Hearing Aid Blog

A Good Hearing aid fit is Vital

December 28, 2009

There are two reasons to make sure a hearing instrument fits well – one acoustic, the other anatomical.

The acoustic reason – A loosely fitting hearing instrument can cause feedback (whistling). This happens when the instrument does not fit snugly and the amplified signal finds its way back to the microphone. For comfortable, interference-free hearing, a snug fit in the ear canal is essential.

The anatomical reason – A hearing instrument that does not fit snugly can work its way out of the correct position when its wearer is chewing, yawning or simply talking. This is because the shape of the ear canal is influenced by movements of the jaw. You can feel this by putting the tip of your finger into the ear, then slowly opening and closing your mouth.

Useful Tips for Caring for Your Hearing Aids

Modern hearing aids are durable, easy-to-use and reliable.  Nevertheless, a few simple precautions will ensure that your instruments continue to give you many years of trouble free service.

  • Avoid getting your hearing instruments dirty. Always make sure your fingers are dry and clean before handling your hearing instruments. The microphone inlet is only a few tenths of a millimeter wide and can become blocked easily.
  • Avoid sharp knocks and impact. Insert and remove your hearing instruments over a soft surface (a bed or sofa). Protect your hearing instruments from heat. Never leave your hearing instruments where they may be affected by extreme heat. Protect them from direct sunlight (at home and in a parked car) and do not leave them near radiators. Protect your instruments from dampness. Remove instruments from your ears before showering, bathing, or swimming. Do not leave them in the bathroom where they could suffer water damage. Dry any perspiration inside and around the ears regularly. Dampness and condensation can damage the circuitry in your hearing instruments. We recommend that you leave the battery compartments open overnight and use the special drying kit available from your hearing care professional.
  • Keep your hearing instruments out of the reach of children and pets. Dogs are irritated by the feedback (whistling) sound and attracted by the owner’s scent. Often the result is a chewed up hearing instrument. The hearing instrument battery can be dangerous if swallowed. Consult a medical professional immediately if the battery is accidentally ingested.
  • Avoid contact with make-up or hair spray. The fine particles produced by make-up or hair spray can easily block a microphone inlet. Always remove hearing instruments before using such products.

Troubleshooting Your Hearing Aids

If you are having problems with your hearing aid, there are a few things you can do yourself to try to fix it.


Problem: The volume drops

  • Low battery – replace it.
  • The sound outlet is blocked with earwax – clean with a small brush.
  • Change the cerumen filter.
  • Blocked microphone inlet – consult your hearing care professional.

Problem: The instrument “whistles” in the ear

  • The instrument is not correctly inserted in your ear. Try again.
  • The instrument is in the wrong ear – swap it over.
  • The fit of the instrument is too loose – consult your hearing care professional.

Problem: The instrument does not work

  • There is no battery in it – insert one.
  • The battery compartment is not closed – shut it.
  • The battery is dirty – clean the battery surface.
  • The battery is dead – replace it.

Problem: The instrument slops out of your ear

  • The ear canal is wet or dirty – wipe the hearing instrument and your ear with a soft, dry cloth.

Problem: The instrument hurts your ear

  • The instrument is not correctly positioned – remove and re-insert it. If the problem persists, consult your hearing care professional.

Problem: The instruments is difficult to insert

  • Place a small drop of non-irritating lubricant on your finger and smear onto the ear canal entrance before inserting your instrument. Ensure that no lubricant enters the sound outlet or microphone apertures.

Important:
If the suggestions above do not solve the problem, contact your hearing care professional.

Hearing Aid Maintenance

December 12, 2009

Hearing aids, like cars, need regular maintenance to keep them operating at their best. Hearing aids are fragile, little machines and conditions of the ear can damage the hearing aid over time.  Ears contain wax, moisture, skin and oil that are enemies of hearing aids.   There are few things you do every day to keep your hearing aid “healthy”.  Everyday maintenance should include wiping off your hearing aid with a dry cloth and brushing off any wax or debris that is on the hearing aid using a hearing aid brush or a dry toothbrush.  Never use a wet cloth or alcohol on a hearing aid.  After use every night , you should open the battery door to allow air circulation that helps keep the hearing aid dry inside.  Storing the hearing aids in a dehumidifying container is strongly recommended and will help keep your hearing aid dry.  Never dry the hearing aids by microwave, stove or oven.  Another enemy of the hearing aid are pets.  Cats and dogs are attracted to the smell of hearing aids and many hearing aids have been eaten or destroyed by Fluffy or Fido.  Avoid using hairspray while wearing your hearing aid.  Never shower, bath or swim with hearing aids.

Like taking your car into the mechanic for an oil change, hearing aids need to be regularly brought in to the “hearing aid mechanic”.  Even if your hearing aids sound fine, hearing aids need to be professionally cleaned to prevent any problems.  All hearing aids need to be listened to, looked out and cleaned by a professional every four to six months.  Hearing aids that go behind the ear also need to have their tubing changed every four to six months.  Over time, tubing will turn yellow, harden and eventually crack causing problems with sound.

These tips will help to prolong the life of your hearing aid and help to keep you hearing well.

Getting Used to Your Hearing Aids

December 9, 2009

  1. Gain experience. Begin your training program in familiar surroundings in your own home. Step-by-step you can then add to the complexity of your surroundings, although very noisy environments are to be avoided initially.
  2. Continually increase your wearing time. On the first day you should not wear your hearing instruments for more than 2-3 hours. Increase this time gradually until after a few weeks you are at the stage when you can wear your hearing instruments all day without noticing them. Remember to wear your hearing instruments at home too, so you will be able to hear the telephone ringing, the doorbell, etc.
  3. Adapt the volume to the situation. Modern hearing systems automatically select a pre-programmed, acceptable volume level when they are switched on. Many modern instruments do not need any further adjustment which is why they do not have a volume control function. If you have a volume control, don’t set the volume too high. This can result in distortion rather than improved understanding. Don’t try to understand soft voices over a great distance. Remember that people who hear well cannot do that either. As you get used to your hearing instruments you can adjust the volume controls when you need increased loudness.
  4. The hearing instrument – an extension of your body. Ideally your hearing instruments should become a natural extension of your body, similar to glasses or contact lenses. This should happen naturally as you get used to your new hearing system. Should you continue to experience discomfort, consult your audiologist.
  5. Adjust to your own voice. At first you may not recognize the sound of your own voice. It is, however, very important to hear your own voice so that you can control and correct the diction and volume of your voice properly.
  6. Living with noise. The world is a noisy place. Often people with perfect hearing are able to suppress interfering noises by concentrating on the sounds they wish to hear. If, however, you have had a hearing impairment for some time you may have lost this ability. Furthermore your hearing instruments will reintroduce you to many sounds you may have forgotten, e.g. the ticking of the clock, paper being crumpled, the clicking of heels on the floor, birdsong, children laughing, etc. Not all sounds are pleasant of course. You can also learn how to ignore unwanted sounds again. Practice concentrating on what you want to hear. If you have multi-program instruments, practice choosing the best program for the situation.
  7. Taking part in discussions. Even people with good hearing have problems understanding speech if several people speak at once. It will help if you move closer to the person you want to hear and concentrate on him/her. With practice you will achieve excellent results in this type of situation.
  8. Visiting public places. Theatres, places of worship, conferences rooms and other public places present a challenge for the hearing instrument user. It is helpful to sit where the acoustic conditions are best. Normally this is not too close to the speaker but so that you can see his/her face. Many public buildings have technical installations to make it easier to hear. A telephone call prior to the visit will clarify what is available.
  9. Listening to radio and television. Concentrate on trying to follow the overall meaning rather than each individual word.
  10. Two ears are better than one. The use of two hearing instruments for people with a hearing loss in both ears has many advantages. It offers a new dimension in hearing – after all, it is not by chance that nature gave us two ears. The benefits of hearing with both ears: More natural hearing because our auditory system is designed to receive sound input from two ears. Improved ability to determine the direction from which sound is coming – e.g. knowing which way to look when you hear a truck approaching. Greater ability to hear and understand in noisy environments. Richer, smoother sound quality. Easier, more relaxed listening. Less volume required for each ear.

Life of a Hearing Aid

September 18, 2009

It’s surprising that hearing aids don’t need repair or replacement more often.  The electronic components are exposed to heat, perspiration, wax, humidity, rain and daily handling. This can cause parts to wear out, corrode, or lose power.

The life of a hearing aid is usually said to be about 5 years, but can vary from 3-7 depending on a variety of factors.  If you’re thinking about replacing your hearing aids, consider the age of your present aids, improvements in technology, whether your hearing has changed and whther you have a back-up set.  If you have an older hearing aid that needs repair, consider replacing it with an instrument with updated technology.

Feel free to call us if you would like to review the condition of your present aids.  And remember, a cleaning and readjustment of your present hearing aids will often prove significant without the need for new ones.    Our phone number is 301-977-6317.