A Brief History of Hearing Aids

February 14, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Approximately 35 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss. In perspective, very few of them are prescribed a hearing aid. They can be quite costly, but their advantages are unparalleled and well worth it. On average, a hearing aid costs about $1500. They have come a long way from the primitive ear trumpets of 200 years ago. As a result of research over the years as well as growth in technology, these devices now come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and even colors. Plus, they only weigh a few ounces, providing an unmatched versatility to the user. They used to weigh tens of pounds! With connections to Bluetooth and filtering capabilities inherent in today’s models, there has been quite an evolution in terms of these devices.

On the Ear

It wasn’t till the late 1930s that hearing aids that could be worn on the ear with relative comfort got popular. These devices were made by a Chicago electronics manufacturer, featuring a thin wire connected to an earpiece and receiver. A battery pack which attached to the user’s leg made it hard to get around easily, though. More compact models emerged during World War II for more reliable service to the user thanks to the invention of printed circuit boards.

Precursors to Hearing Aids

Ear trumpets were crafted for the very wealthy, such as the Reynolds Trumpet, personally made for Joshua Reynolds, a famous painter of his time. The ear trumpet is a horn-shaped instrument that is designed to direct sound into the inner ear. It was invented back in the 17th century, which were beneficial only to those who suffered from a partial hearing impairment. These were large, cumbersome devices that only served to amplify sound within the immediate environment. Just think of an old phonograph with the conical sphere and you’ll get a good mental picture of what these resembled. As the 18th century approached, they came even further.

How can Phones Improve Hearing?

When the 19th century came about, electrical technologies emerged spurred on by the invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876. This invention was a catalyst for advancement leading to electrical transmission of speech. Thomas Edison was inspired by this invention and came up with the carbon transmitter for the telephone in 1878. This was designed to boost the basics of the telephone as well as the electrical signal to improve hearing. The 17th and 18th centuries brought with them devices that offered only limited amplification qualities.

Modern Models

Behind-the-ear models, invented in 1964 by Zenith Radio, boasted digital signal-processing chips. Then along came hybrid analog-digital models and then fully digital models by 1996. By the year 2000, programmable hearing aids were on the scene that gave users increased flexibility, customization and comfort. Today, most — about 90 percent — of all hearing aids are digital in nature.

Vacuum Tubes Were Revolutionary Yet Cumbersome

Vacuum tubes, put out by Western Electric Co., came next in New York City in 1920. Manufactures built upon the technology that came from Lee De Forest’s finding of the three-component tube years earlier. They offered not only better amplification but also better frequency. However, they were huge and impractical. They got to the size of a small box eventually, but they were still quite inconvenient.
Today’s hearing aids are light years ahead in terms of size, weight, functionality and adaptability.

Filed Under: Articles, Choosing a Hearing Aid, Common Conditions of the Ear, Hearing, Hearing Aid Technology, Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss, Preventative Care, Tinnitus

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Hearing Aids

February 5, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Hearing aids have went through a large number of iterations in their 200-plus year history. The technology that is implemented in hearing aids has historically been developed by means of a devoted scientist who is either affected by hearing loss or has a friend or family member affected by hearing loss. As an example, Alexander Graham Bell’s mother had substantial hearing loss and his wife was deaf.

Here are 10 other little-known facts about hearing aids:

1. Hearing aids can be synced up with wireless devices through state of the art technology like Bluetooth, so users are able to enjoy direct signals from their smart phone, MP3 player, TV, and other gadgets.

2. Hearing aids are not one size fits all – in fact, they can and should be programmable. This means they have the capability to recall the most comfortable settings for the user, often readjusting in real time to the surrounding environment.

3. Digital hearing aids – a recent advancement — have drastically diminished the occurrence of pestering feedback, echoes, and background noises. These were par for the course as part of earlier technologies, and they made concentrating much harder.

4. In addition to the amplification of sound, modern hearing aids can also enhance and clarify sound.

5. When used in combination with special induction or hearing loops, hearing aid users can more clearly hear notices in public areas, meetings, airports, arenas, and other congested areas. This technology enhances sounds and minimizes all the background noise.

6. It used to be that hearing aids were only manufactured in beige and related colors to match people’s skin color, so that they were not easily recognizable. Today, users are welcoming their hearing aid technology, exhibiting a range of colors and patterns to show off their devices and stick out in a crowd.

7. Similarly, hearing aids are smaller in size than ever before. They used to be large, cumbersome gadgets that weighed several pounds and barely amplified sound. Today, they only weigh a few ounces and provide remarkably better sound quality.

8. Today, you can purchase water resistant and waterproof hearing aids to better fit in with your lifestyle. Water resistant hearing aids can tolerate low levels of humidity and moisture, while waterproof hearing aids can withstand higher levels of moisture during showering and even swimming.

9. Instead of having to frequently replace the batteries in hearing aids, many are now made with rechargeable technology to cut down on upkeep costs.

10. Hearing aids do much more than amplify sound – they can also contain special tinnitus therapy components that provide the user with relief when it comes to constant ringing in the ear.

Now that you learned some interesting facts about hearing aids and their accompanying technology, you can better understand what they have to offer the young and the old alike.

Filed Under: Articles, Choosing a Hearing Aid, Common Conditions of the Ear, Hearing, Hearing Aid Technology, Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss, Preventative Care, Tinnitus

How Ibuprofen Can Lead To Hearing Loss

January 28, 2015 By Leave a Comment

It’s true what they say about age leading to hearing loss, but you may feel like there’s not much you can do to help that aside from avoiding very loud situations. Now there is concrete evidence that ibuprofen, a common pain relief medication, has been connected to increased incidents of hearing loss in people as they age. This translates to the avoidance of certain medications in an effort to protect your hearing health. This is all prompted by a new study that emerged to back up this finding.

Causes

Even though researchers have done studies on ibuprofen and hearing loss occurring in men, no studies up till now had been done on women. Now we know. Do your part to improve hearing by refraining from taking certain medications. You should talk with your doctor to find out what’s best for your unique situation. You may wonder how pain relievers such as ibuprofen can bring on hearing loss. This, then, can reduce the flow of blood to the cochlear located in the inner ear. This makes it not work as it should normally. When you ingest acetaminophen, especially, you can harm the ear structures that are in place to protect your cochlea. Tinnitus, dizziness and vertigo can all be brought on through the ingestion of ibuprofen. Plus, some analgesics can damage your kidneys as well as your ears, characterized by ototoxicity.

Conclusive Findings

A study, conducted by the American Journal of Advanced Epidemiology, followed about 60,000 women over 14 years to conclusively determine that pain relievers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen can bring on hearing loss in women. It showed that a quarter of those women who ingested ibuprofen and acetaminophen more than twice in one week found a lessening of hearing ability.

More Research

The need for more research is important. That’s why the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is studying 150,000 women across the nation to determine all the many factors that can contribute to hearing loss. These factors impacting hearing loss can include hormones, diet and alcohol consumption, along with exposure to loud noises over a long period of time.

What to Do

Secure your doctor’s approval before taking ibuprofen, so you know how it can potentially incur hearing loss. Also, be sure to inspect all labels on cold and sinus medications found over the counter, because ibuprofen can be in them without you knowing. You may still ingest non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen muscle pain or headaches hit but if hearing loss is an issue with you, refrain from taking this medication to be safe. One alternative for you is to take naproxen instead, which is fine for your hearing.

Filed Under: Articles, Hearing, Hearing Loss, Preventative Care

How Hearing Aids are Programmed

January 14, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Programming is an important component of your hearing device, no matter what your degree of hearing loss. How your hearing aid is programmed depends on your degree of hearing loss, comfort level and other personal considerations. You can’t simply purchase a set of hearing aids from a retailer without having them programmed to your specification. Just like glasses without the lenses, a hearing aid won’t do you any good without programming by a certified audiologist. This is crucial because your hearing aid needs to conform to your ears and your existing hearing capabilities.

What Factors can be Adjusted?

An audiologist is skilled in adjusting elements such as volume, frequency, intensity levels, compression ratios, max power output, noise reduction, microphone parameters and the like. Many factors are involved when programming a hearing aid. Depending on the model type you have, along with the software contained in it. Therefore, if one setting is too sensitive in regards to noise, it can be changed to accommodate the user’s comfort level. Many can be adjusted to filter out certain levels of background noise as well.

Processing Time

You may have to go back a couple of times to get your hearing aid adjusted. Did you know that the brain has to take time to adjust to the new sounds emitted by the device, which can only be determined over time when exposed to different environments? Most people come back to their doctor with suggestions on how the device could work better or complaints about what the device can’t do for them. Most hearing aids manufactured today are digital in nature, as opposed to older devices that could be adjusted with a simple screwdriver. Back then, you got what you got – there weren’t too many adjustments available. Fast forward to today and hundreds of elements can be fine tuned within digital hearing aids to accommodate the hearing needs of an individual. Programming takes place as a result of a complete hearing evaluation with the user on his or her subjective preferences. This trouble shooting approach is what’s so great about digital hearing aids.

Programming Hearing Aids

During the actual programming process, many doctors use a surround sound system to simulate real noise from the outside world and make adjustments based on real-time feedback. This surround sound system can simulate crowd noises to determine how they will go about noise reduction. This is a helpful feature because so many people with hearing aids say they work great when all is quiet but as soon as they are in a restaurant, or even at a train station, they have to work hard to compete with all that background noise. Through real ear measurements, visual mapping and environmental simulations, a hearing aid can be customized to the individual user. Real-ear probe microphones can detect how much sound is reaching the eardrum so the doctor can be the most accurate in his programming. Visible speech mapping (VSM) tells the doctor how various sounds of speech hit the eardrum. This is a great alternative to traditional measurements because today’s hearing aids can now help with noise reduction and feedback reduction algorithms. The process of programming a hearing aid requires the proper hardware, software and cables to connect to the hearing aid. Many people learn to program their own hearing aids but the equipment can get expensive and the level of accuracy goes down. However, a word of caution: have a qualified audiologist perform this important task for the ultimate in hearing health.

Filed Under: Articles, Caring for Your Hearing Aid, Hearing, Hearing Aids

Brain Hearing Restores Optimal, Natural Hearing

January 7, 2015 By Leave a Comment

In stark contrast to their bulky and expensive ancestors, modern hearing aids work much better thanks to technology and they are super sleek. They’re also pretty much invisible! The last 10 to 15 years have seen many advancements in this realm. Where hearing aids used to be bulky, expensive, and ineffective, today’s versions are much more discreet, affordable. They can also easily mimic subtleties of natural sound.

A fundamental change in the overall approach to research and design of hearing aids is now on the horizon. It’s called “brain hearing.” Unfortunately, hearing aid technology is being held by its reputation because many believe hearing aids are still ugly, massive contraptions of the past.

So what is brain hearing, exactly?

Because sound actually occurs in the brain, not in the ears, brain hearing is based on this premise. Traditional hearing aids are designed with the ears in mind. Thus, they amplify any and all sounds, pushing through lots of noise directly to the brain. The resulting sound quality is negative and just serves to tire out the brain.

The good news is that researchers have revealed they know that the processing of sound within the brain, and quality of the signal the brain receives, are just as important as the amplification of sound in the ear. By considering the entire hearing process, brain hearing research is leading to the emergence of some incredible hearing aids.

How do brain-focused hearing aids work?

Quite simply, brain hearing makes for better hearing aid performance. By modifying only the sounds that the inner ear cannot already hear well, the natural quality of sound is preserved, and the brain is not fatigued by amplification that is not necessary. By preserving a natural, clear signal, brain-focused hearing aids work with the brain’s four key functions that interpret the sound it gets:

1. Speech recognition – brain hearing preserves the natural characteristics of speech, making it easier to focus on conversations and switch between speakers.

2. Spatial recognition – brain hearing preserves the difference in sound between the two ears, allowing for the ability to accurately locate sounds.

3. Sound filtering – brain hearing preserves the ability to identify and separate relevant information from background noise.

4. Sound focusing – brain hearing preserves the ability to focus on relevant sounds and speech, even in noisy environments with abrupt changes in background noise.

How you can benefit from brain hearing

An appointment with a board-certified audiologist is your best bet. Next, your audiologist will precisely measure your hearing loss, using that information in the custom programming of your new state-of-the-art hearing aid.

Ask about how you can incorporate brain hearing technology into your hearing aid. While hearing aids need to be professionally fitted and programmed, the process is probably easier than you think. The best part is, you can start enjoying the sounds of life again, lacking the burdens of hearing loss courtesy of brain hearing.

Consumers love brain-focused hearing aids

Many companies are now producing brain-focused hearing aids, with very positive results. Oticon, for example, reports that while average hearing instrument user satisfaction is 79%, user satisfaction associated with one of its brain-focused hearing aids is 96%.

“Brain Hearing is a natural evolution of Oticon’s long-standing commitment to putting the needs of People First,” says Søren Nielsen, President of Oticon. “This comes back to our research from our Eriksholm research facility, where we have understood that treating hearing loss is much more than presenting sound through amplification. We have known for some years that the brain has a unique ability to process sound if it receives a robust signal that is full of detail.”

Filed Under: Articles, Hearing, Hearing Loss, Preventative Care

How Cell Phones Are Revolutionizing The Hearing Aid Industry

December 28, 2014 By Leave a Comment

No longer is it sufficient to just use a hearing aid. You can now take advantage of the latest technology in conjunction with your hearing aid. Offering state of the art technology to accommodate the hearing impaired population, cell phones and smart phones now have special components that result in greater clarity of sound. If you never thought cell phones and hearing aids would go together, think again. In fact, both cell and smart phones are taking the hearing impaired community by storm, boosting the use of modern day hearing aids. For those with different degrees of hearing loss, sometimes a hearing aid just doesn’t do the trick. Cell phones and smart phones are now here to pick up the slack. Hearing aid devices have traditionally been the most popular way to help hearing impaired individuals hear more clearly in everyday life. Now to boost that capability, cell phones and smart phones can help with this even more so that people with hearing loss can tackle their day with increased confidence.

Smart Phones- Leading The Way

The earliest forms of the cell phones were not the technological strong holds that they are today. Nonetheless, they were still crucials on the long road of helping people with hearing loss use their phones with greater accessibility and confidence than ever before. For example, early cell phones integrated telecoils into their design so that people with hearing aids could use the phones without worrying about the interference or static that plagued early cell phone services.
Thanks in big part to static and noise cancelling technology that come equipped in the latest models people who use hearing aids can further take advantage of smart phone usage. The great thing about this is that there is virtually no feedback or static present when using a hearing aid together with a cell phone. This establishes the hearing aid capacity rating, or HAC, which acts as an objective rating for the cell phone’s ability to interact with a hearing aid; a rating that still exists in the modern era. Smart and cell phones can also alert users via a phone call or text with blinking LED lights to get the user’s immediate attention. Or, they can send vibrations when a message or phone call or text is received so the user can count on their device to notify them of any emergencies or conversations.

Cell Phone Technological Advancements

To make conversation clear, many modern cell phones come with a telecoil, which that is responsible for changing magnetic signals from the phone into sound signals that can be interpreted by the user. This occurs when the telecoil and the cell phone are used in conjunction. Most cell phones today must live up to a T3 or T4 standard, meaning they have met and surpassed the overall power and efficiency that they are required to have in order to function. You, thus, get a greater range of accessibility for your cell phone.
As you can see, phones and hearing aids allow for a clearer experience on a daily basis for hearing impaired individuals.

Filed Under: Articles, Hearing, Hearing Aid Technology, Hearing Aids

The Multiple Functions Of Digital Earplugs

November 29, 2014 By Leave a Comment

With all of the latest technology that is flooding the market, it seems that people are finally beginning to take their hearing health much more seriously than before. One of the devices that has arrived on the market and shows just how dedicated people are to saving their hearing is the digital ear plug. This device uses a variety of novel technology to help people save their hearing and make every job environment safe for hearing. Here we will take a look at the digital ear plugs in terms of how they work, the specific functions that they can perform, and where they are most useful.

How Does A Digital Ear Plug Work?

Digital ear plugs still provide one of the most important functions of any earplug- being able to prevent sounds from entering into the ear canal. While this is valuable, it is the technological integration that makes this device so noteworthy. For example, digital ear plugs can change the amount of sound that is let into the ear based upon the level of frequency that is being put out in the area. Also, they can shut down completely in the event of a sudden, loud blast of noise. Many digital ear plugs are also fitted with devices that make understanding conversations in loud environments possible.

How Do They Make This Possible?

These digital ear plugs make use of several forms of technology to ensure that the ear remains safe at all times. As far as preventing all sound from entering into the ear, these devices can be molded to fit a specific person’s ear, meaning that sound will not get past the device. In terms of technology, these devices use stop-gate effects to prevent high frequencies and damaging amounts of decibels through the device. While they are blocking out loud and harmful sounds, these devices can also boost the ability to hear soft or spoken sounds by using hearing aid technology, which is incredibly useful in many areas of work.

Where Can They Be Most Useful?

For the most part, digital ear plugs were designed with emergencies and heavy industrial jobs in mind. For first responders and soldiers, the ability to shut out all sound from occurring is very valuable, allowing for focus while preventing physical damage and pain. In terms of blocking out loud frequencies and blasts of sound, this is also very useful in emergencies, on battlefields, and even in industrial areas. Even in daily life, such as in construction industries, the ability to protect hearing and filter in conversations is incredibly valuable. Being able to effectively communicate with hearing protection means jobs getting done faster and with a lower risk to the workers involved.

Filed Under: Articles, Hearing, Hearing Aid Technology, Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss

Diabetes and Hearing Loss

November 22, 2014 By Leave a Comment

While it may be interesting to note that 30 million people have diabetes and 34.5 million people have hearing loss in this country, there’s actually been a link proven between the two. Researchers just completed some studies of 20,000 people from the United States, Asia, Brazil and Australia to determine whether diabetes and hearing loss are intertwined. The answer is yes; however no one really knows why yet. You may have heard that you have twice the chance of having some degree of hearing loss than someone who is not diabetic. This is an alarming finding. This puts diabetes and hearing loss at the top in terms of two health concerns in the United States, points out the American Diabetes Association.

Correlation Between Diabetes and Hearing Loss

Although one solution to curbing this correlation is to do a better job of controlling blood sugar levels in diabetics so hearing impairment doesn’t happen, not enough is known about the causes yet for this to be a an office suggestion. Because diabetics ingest many medications and diuretics related to lowering their blood pressure, no one knows if this could actually be causing the hearing loss. While the link between diabetes and hearing loss is not in question, the exact reason why is still unknown. The high blood glucose levels that are associated with diabetes can harm your inner ear’s sensitive blood vessels. This is one of the factors being explored but conclusive evidence is still yet to come. Hearing loss occur in diabetics just like they can suffer from problems with the eyes, kidneys and feet. But to learn more about the connection between the two conditions, more research must be undertaken. Old age and a noisy working environment, according to researchers – well known to cause hearing loss – don’t seem to play into the scenario of diabetes and hearing problems.

Signs and Symptoms of Hearing Loss

You may have difficulty picking up on background noise when there’s a crowd of people around. This is one big sign of hearing loss. Perhaps you only hear muffled sounds instead of clear words when people are talking to you. This too can lead to hearing loss as it relates to diabetes. Other signs of hearing loss include the failure to adequately keep track of conversations involving multiple participants, inability to distinguish the voices of small children or women, and the tendency to crank the volume to high on the TV or car radio. We know this can be embarrassing; however, it’s also dangerous. Driving a car or walking along a busy street, for instance, can pose a dangerous threat if you can’t hear what’s going on around you. You may also avoid parties so you don’t have to be embarrassed about not hearing anyone. This is why you should see an audiologist for diagnosis and treatment.

Testing for Diabetes

All diabetics should get routine testing for hearing loss. When you next see your doctor, ask for a hearing exam so you can get treated by a specialist right away. This should be part and parcel of any doctor visit for diabetics, yet it’s not – even though doctors check many other components of a diabetic’s health at checkups. Be an advocate for your ears and ask for an audiologist referral.

Filed Under: Articles, Hearing, Hearing Aids, Hearing Loss, Preventative Care

Hearing Loops: What They Are And How They Work

November 15, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Hearing loop technology is now being implemented in more places than ever before. This incredible re-purposing of telephone technology has allowed people to hear better inside of public spaces. Since there is a growing community that is looking to get more adaptations in place for hearing impaired individuals, this inexpensive and easily-implemented technology is looked upon rather favorably. Since there are still so many who are unfamiliar with this tech, we will take a close look at what hearing loops are, where they are implemented, and how they work.

What Is A Hearing Loop?

The term “Hearing Loop” tends to throw many people off from discovering what this technology actually consists of. The loop refers to a cable that is run throughout a room so that it can pick up and transmits electromagnetic signals. The second part of the hearing loop is a hearing aid that is fitted with technology to pick up and translate electromagnetic signals. Together, these two parts make up the hearing loop and increase the hearing abilities of people in public spaces around the world.

Where Are They Used?

Currently, there is a push to have hearing loops implemented in just about every public building that is capable of affording them. Some lawmakers are even looking at a way to get federal funding for these hearing loops because they have shown such early success. Right now, you can mainly find hearing loops in meeting rooms, conventions centers and even in some parts of public transportation. These hearing loops allow people to hear all different manner of sounds without having to worry so much about signal interference and frequencies not working properly. Overall, there is a continuing push to see more buildings outfitted with hearing loops in the near future.

How Do They Work?

The process behind a hearing loop is not terribly difficult to understand. A hearing loop uses a microphone to pick up the sound and transform it into an electromagnetic signal. This signal travels through the cable of the hearing loop, and then transmits it into the open air in the same way that a radio works. From there, the sound needs to be picked up by a telecoil, a specific receiver that was initially used as a way to boost the transmitting power of a hand held telephone.
Most modern hearing aids have a telecoil built into them in the form of a t-switch. These can be manually turned on by the hearing device’s user. After it is activated, it can receive the signals put out by the hearing loop and translate them into sound that is able to be heard without as much background noise that ambient sound holds. This allows hearing impaired individuals to listen to speakers and clients in building settings much more effectively.

Filed Under: Articles, Choosing a Hearing Aid, Hearing, Hearing Aid Technology, Hearing Aids

The Evolution Of Hearing Aids

November 8, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Hearing aids have proven themselves to be some of the very best items ever created for hearing health. They allow people to live a life that is as close to normal as possible, and have even brought hearing to people who would not have had it otherwise. Looking forward, it appears that we are going to continue to develop new and wonderful additions to hearing aid devices as technology continues to improve. Let us take a brief look at the forms of hearing aids that we would have seen in the past, so that we can better appreciate this bright future.

Ear Trumpets

The first and most primitive type of hearing aid was the hearing trumpet. These devices were used by people for at least a thousand years prior to the invention of digital hearing aids and had a very simple premise. Essentially, the listener would put a tapered piece of metal or wood in their ear and have the larger end open to the world to gather sound. This would bring more sound waves directly into the ear where it would have a better chance of being understood. The limitations to this device made it necessary to use burgeoning technology for improvements.

Vacuum Type Hearing Aids

Vacuum tube hearing aids were an invention in the middle of the 20th century. They featured a vacuum tube that would be used in conjunction with telephone technology in order to produce sound that was amplified and much more clear than before. This used a phone transmitter and receiver to pick up sound, turn it into electrical impulses, and then make it come through to the individual in a loud and concise manner. With the magnified sound, the individual could hear many more ambient noises, and came with the bonus of being portable. It also helped to convince the public at large to use technology for medical purposes for hearing loss.

Carbon Microphone Hearing Aids

While these hearing aids predated the vacuum tube hearing aids, they were still very valuable due to their integration of novel technology in their design. The hearing aids used a carbon microphone as well as a battery and magnetic receiver. When sound hit this diaphragm, it would propel the carbon across the magnetic receiver, causing sound waves to make louder noises than what was originally put out. This allowed people to listen better than before, but came with many restrictions. First, the sound quality was extremely low because of the moving carbon pieces. It was also much too bulky to be moved around the room successfully, so the user had to remain rather immobile. Yet, it was still a better option than the ear trumpet in many respects.

Filed Under: Choosing a Hearing Aid, Hearing Aid Technology, Hearing Aids
« Previous Page
Next Page »

Social Widgets powered by AB-WebLog.com.