Show #453 Airing Sunday, 11/9/08
Can you hear me now? Thanks to the many advances in hearing aid quality over the past ten years, the answer can be "yes!" So, let’s "hear" how things have changed! To "aid" us in this topic, we have Doctor of Audiology, Marvin Lewis from Echo Hearing and audiology.
Question: When we think of hearing aids from ten years ago, we think big, clunky and not that helpful. What's changed?
Answer: 
Lots, but notice that they don’t look that different, but, there are three big areas of change:
- Size and shape — they are much smaller and, at times, almost invisible
- Quality of hearing — there’s been incredible improvement in clarity
- And electronics — which is the basis of all of the changes.
Question: When you talk about "electronics", I think of how we listened to music ten years ago — and the big computers we had back then. Now, all those things are smaller and the music sounds better. And is sounds like the same is true for hearing aids.
Answer: That’s right. It’s the insides of the hearing aid that matter, the electronics are what make you hear better, not the size.
And when we talk about "hearing better," there are two "holy grails" we are after with hearing aids:
- Managing background noise
- and handling feedback — that annoying, high-pitched whistle.
And the past ten years have shown great improvement in both.
Question: What's changed in the electronics to create those improvements?
Answer: It’s a change in how the sound waves are processed. Ten years ago, we had analog systems, which means different electronic components wired together. For the user, we were limited to basically a volume control, nothing was automatic. We couldn’t make things louder without a problem with feedback. And the electronics were tuned to an average hearing loss, not necessarily yours.
Now we have digital, which is actually a minicomputer. It makes decisions about the sounds coming in, and customizes the sound for your individual hearing loss. But digital was just beginning ten years ago — and it has made all the difference.
Digital has allowed the hearing aid to distinguish between background noise and the human voice.
This allows us to reduce the background noise.
Also allows for much more clarity.
It also lets the hearing aid tell the difference between different types of background noises:
It can tell which are mechanical noises — like your refrigerator — and which is the "hubbub" in your surroundings.
The mechanical noises become lessened and the "noises" you may want to hear — the "hubbub" — remain available.
Just like our TVs are going digital.
And the hearing aids work automatically; you don’t have to fumble constantly with a volume switch.
Question: For folks who have tried different hearing aids over the years, "hearing is believing". Electronics have made huge advancements in quality, but seeing is also believing! The "look" of hearing aids has changed as well.
Answer: Again, thanks to electronics, we can use very small hearing aids for even severe hearing loss. Electronics became smaller so they could fit into smaller cases.
There are hearing aids that are completely in the ear canal.
And there are miniature, over the ear, open fit hearing aids.
The aids hardly ever feedback. They are hidden — practically invisible. This style eliminates the "stuffed up" feeling of previous hearing aids, because they don’t completely cover up the ear canal.
Question: We always think "new is better". Is there anything that hasn't changed that we should know about?
Answer: Hearing aids still work on batteries. The batteries are smaller, which means they may need replaced more often. And, as always, you need to take care of your hearing aids. Clean them daily. Use them every day. They’re not like reading glasses which you put on only when you need them. You need to hear clearly every day — so you need to use them every day.
Let’s hear it for progress! I sure hope I can have as many improvements 10 years from now! My thanks to Marvin Lewis. And for more information — and this free booklet — contact Marvin’s office — Echo Hearing and Audiology.
