Knowing what to expect can make all the difference
Some realistic expectations about hearing aids
What to expect from hearing aids
Hearing-aid technology has advanced in leaps and bounds over the last few years. However, it is important to understand that hearing aids will never be able to restore normal hearing and an understanding of their limitations will help you succeed with them. The following are some guidelines as to what to expect from your hearing aids.
What hearing aids will do
Hearing loss not only reduces the volume of sounds but it reduces the ability to filter out noise and can also add distortion. Simply turning up the volume is not enough. Your audiologist will select and tune the hearing aids to your individual hearing loss. Once finely tuned to your hearing levels, hearing aids should enable you to understand speech more clearly, with reduced effort and across a variety of listening situations. Most people with hearing loss benefit from hearing aids, but it is important to remember that hearing aids are an aid to hearing and do not return hearing to normal.
If you have hearing loss in both ears, wearing two hearing aids can have an advantage over wearing just one.
This will give you:
1. Better clarity
2. Sound localisation
3. Better hearing in noisy situations.
The sound of your voice
A common concern of new hearing-aid users is the sound of their own voice. This may occur because you are not accustomed to hearing your own voice at normal volume and it may take time to get used to. In some cases your voice may also sound as though you are talking into a barrel or may sound ‘hollow’. This effect is known as occlusion and is the same effect as hearing your own voice while wearing earplugs. Occlusion is most likely to occur if you have normal hearing for low-pitched sounds and a hearing loss for high-pitched sounds. With recent advances in hearing-aid technology it is possible to reduce the problem of occlusion to minimal levels for most people.
Hearing in quiet
Most hearing aids should function well in quiet situations, but you may be surprised or concerned about how noisy our world is. Everyday sounds will be louder, possibly sharper. The sound of water flowing from the tap, the kettle boiling, the sound of paper crinkling, birds singing – these are all sounds in our environment that you may have forgotten existed. It will take time to become accustomed to these sounds again.
Hearing in noise
With hearing aids you will encounter situations in which you will still have difficulty hearing. At parties and social gatherings, people with ‘normal’ hearing may have difficulty understanding speech also. The world is a noisy place and it is normal to hear background sounds. There are many background sounds that we need to hear for safety reasons. In noisy listening situations, normal hearing listeners use cues other than volume of sounds to understand speakers. You may watch the speaker’s face and lips for facial expressions to cue you into the nature of the conversation. Hearing with both ears is important in background noise (a very good reason for having two hearing aids!). Hearing with both ears sounds more natural than hearing with only one ear and allows us to separate wanted from unwanted sounds. New technology in hearing instruments enables better hearing in noise by selectively reducing background noise and using directional microphones to focus on the speech that you want to hear.
Tips for hearing in noise using hearing aids with directional microphones
- If possible, move away from the source of the noise.
- Position yourself close to and facing the person you find difficult to hear. Place the noise behind you.
- In restaurants and cafes, avoid sitting in corners or with your back to the wall. Sit so that most noise is behind you.
- If you are having difficulty hearing while travelling in a car, turn off the hearing aid on the side near the car window. Some advanced hearing aids have a special setting for situations like this, when it is not possible to face the sound source.
- Ensure that you have a good view of the person you want to hear. Everyone does some lip-reading in noisy environments.
Comfortable Listening
Your audiologist should be able to select hearing aids for you that will deliver near-natural loudness throughout your listening range. Modern hearing aids are able to amplify quiet sounds without loud sounds becoming uncomfortable. However, most people, with or without hearing loss, find certain sounds unpleasant.
Reliability
Hearing aids contain miniature electronics that have to function all day in the hostile environment of the ear. Ear wax can block the sound outlet in the hearing aid and moisture inside the ear canal can cause the electronic components to break down. Routine maintenance is important to prolong the life of your hearing aid. Some styles of hearing aids are more reliable than others; so if reliability is a high priority for you, then a behind-the ear aid, rather than one that fits inside your ear canal, is recommended. All our hearing aids come complete with a care kit and your audiologist will explain how to use it.
Size
Not everyone can wear miniature hearing aids. Generally the greater the hearing loss, the larger the hearing aids need to be in order to incorporate a more powerful amplifier and electronic components. However, thanks to advances in technology, there are now some smaller-sized options for those with significant hearing loss and for whom cosmetics is a priority. Unfortunately some ear canals are simply too small to accommodate miniature hearing aids and an individual’s ability to see and manage a small aid is also important when deciding on the most suitable size.
Cost
Hearing aids range in technology and there is a correspondingly wide choice of prices depending on how advanced their features are. Not everyone needs top-of-the- line hearing aids and many of the more basic aids now have several of the advanced features outlined previously. The best way to find the most appropriate aid is for you to have a comprehensive needs assessment with a qualified audiologist. Some government funding is available and we will discuss this to find out if you are eligible.
The hearing aid trial
To achieve a successful hearing-aid fitting, realistic expectations are needed. It may take three or four appointments before your hearing aids are tuned appropriately. Getting used to hearing aids takes patience. During the trial period it is important that you wear your hearing aids as much as possible so that you can tell your audiologist about any difficulties you encounter. Try your hearing aids in both quiet and noisy situations and make notes about your experiences.
Your audiologist
Your audiologist at Dilworth Hearing wants the same thing you do: to find the most appropriate solution to your hearing loss using the technology available. Please ask your audiologist any questions you have about hearing aids; they will be pleased to help.
What to consider when you have hearing aids on trial
Your audiologist will spend time with you at each appointment discussing your progress. Please advise your audiologist of any fine-tuning adjustments needed. To make the process of fine-tuning successful it is helpful to consider the following questions during your trial.
- How is the volume of your hearing aids when you turn them on?
Comfortable Too loud Too soft - How do you find the level of soft sounds (soft speech)?
Comfortable Too loud Too soft - How do you find the level of conversational speech?
Comfortable Too loud Too soft - How do you find the level of loud sounds (doors slamming)?
Comfortable Too loud Too soft - Do other people’s voices sound natural?
Yes No, tinny/ metallic No, sound muffled - Does your own voice sound natural when you speak?
Yes Too loud Too soft
Sounds hollow or echoey - Do your hearing aids whistle when they are in your ears?
Yes No - Do you have problems hearing in noisy situations?
Yes No - Are you bothered by a hissing or static noise from the aids?
Yes No
