best type of hearing aids in your case depending on your type and severity of hearing loss, among other factors. In general, the more severe the hearing loss, the larger the size of the hearing aids, ostensibly to accommodate more wires and circuitry.
Workings of the Devices
Regardless of your chosen type, these hearing aids work like a topnotch stereo sound system. These filter out the background noise, adjust the volume, and improve the sound quality automatically. These are also programmed through their microcomputers to match the subtle aspects of your unique hearing loss – think of it as your very own equalizer and you get the idea.
Modern hearing aids also have a directional microphone, among the biggest improvements in these devices, which act as a filter against background noise. If you want to hear better even in a relatively noisy environment, then ask your audiologist for hearing aids with a directional microphone.
If you want even better performance, you may want to shell out a few hundred dollars more for hearing aids with digital circuitry. Basically, these devices have a microphone, a receiver and a computer chip as well as a battery that precisely matches your response time, among other aspects of your hearing loss.
If you think you need to buy a hearing aid, make sure that you get a hearing aid prescription. Also note that the programs on these devices may be modified, but ask your audiologist first before making any changes. We are specialist of hearing test & assessment and provide hearing aid prescription.
Source:
HK Hearing & Speech Centre
Specialist of Hearing test & assessment,
and Hearing Aid Prescription
Hearing Aids Are Easy To Get (Here’s How!)
Hearing aids are obviously necessary for people who are hard of hearing. But while these are affordable and easy to buy, you should ideally secure a hearing aids prescription for this purpose. Here are a few important things that you should consider in this regard.
Examinations Are Recommended
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), undergoing a medical examination before purchasing hearing aids will be in the best health interests of concerned individuals. The medical examination should be performed by a licensed physician, preferably an ear specialist, to ensure the right fit.
But the FDA also says that it doesn’t plan on enforcing the medical examination requirement for consumers 18 years of age and older in the purchase of certain types of hearing aids. For minor consumers (i.e., 17 years of age and below), it will continue to enforce the requirement that requires physicians to rule out medical causes of hearing loss before issuing a prescription.
Regardless of your age, however, we strongly recommend getting a medical evaluation first before purchasing hearing aids. Keep in mind that the incorrect hearing aids can worsen your hearing issues and it can become irreversible.
There are two examinations that you will likely undergo:
- A medical examination should be performed by an otolaryngologist to determine the possible causes of your hearing issues. These underlying causes can be an injury, an infection, or a deformity, perhaps tumors.
- An audiogram involves the evaluation of your hearing capacity by a hearing health professional known as an audiologist. Your type and level of hearing loss will be determined during the exam, as well as the possible medical and/or surgical treatment. You may also be referred to a physician or a therapist for rehabilitation purposes.
You can be provided with a hearing aids prescription by one of these professionals.
Make a Smart Choice
Even with the prescription, you should carefully consider your choices – and there’s a wide range of hearing aids available, too, with features that can confuse an ordinary consumer. Your foremost consideration should be comfort, convenience and ease of use as well as the best compensation possible for your hearing loss. You will be wearing them for most part of the day so these are crucial aspects in your choice.
You should also consider the parts and services covered by the warranty, the options in basic features and upgrades, and the estimated cost of maintenance and repair. You have to consider, too, the manufacturer’s customer service and overall reputation.
Once you have worn then, you have to wear them regularly. You have to be patient since it will require time before you can become accustomed to hearing aids and their specific features.
If you think if you or your child needs a hearing aid, make sure that you get a hearing aid prescription. We are ENT specialist providing hearing test and assessment and hearing aid prescription.
Source:
HK Hearing & Speech Centre
Specialist of Hearing test & assessment,
and Hearing Aid Prescription
Handling Hearing Aids With Care
Getting your hearing aids prescription is just the start of your journey! You have to handle them with proper care, too, not only because these can be expensive but, more importantly, because these are crucial for your enjoyment of a better quality of life.
General Tips
Always use the proper tools for the job! A wax pick and brush are a must for removing earwax buildup at the ends of the hearing aids; letting it be can result in a whistling effect that, when left unresolved, can damage the receiver.
Avoid exposing your hearing aids in water and other fluids. Wash your face, take a shower or a bath, and swim without your hearing aids since soap and water can damage them. Get them out, too, when you’re applying hair products like gels and sprays since these can also cause damage.
Clean your hearing aids every day, preferably before going to bed. This way, they have several hours to air out, so to speak. But don’t used alcohol and other chemicals when cleaning them.
Avoid exposing them to extreme temperatures, too. Too hot days in winter and too cold temperatures in summer can warp them so leave them inside the house where they can be protected from the elements.
Place them in a dedicated container, too. You don’t want them being squashed or warped by the weight of other objects. Keep them out of reach of children, if you’re an adult user, too.
Care for ITE Hearing Aids
In the ear hearing aids require special care and these steps should help.
- Be sure to clean the openings, such as the microphone ports, with a soft brush; use either the brush provided in the hearing aids kit or a clean soft-bristle brush to remove the wax buildup.
- Hold a hearing aid with its opening (i.e., the one being cleaned) so it faces downward; it will help in dislodging loose particles inside.
- Clear stubborn particles using either wax pick or hook.
- Wipe the device with either a tissue or a clean, dry cloth; a microfiber cloth will suffice.
Care for BTE Hearing Aids
Behind the ear hearing aids have earmolds that require cleaning, too, so these steps are more appropriate.
- Clean the device just as you would with the ITE hearing aids except for the earmolds.
- Remove the earmold from the hook prior to cleaning it. Wipe them using a clean, soft and dry cloth daily as well as soak them in warm, soapy water once a week; this will prevent stains and discolorations. Allow them to dry completely after soaking, preferably overnight, before using them again; don’t use other chemicals including alcohol on them.
If you notice a strong odor coming from your hearing aids, you should check with your ear doctor since it can be a sign of an ear infection.
If you think you need a hearing aid, make sure that you get a hearing aid prescription. Also note that the programs on these devices may be modified, but ask your ENT doctor first before making any changes. We are specialist of hearing test and assessment and provide hearing aid prescription.
Source:
HK Hearing & Speech Centre
Specialist of Hearing test & assessment,
and Hearing Aid Prescription
What Types of Hearing Tests Done on Newborn Babies
According to law, a newborn hearing test is mandated by law in all 50 states of the United States, a law that further mandates it before a newborn can leave the hospital. In our previous article, we just talked about why a newborn hearing test so necessary even without law in other countries. Here will talk about the types of hearing tests done on newborn babies.
Please don’t worry parents as a newborn hearing test doesn’t involve injections and the like. Both types of newborn hearing tests are painless so much so that these will not affect your baby’s deep sleep. You and your baby’s pediatrician will agree which of the two types of tests will be suitable for your baby.
Types of Tests Done
Keep in mind that these hearing screening tests should be done in a hospital and conducted by a trained technician, usually an audiologist. This is because a newborn baby’s hearing system is as fragile as can be, and any loud sound can damage it.
- Otoacoustic emission (OAE) test records the tiny sounds made by the inner ear in response to the chirps or clicks made by a small, flexible plug placed in a newborn baby’s ear. Each ear will be tested in turn with each passing test regarded as a confirmation that the inner ear is receiving the auditory stimulation.
- Automated auditory brainstem response (ABR) test records the auditory nerves’ activity when the clicks or chirps are delivered through the plug. It requires the placement of small electrodes tapes to the infant’s scalp – the electrodes are harmless and hypoallergenic – that confirms brain activity in response to the auditory stimulation.
Aside from these screening tests, parents are well-advised to let their babies undergo them as a precautionary measure. In case of hearing-related issues, the appropriate measures can be done as early as possible, and we know the importance of early intervention in children.
Follow-up Test May Be Needed
But what happens if your baby doesn’t pass, so to speak, the hearing test? Don’t worry too much about it since a significant number of newborns fail their initial hearing test for a natural reason – fluid is likely still present in the ear canal, a natural post-birth occurrence.
The pediatric audiologist will schedule a follow-up test in the next couple of weeks; by then, the fluid in the ear canal should be gone. Most infants, furthermore, pass their foll0w-up test but for those who don’t pass it, a diagnostic hearing test will be made to investigate the matter further.
The hearing tests performed for infants differ depending on their age, too. Older children who respond to external sounds usually have a different test than for infants, for example, while teens and adults usually have the same hearing screening exams.
Even with hearing issues, a pediatric audiologist can work with the baby’s parents to find the best solution. Indeed, with the modern audiology technology we have today, there’s always hope for a treatment. If there’s no treatment, then there are other methods by which a child can enjoy life to the fullest with the assistance of parents, doctors, and therapists.
If you think your infant need a hearing test, please contact us for further consulation. We are a Hong Kong hearing & speech centre offering hearing test & assessment and hearing aid prescription.
Source:
HK Hearing & Speech Centre
Specialist of Hearing test & assessment,
and Hearing aid prescription
Why A Newborn Hearing Test Is Necessary (Even Without The Law)
Yes, it has a federal law in the United States requiring a newborn hearing test before an infant is discharged from the hospital. But it isn’t the single reason why parents should consent to a hearing test for their newborn babies!
Indeed, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly recommends newborn hearing screenings. If a newborn didn’t undergo a hearing screening before being discharged from the hospital for any reason, the Academy recommends it by one month of age. In case of hearing issues, the baby should be enrolled in an early intervention program as early as three months or six months, at the latest.
This brings us to the question: Why are hearing screening tests so necessary that federal law and the AAP requires it?
Sense for Learning
Babies learn by listening to the sounds around them and develop their speech through their sense of hearing, too. Keep in mind, too, that the sense of hearing is so important in the womb – babies have been shown to turn their head and/or body toward the source of the sound.
This is the reason why obstetricians-gynecologists recommend pregnant mothers talk to their unborn babies and listen to music. These activities can enhance a baby’s sense of hearing when in the womb.
The newborn screening and diagnosis are of crucial importance in determining whether your baby has hearing-related issues, such as being hard of hearing or deaf. Without them, it’s difficult to know about the changes in hearing in the first months and years of your baby’s life.
Don’t rely on your personal observations about your baby’s response to external sounds, such as being startled by a loud sound or turning his head toward the sound. Such a response doesn’t necessarily mean that your baby can actually hear all external sounds. Babies who are either hard of hearing or deaf may hear certain sounds but may be unable to hear enough to hear and understand the spoken language.
Early Intervention as a Must
Infants who are hard of hearing or deaf need the right level of care and support from their parents and family, as well as the appropriate early intervention services. The wholistic approach is a must in the baby’s healthy development.
Otherwise, your baby’s communication skills in general and language skills in particular will be adversely affected, if he’s diagnosed later on to be hard of hearing or deaf. Indeed, a missed diagnosis hearing loss will also have adverse impact on your child’s socio-emotional development, academic achievements, and quality of life.
The earlier the intervention, the better the prognosis. This is the general rule for infants with hearing issues, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends early intervention as early as six months old.
If you think your infant need a hearing test, please contact us for further consulation. We are a Hong Kong hearing & speech centre offering hearing test & assessment and hearing aid prescription.
Source:
HK Hearing & Speech Centre
Specialist of Hearing test & assessment,
and Hearing Aid Prescription