Archive for April, 2009

Feedback and Occlusion - Hearing Aids’ biggest threat

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

In an interesting study done a few years ago (and I believe it rings true today) the two biggest challenges to hearing aid design and usage is feedback and occlusion. Unfortunately and interestingly, the solution to one often causes the occurance of the other in hearing aids.

There are three primary types of feedback that occur within hearing aids - acoustic, mechanical and electromagnetic). Many builders have moved to laser shell manufacturing technologies to overcome the feedback issues but it is not 100% doing the trick.

As mentioned, the challenge exists that even if new technologies do lend themselves to aiding the feedback dilema, they often feed the occlusion issue. In all honesty, the technology behind these hearing aid issues go a bit beyond us hear at hearing aids 1000. If the topic grabs you and you want to learn more about the two biggest challenges facing hearing aids today, please visit this URL and read the article they present on the issues challenging hearing aids: http://tia.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/8/4/125

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Hearing aids for babies and children

Monday, April 27th, 2009

The testing a fitting of hearing aids for young children and babies proves to be much more challenging as they can not express themselves the way adults can. Babies and children can’t explain if their hearing aids are too loud or too soft etc.

For this reason, and many others, it is crucial to work with a professional child audiologist when dealing with children’s hearing aids. The professional will consider the volume and fit of the hearing aid along with other factors such as compatibility with other activities of the child, the warranty and the durability.

The professional will also enforce the wearing of hearing aids in both ears for the child. This is crucial for speech development and for safety. Many adults opt to use just one hearing aid. This is not ok for children.

The brillian RECD test (Real-ear-to-coupler) has been developed to test the hearing of an infant. This will allow the actual testing to be done away from the ear. This is crucial because so few children will allow the tube to remain in the ear for the required amount of time. This RECD test has been provern effective for children as young as seven months.

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Grew up in the 60s? Reach for a hearing aid!

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

Being a teen or college student in the 1960s meant listing to and playing a great deal of loud rock and roll. The Beatles and the Stones were the loud sountrack to a rocking generation. Now, consequently, many of this generation are reaching out for hearing aids to enjoy simple conversation.

The people of this generation who find their hearing loss attributed to outside causes not only have trouble hearing conversation but the consonants seem to blend a bit. ‘Hs” begin to sound like “Fs” and other similar changes occur. All of which can be aided by the use of a hearing aid.

This hearing loss in the baby boomer generation is going to rocket the number of hearing aid users in the US. Some predict the number of hearing aid users to rise 8 million from 32 million to 40 million in 2025. These numbers will only increase with the modern use of the ear buds to push loud music directly into ears.

Certainly this is good news for the makers of hearing aids which already participate in the 4 billion dollar industry. Not only are the numbers of sales going to increase so are the prices. People are growing more and more happy to pay over $3,000 for smaller, customized and “cool” hearing aids. Long story short, the massive hearing aid industry is only going to get bigger over the next 20 years.

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Healthy hearing - Hearing aid resource

Saturday, April 18th, 2009

Does anyone have direct interaction or information regarding the company/website HealthyHearing.com? They seem to be one of the largest resources/communities for hearing aid information online. It seems to be a fantastic resource for all things hearing aid related but I was hoping to get some actual feedback from some of our users that have interacted with them.
In addition to providing reviews and insight on hearing aid products, they also give help to people around finding audiologists in there area. They also seem to build and power websites for many hearing aid professionals.
Please let me know if you have had any experience with Healthyhearing.com and if it has been positive or negative.

Happy appears to be a new concept that they are promoting which provides in individual and personalized profiling for hearing aids. The HAPPY program does not only add guidance for what hearing aid is right for the individual but also points out ways to gain financial support to be able to afford them.

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Unitron launches new brand and tag line

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

Unitron hearing aids have launched a new brand a new tag line. The tag line is - CONNECT. I like it. A quick visit to the website expands on the idea. Connect to life, connect to purpose, connect to technology. The concept is strong and the new look of the website fits it very well.

The connect with purpose concept revolves around Unitrons decire to provide real purpose in all the technology that they develop so that it may be helpful to both the world of hearing aid users and the professionals that distribute them.

The connect with life concept is rather strait ahead. By providing new and superior technology Unitron allows their users to be more in touch with the lives they are leading.

In addition to the new tag line Unitron has announced their newest line - the Unitron 360. The 360 is powerful enough to serve those with profound to severe hearing loss yet comfortable and light enough to be worn in any of life’s circumstances.

Good work Unitron, they have managed to stay relevant and young looking in an industry that is often plagued with old school stereotypes.

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Montana close to Hearing Aid Tax Credit

Tuesday, April 7th, 2009

It is a ways away but a tax credit for hearing aids in Montana is making progress. Hearings have been held for the credit. It now needs to be approved by the taxation committee before consideration by the entire house.

This is wonderful news for people living in Montana. Ideally this will set in motion tax credits for hearing aids in other states as well. Does anyone live in a state that has a hearing aid tax credit? Montana turns out to be fertile ground for this type of legislation because it is one of the few states not suffering from massive budget shortfalls. Home to just under 110,000 individuals with hearing loss Montana certainly is not the most populated hearing loss state but help to over 100,000 people would be wonderful!

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Digital Hearing Aids are hear to stay - good?

Saturday, April 4th, 2009

Many advances in technology happen rather fast and are simply taken for granted as a good move. Think of all the different products you have used to play music. Depending on your age, you may have used vinly record palyers, 8 tracks, tape players, CDs, mp3s and more. What is next. Each new technology is positioned as better than  the last but clearly this is not always true. In this entry we look at the prolifiration of digital hearing aids. With over 30 companies currently making digital hearing aids, there is no doubt that they are the default choice - but are the better than analog hearing aids?

It is important to note that the current rise of digital hearing aids is not the first pass that they have attempted on the market. In the mid 1980’s two manufacturers introduced digital hearing aids. They flopped due to bulky design and poor battery life.

Twelve years later another two companies brought them back with better design and battery life. They have since proliferated. Are we better off?

Digital hearing aids allow for digital feedback and noise reduction as well as gain processing. These are advantages that analog hearing aids simply can’t offer. There are a number of closely related advantages that revolve around sound processing that digital offers.

The question I would love to get some feedback on is ‘what actually sound better’ digital or analog. To me a nice vinly record sounds better than a CD - does this hold true for hearing aids? Please let me know if you have experience with both!

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