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Thursday, January 13, 2011

Hearing Protection

Just as sunglasses help vision in very bright light, so hearing protectors enhance speech understanding in very noisy places. Even in a quiet setting, a normal-hearing person wearing hearing protectors should be able to understand a regular conversation.Hearing protectors do slightly reduce the ability of those with damaged hearing or poor comprehension of language to understand normal conversation. However, it is essential that persons with impaired hearing wear earplugs or muffs to prevent further inner ear damage in very noisy places.


It has been argued that hearing protectors might reduce a worker’s ability to hear the noises that signify an improperly functioning machine. However, most workers readily adjust to the quieter sounds and can still detect such problems. If a worker is already hearing impaired, he or she needs expert advice about how to protect against further damage. In some cases Hearing Aids can and should be used under earmuffs.If you suspect hearing loss, consult a physician with special training in ear care and hearing disorders (called an otolaryngologist or otologist). This doctor can diagnose your hearing problem and recommend the best way to manage it.
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Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Hearing Aids Brands

Are you looking for a hearing aid but don't know where to start? Here is the definitive guide to the leading brands of hearing aids. I will review some of the top names in Hearing Aids including Siemens hearing aids, Beltone hearing aids, Starkey hearing aids and Phonak hearing aids.Hearing aids are available in analog or digital models. Analog hearing aids have been on the market for years. These are less expensive than digital hearing aids but do not provide the sound quality and features that digital hearing aids do. Digital hearing aids offer a cleaner sound quality than analog models and can be programmed by computer to achieve a high level of adjustment. Digital hearing prices have fallen, hence, more people can afford them.


By looking to see what each of the brand configurations are, you can begin to see what sorts of models will work for you and which will not. Some who do not like to have an ear piece in their ears will not enjoy, for example, the brands which have ITE (in-the-ear) models. Going to a hearing center to try on different styles of hearing aids can help you ascertain which hearing aids are the right fit for you.Think about the lifestyle in which you will be using your hearing aids. If you're going to be active, it might be a better idea to look into lightweight or even disposable hearing aids. These will be easier to wear and if they become broken, easier to replace.
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Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Hearing Test

A hearing test provides an evaluation of the sensitivity of a person's sense of Hearing Aids and is most often performed by an audiologist using an audiometer. An audiometer is used to determine a person's hearing sensitivity at different frequencies.


Two different types of hearing screening tests are used to screen hearing in babies


Otoacoustic Emissions-One of the tests is called otoacoustic emissions or OAEs. For this test, a miniature earphone and microphone are placed in the ear, sounds are played and a response is measured. If a baby hears normally, an echo is reflected back into the ear canal and is measured by the microphone. When a baby has a hearing loss, no echo can be measured on the OAE test.


Auditory Brainstem Response-The second test is called the auditory brainstem response or ABR. For this test, sounds are played to the baby's ears. Band-aid like electrodes are placed on the baby's head to detect responses. This test measures how the hearing nerve responds to sounds and can identify babies who have a hearing loss
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Monday, January 10, 2011

Digital Hearing Aids

You have probably heard something about digital hearing aids. Digital hearing aid instruments are the best technology offered by the hearing aid industry today...the top of the pyramid...state of the art. They are now available from virtually every hearing aid manufacturer in all sizes and in various levels of sophistication.


These modern day hearing aids have a lot of advanced features. There is a hearing aid suitable for everyone, regardless of your budget and hearing requirement.Digital hearing aids offer more advantages over the older, analog version. Many hearing aid manufacturers no longer produce analog models and focus all of their attention on producing newer digital models.
Prices of digital hearing aids have fallen, which is another reason why analog hearing aids are dying out.


Analogue Hearing Aids-Do not distinguish different sounds and therefore amplify all sounds equally, which means some sounds, are too loud while others may be difficult to hear. This is rectified when the hearing aid user adjusts the volume
Programmable analogue hearing aids are equipped with different programs that are saved in the aid. The programs are then switched depending on the listening environment. As an example, one program will work during a conversation, while the other may work best while in the theatre.


Digital Hearing Aids-Translate sound to digital code, change it and re-transmit it back by using mathematical calculations.Duplicates sound transmission.Produces a high quality sound that is extremely accurate.


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Saturday, January 8, 2011

Hearing Aids Technology

Conventional hearing aids today come in two flavors: analog, or digital. Although digital hearing aids are capturing most of the market, some deaf and hard of hearing consumers prefer analog.


Wireless hearing aids - Recent hearing aids include wireless hearing aids. One hearing aid can transmit to the other side so that pressing one aid's program button simultaneously changes the other aid and both aids change background settings simultaneously. FM listening systems are now emerging with wireless receivers integrated with the use of hearing aids. A separate wireless microphone can be given to a partner to wear in a restaurant, in the car, during leisure time, in the shopping mall, at lectures, or during religious services. The voice is transmitted wirelessly to the hearing aids eliminating the effects of distance and background noise. FM systems have shown to give the best speech understanding in noise of all available technologies. FM systems can also be hooked up to a TV or a stereo


Direct Audio Input (DAI) :A DAI plug on the end of a cable allows the hearing aid to be directly connected to an external audio source like a CD player or an assistive listening device (ALD). By its very nature, DAI is susceptible to far less electromagnetic interference, and yields a better quality audio signal as opposed to using a T-coil with standard.

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