If you are thinking about getting a hearing aid, you probably want one that is small, that no one can see, and one that can help you hear better and is comfortable. Well, there is good news for you! New Open Ear hearing aid technology has dramatically improved hearing capabilities as well as good looks.

The Open Ear style hearing aid is a discreet device that sends the sounds into your ear in one of two ways. Some Open Ear style hearing aids use a small tube with an earbud (a soft tip) on the end that connects to your ear. A more recent innovation in Open Ear hearing aid design is the receiver in the ear delivery system. The names for this type of product vary. You may see them advertised as RIC, RITE, or CRT. They all mean the same thing, the receiver (speaker) is actually in your ear and connected to the hearing aid by a thin wire.

Using a RITE connection provides several benefits. This is so the wire cannot kink from repetitive use and it will maintain its shape. Because the speaker is actually in the ear, the sound quality is better and the hearing aid can provide more high frequency amplification. Feedback (that annoying whistling sound) happens less often because the microphone and the speaker are further apart. Hearing aid manufacturers have also developed disposable wax guards for the speaker which are easily replaced. This style results in less breakdowns from earwax.

Of the current Open Ear products using RITE technology, the Oticon Delta hearing aid is one of the most popular. Oticon Delta has a small, triangular design. Because it is so small, this hearing aid looks like it could be a bluetooth communication device or a fasion accessory. The Delta hearing aid is available in a variety of colors, some trendy and some designed to camouflage. I find most patients want discreet colors which hide the hearing aid in your hair and make it virtually invisible. However, sometimes a patient will want to make a bold statement and pick a color like Deep Purple or Sunset Orange.

The Oticon Delta hearing aid was selected as an International CES Best of Innovations 2007 Design and Engineering Award winner. Innovations 2007 recognizes the best-designed and best-engineered products in consumer technology, and is one of the most widely renowned consumer technology awards programs worldwide. The Oticon Delta hearing aid was awarded one of the highest scores in the Personal Electronics category based on its value to a user, aesthetics, contributions to quality of life, and innovative qualities.

Another popular new Open Ear hearing aid is the Phonak Audeo. Very tiny, light and discreet, the Audeo hearing aid has several features that make it an excellent choice. CrystalSound is the core of the hearing aid processor. It digitally amplifies the subtle, high-pitched sounds critical to understanding speech and makes sure nothing gets lost. Digital SurroundZoom is one the industry’s best directional microphone systems. All packaged into a cool, Red Dot Design Award winning form that combines style with ergonomics and practicality. The Audeo shape is designed to allow optimum placement of the dual microphones on the hearing aid for the best performance in noise.

Many Open Ear hearing aids can also be used for more than just high frequency hearing loss. By making a custom tip, they can be used for moderate to severe hearing loss at all frequencies. This allows even more hearing aid users to enjoy the technological and cosmetic advantages. Open Ear technology is the new breakthrough for hearing aid users.

It’s amazing that a device as small as a hearing aid can change a person’s life as much as it does. Those of you who have had an experience of wearing a hearing aid must have wondered how it actually works, well they’re pretty amazing things. Here we will discuss the basic working of different types of hearing aids that are currently available on the market.

All hearing aids have certain things in common, all hearing aids have the same basic components without these components, hearing aids would simply be unable to function. These components are: a microphone that picks up sounds around you, an electronic circuit that amplifies this sound and a receiver that transfers amplified sound to inner ear to be heard. The circuit works with the help of a battery, and all this equipment is housed within a small case which can fit in a variety of different places.

So, you see the hearing aid is simply a sound amplifier. That’s how you are able to hear many sounds that you were previously unable to hear thanks to this advice. Hearing aids are split into two main categories, digital and analog. Analog aids are further divided into conventional and programmable aids. Programmable analog aids allow you to program specific functionality within the hearing aid to make it suitable for different environments, these settings can be changed by using a switch or a remote control.

Digital hearing aids work in much the same way as a programmable analog aid. The only difference is that these digital aids are self-adjusting. This means that the wearer doesn’t have to change the volume or any other setting manually. Digital aids are characterized by the sampled analog signals as only high and low impulses. These signals are then manipulated by using techniques of digital signal processing to add extra features to the hearing device, including noise reduction, automatic gain control, compression and sound generation. Digital hearing aids are much more expensive than analog because of this extra functionality.

In addition to this classification, hearing aids are also distinguished on the basis of their style. Four popular styles are BTE (behind the ear), ITE (in the ear), ITC (in the canal) and CIC (completely in the canal). Their names pretty much explain where they all fit. Each type looks different and each are suitable for different degrees of hearing loss.

BTE hearing aids are composed of an ear mold that fits behind the ear, and tubing that transmits the sound to the ear. They are easy to use, easy to clean and easy to maintain. However, because of their size they are quite noticeable. These types of hearing aids are especially designed for kids because they may struggle to manage the other types of hearing aids. ITE hearing aids completely fit inside the ear and are barely visible. They usually come with extra functions like a telephone switch to allow the user to easily listen to a telephone conversation. ITC and CIC work in a similar way, but ITC aids are somewhat bigger in size than CIC hearing aids. For more info see http://www.firsthearingaids.com/comparereviews/hearing_aid_manufacturers.html on kinds of hearing.

There is another type of hearing aid that is much less well known, this is called the bone conduction hearing aid. This is designed for people whose eardrum or ear canal becomes so damaged that other hearing aids are not feasible. The brain interprets these vibrations as sound. There is an additional component in this type of device, known as the oscillator, which receives sound signals and produces vibration according to their pattern. These aren’t very common, they’re only really used by people that have no alternative.

You’ve known you’ve had a hearing loss for quite some time now and you finally get up the nerve to get your hearing tested. They tell you that you need a hearing aid and you cant help but think, Why did this have to happen to me?? Then they start telling you about hearing aids and use tons of terminology that just goes right over your head. Dont they know that you are in shock??! How can you make an informed decision about anything when you dont even know what they are talking about!?

There are hundreds of different hearing aids. It can be a very complicated world of technilogical terms. Sometimes those of us that work with hearing aids all the time can forget just how foreign they can sound to you. To make matters worse, the manufacturers like to call things different names, so they sound like something different. No wonder there’s so much confusion!

I am going to try to unravel some of the mystery for you. When you get down to it, there are really only a few terms you need to understand. These features are the ones that really matter, and the model or the style of the hearing aid.

There are seven primary styles of hearing aids: ITE, Half Shell, ITC, Mini Canal, CIC, BTE, and Open Ear.

In the Ear (ITE) ITE hearing aids are the largest custom style of hearing aid, filling the bowl of your ear, and can have the most power and features available for in the ear hearing aids.

Half Shell (HS) The Half Shell is a custom hearing aid that only fills about half the bowl of your ear. They are able to have a good deal of power and features, use a smaller battery, but are more cosmetically appealing.

In the Canal (ITC) The next smallest size is the custom ITC hearing aid. Harder to see than the larger hearing aids, but also not able to have as much power or as many features.

Mini Canal (MC) Smaller than the ITC hearing aid, the custom mini canal uses a smaller battery and has even less power available. Features can also be more limited.

Completely in the Canal (CIC) The CIC is the smallest custom in the ear hearing aid and very popular due to its cosmetic appeal and ease of use. There are usually no manual controls on a CIC, telephone usage is often better because they are less likely to whistle. Lack of power is the main reason people cannot use this style of hearing aid, though a small ear canal may keep you from being able to wear one also.

Behind the Ear (BTE) A BTE hearing aid sits behind your ear and is connected to your ear by a tube with an earmold attached. BTE hearing aids have the most power and features available.

Open Ear (OE) and Receiver in Canal (RIC) This hearing aid is a fairly new style of BTE made available in recent years and are much smaller then a traditional BTE. They are meant primarily for high frequency hearing loss. The hearing aid is connected to your ear by a very thin tube or wire with a small earbud on the tip. They are called Open Ear because they leave the ear canal less blocked than other styles of hearing aid.

Important Features:

Directional Microphones – These are available on most BTE, OE, ITE, Half Shell, and ITC styles of hearing aids. They are the best feature you can have on your hearing aid for hearing in noisy places, such as restaurants. This means they reduce all the sounds that are behind you so that it doesnt get in the way of sounds that are in front of you. Directional microphones can be automatic meaning that the hearing aid automatically decides when to turn them on once the sound level in the room gets too loud. Some are also be adaptive, which means they can follow moving sounds, or reduce several different sounds at the same time.

Noise Reduction – Noise reduction doesn’t really reduce noise, it reduces amplification in the frequencies where there is noise and no speech. If there is a fan running in the background, the hearing aid will not amplify it as much as it will speech. When the hearing aid finds both speech and noise at a frequency, you still get both. More advanced the hearing aids manage noise better by breaking the frequencies up into smaller pieces.

Memories – There are two types of memories available on a hearing aid, manual and automatic. Many hearing aids have a push button that allows you to have different settings (memories) for different situations such as quiet places, noisy places, and music or telephone. The hearing aid beeps when you push the button to let you know which memory you are using. Advanced hearing aids can have memories that are automatic. Instead of pushing a button, the hearing aid does it for you! Some hearing aids have a combination of both.

Feedback Cancellation – Feedback (or that annoying whistling sound) is the number one compaint people have about hearing aids. Most hearing aid wearers experience feedback when they put their hand over their ear, or use the phone. Feedback Cancellation will take down the amount of feedback (whistling) that you hear.

Bands / Channels – Bands are what we use to adjust the volume in a hearing aid. More bands means more control when we program the hearing aid to your hearing loss.

Channels are used to adjust the part of the hearing aid that keeps the sound from getting too loud. Channels can also refer to the hearing aid noise reduction system. For noise reduction, more channels is definitely better because the hearing aid can break the sound up into smaller pieces and isolate noise from speech.

These are the main things you need to understand about your hearing aid. If you really want the best hearing aid for you I recommend you focus on telling the hearing professional what benefits you want from your hearing aid. Tell them what frustrates you most and give them a better picture of how they can help you. Their goal is to help you hear better, and when that happens, everyone wins.

If you are like the many millions of people who have bought digital hearing aids, you probably did not fully understand all of the mechanisms at play inside of that new hearing aid. You had your hearing tested and were told which hearing aids would work best for your hearing loss. So, just what are digital hearing aids and what makes them different?

Digital hearing aids use computer technology. The comfort and sound level that you hear can be custom-tailored to your unique hearing loss. This is accomplished by connecting the digital hearing aids to a computer and programming them to your loss. But, there are non-digital / analog hearing aids that can be programmed this way too. So, what are the differences between digital hearing aids and analog?

Hearing aids receive sound through the microphone. Distortion and noise are added to the sound from the microphone. This is because microphones make noise. Analog hearing aids pass the sound on to you with the noise and distortion. Digital hearing instruments clean sounds as they come into the hearing aids so that there is less noise and distortion. The sound is then sent to the amplifier, where your digital hearing aids measure the sound and decide how much power to add in order for you to hear.

After being amplified the sound is sent to the receiver ( the speaker ) and is then cleaned up again before being sent to your ear. This is also where digital hearing aids look for feedback ( whistling ) and work to cancel it before the feedback happens. Digital hearing aids actually perform millions of complex calculations in less than the blink of an eye, so fast you cannot even tell it has happened. The entire process is extremely complicated. Digital hearing aids are able to be set more precisely to your hearing loss. Digital hearing aids also have a wide array of circuitry inside them that control the comfort of the sound and make speech easier to hear in noise.

Why Do Some People Have Difficulty Changing from Analog to Digital Hearing Aids?

Some people who have worn analog hearing aids for a long period of time have been unsucessful when they first tried digital hearing aids. If digital is so much better, why do these people not like them? Over time we are conditions to like or dislike certain things. Many people did not like some kind of food when they were young, but later they learn to like it. We call this developing a taste for it. The same is true with switching from analog to digital hearing aids, especially if you were happy with your analog hearing aids.

Your brain becomes accustomed to hearing sounds a certain way, particularly if you felt positive about the way it sounded with your analog hearing aid. The sound is a whole lot more crisp and full when you first put on your new digital hearing aids. This can be overpowering to some and the immediate reaction is to not like it. That’s when many people make one of two mistakes. They try to tough it out and get used to their digital hearing aids, or they just give up. The problem with “toughing it out” is that it can be extremely painful to hear all of these new sounds when you are not used to hearing them. Then your new digital hearing aids becomes your enemy! Giving up doesn’t help anything either.

When this is the case, the best way for you to adapt to your digital hearing aids is gradually. Your professional can tone them down so that the sound is comfortable, and then gradually introduce more sound over time as you adjust. It may take several visits to the office for adjustments until you get the maximum benefit from your digital hearing aids. But if you persevere, your digital hearing aids will reward you with much better hearing.

Since long, Man is seeking of remedies to the problem of hearing loss such as best hearing aids or auditory prosthesis. In earlier times, when there was no any device, people were used to curl hand around the ears to listen clearly in a struggle as well as to show their disability. With the passage of time, people got a new idea to use hollow horn of a sheep and later on they developed large apparatuses very much resembling to French horn, which had to be adjusted in the ear difficultly. At a length of time, their size has been reduced and they have been made more and more efficient. In the history of their development, as a recent event, a successful all and sundry striking achievement of best digital hearing aid has been made to pacify the people with impairment in hearing. However, above all, the question raises that from where the best digital hearing aid you can find?

What That Flopped First?

It was eighties when the digital hearing aids made their first appearance in the year l987. These best digital hearing aids were given small structures and were fragile. However, the hearing aids, which were available earlier, were large enough made up of transistors, the analog made. Those firstly produce as best digital hearing aids did not serve the purpose. Hence they were used to fill up the dustbins only. Therefore that attempt was completely flopped.

Successful Digital Hearing Aids: How Come?

Some engineers took this failure as challenge to them and they obstinately carried on to eradicate the cause of failure. They probed into the matter seriously and diligently. When failure of first generation of digital hearing aids took place, they never ended their efforts to improve the system. Ten years later about 1997, the present generation of best digital hearing aids was introduced by two manufacturers. This new generation was provided with immense improvement in shape and structure, technology and features etc. It weighed lighter than that of digital hearing aids of obsolete generation. It needed fewer battery replacements. The BTE – Behind The Ear hearing aids is amongst the new digital hearing aids generation. The BTE hearing aids are supplied in the market in different models basing variety on the colors, shape etc. There are in skin color and in many stylish colors.

Specifications

There are different ways of using these best digital hearing aids. The best digital hearing aids come with numerous worthy constituents. In combination to these components, these digital hearing aids can be used to ensure life worth living.

Digital Feedback Reduction (DFR)

The best digital hearing aid is provided with a technique of reduction in the sound feedback. It is done automatically. Someone, who uses a digital hearing aid, known to you, must be seen adjusting the volume periodically. It is to cut out the feedback from T.V. sets, radio sets, speakers or chewing. The system employed in digital hearing aid in this regard consists in a specific filter. This filter is termed as “notch filter” and is meant for eradication of unwanted feedback on its own accord.

Digital Noise Reduction (DNR)

A best digital hearing aid is also provided with accessory like DNR to facilitate a user. It reduces the unwanted murmurs or low level noises, which can also produce feedback and intricacy to understand the voice as well. Besides all these advancements, the car alarms yet make it as unworthy as it can’t sieve such horrible noise.

Digital Speech Enhancement (DSE)

The most important and fundamental component of the best digital hearing aids is this system. It is DSE, for which digital hearing aids are look over. People get best digital hearing aids for this feature. This part of these best digital hearing aids makes us listen to others. There are distinctive aspects and patterns of human speech and sound. It makes these distinctive parameters the focus and implies them.

Shopping The Best digital hearing Aids, But How?

The best digital hearing aids are available everywhere, which can be obtained from online shopping and form auditory equipment stores as well. As it is always mentioned in vast interest of public, you should consult an ENT specialist or audiologist at first. They will examine your ears and prescribe the best for you. As a matter of fact, as your physician prescribes, you may undergo a proper examination, which is specific for hearing power. This will be a great incentive to get best digital hearing aids per needs.

Phone Hearing Aid Compatibility

If you have family members or patients who use hearing aids, you may know that they often have trouble using cell phones. Some cell phones cause radiofrequency interference with hearing aids, so the user hears high-pitched whistling sounds through the hearing aid, or static, or thumping sounds.  But all cell phones aren’t alike in this respect.

Some phones have lower radiofrequency emissions or different technology that can reduce the unwanted effects on hearing aids. So you should advise hearing aid wearers shopping for a hearing aid compatible cell phone to try several brands and models before they decide.  The more immune your hearing aid is to radiofrequency interference, the less likely you are to experience interference noise from wireless devices.

Hearing aid wearers should always ask cell phone carriers what the emissions ratings are for any new phone being considered for purchase, and cell phone providers should have this information available. Additionally, nothing takes the place of an actual field test of the cell phone.

Hearing Aid Compatibility Rating Scales

Hearing Aid Compatible (HAC) compliant device packages are marked with “M” or “T” ratings. The M-rating refers to the microphone mode. The T-rating refers to the telecoil mode.

M-Ratings: Wireless devices rated M3 or M4 meet FCC requirements and are likely to generate less interference to hearing devices than wireless devices that are not labeled. M4 is the better/higher of the two ratings.  The higher the M-rating the handset has the lower the Radio Frequency emissions level and higher signal quality the handset will have.



M3-rating indicates the handset has satisfied the ANSI standard

M4-rating indicates the handset has exceeded the ANSI standard



T-Ratings: Wireless devices rated T3 or T4 meet FCC requirements and are likely to be more usable with a hearing device’s telecoil (”T Switch” or “Telephone Switch”) than unrated wireless devices. T4 is the better/higher of the two ratings.  The telecoil rating is in reference to telecoils in some hearing aids, the telecoil is a small device that is built into some hearing aids for use with the telephone as well as assistive listening devices. Not all hearing aids have telecoils. To use the telecoil, generally, either the hearing aid is switched to the “T” position or a button on the hearing aid is pushed to select the telecoil setting.



T3-rating indicates the handset has satisfied the ANSI standard

T4-rating indicates the handset has exceeded the ANSI standard



When the consumer is attempting to discern the best performance between a hearing aid and cell phone, the numbers from the m-ratings of both the cell phone and hearing aid should be added together (summed up). Of course, if telephone coil compatibility/performance is to be assessed, the t-ratings of each device should be summed. T-ratings should not be summed with m-ratings; the two ratings should always be kept separate.

Possible Ratings for Rated Phones

There are only 6 possible ratings allowed by the FCC for cell phones rated as being hearing aid compatible (HAC). The phone could be rated (from worst to best):



M3

M4

M3/T3

M4/T3 (or M3/T4)

M4/T4



A good hearing aid user goal would be a hearing aid with an M-3 immunity rating, added to a cell phone with an M-3 emissions rating, summating to a total of 6 would be an excellent hearing aid/cell phone communication ability result.  Phones rated M4/T4 have the best chance of being interference-free whether used with your hearing aids in microphone or t-coil mode.

See http://www.hearinglosshelp.com/articles/hacphones.htm for more information on hearing aid compatibility.

Our five senses give us the ability to enjoy the daily beauty that surrounds us. The value of hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting and feeling are often taken for granted until one or more of those important tools start to deteriorate in some way. The ability to hear, as well as to see make life experiences more rewarding and certainly more enjoyable. The partial loss of hearing dramatically changes how life is perceived and choices that were once made quickly, become an effort due to hearing loss. Hearing aids have been around for centuries in some form, but most people found them bulky, burdensome and annoying. People who decided to use expensive custom fitted hearing aids, found themselves waiting weeks for it to be ready and then it would have to be adjusted from time to time, in order for it to function properly. New technology in hearing aids has solved those problems by introducing instant-fit hearing aids.

Instant-fit hearing aids are usually in-the-ear hearing aids although they don’t have to be. They are manufactured using an automated assembly system and are built with standard housings and are covered with soft flexible ear tips that vary in size. Instead of customizing the hearing aid in the factory, the instant-fit hearing aid is customized in the hearing specialist’s office. Instant-fit hearing aids have been going through the development stage for the last ten years. The first step was to create digital programmable aids, which allowed the hearing specialist to adjust the electro acoustics in the office. The next step was using pre-made cores and soft sleeves which eliminated the need for the costly hard-plastic hearing aid shells. When those two steps were achieved, the hearing aid specialist could adjust and fit the hearing aid in the office and that eliminated the need for the manufacturer to get involved after the hearing aid was produced and sold.

Purchasing an instant-fit hearing aid is like buying off the rack clothing. Minor adjustments might have to be made after the purchase, but the cost advantage is greater than buying custom made clothing. The instant-fit technology in hearing aids is here to stay. Manufacturers are improving their quality and performance. Consumers are taking advantage of their lower retail price. Custom hearing aids will still be important in the hearing loss market, because not everyone has a normal size ear canal. If the ear canal is abnormally shaped or is very small, a custom hearing aid with a factory customized shell is the only option at this point.

If the ear canal is a normal size, the choice between a custom fit or instant-fit hearing aid comes down to where the consumer wants to spend the money. An instant-fit hearing aid’s digital signal processing devise can be put into a custom made hearing aid, but the cost is much higher. Some instant-fit hearing aids also have ear tips that are disposable. These ear tips have been designed to collect cerumen and as long as the consumer has the ability to change the ear tips, they are another option. The disposable ear tips may be less expensive in the short term, but for long term use a non-disposable instant-fit hearing aid is still the better choice. Instant-fit hearing aids will continue to improve and drop in price as the technology advances. With all the development taking place in hearing aids, the designer versions of instant-fits must be just a sound away.

(c) 2008 Jay Ta

A hearing aid needs to be maintained and looked after to ensure it is working at its best potential. Not only will this ensure you are getting the best out of your hearing aid but it will prolong its life.

There are behind-the-ear and in-the-ear hearing aids both need to be looked after and maintained.

Behind-the-ear hearing aid should be cleaned every night if not at least once a week. Remove the ear mould and tubing which needs to washed in warm soapy water and rinsed. Do not dry them, leave them to dry themselves. Once cleaned and dried then fit them back to your hearing aid.

The hearing aid itself shouldd be cleaned with a soft dry cloth only as any solutions may damage the hearing aid.

The tube will need to be replaced every three to six months; this will prevent cracks and hardening of the tube. You should be shown how to replace the tube by your dispenser. If you have two hearing aids ensure you keep each mould and tube with the right hearing aid to put it all back correctly.

In-the-ear hearing aids have no tubes to detach and clean, you should clean the aid with a dry soft cloth or tissue. Do not use any liquid on the hearing aid as it may damage it, only use the cloth.

Some in-the-ear hearing aids come with a wax pick and instructions how to clean.

Not only do you need to ensure that your hearing aid has been cleaned regularly but change the battery often. If the sounds become quieter, distorted, crackling then change the battery. It is a good idea to carry your spare battery with you just in case. Some hearing aids may have a slight beeping noise when the battery needs to be changed.

With NHS hearing aids the batteries should be supplied free of charge which you should be able to collect form any local hearing centre with your record book. Privately bought hearing aids you will have to buy batteries which you can normally get from local chemists.

Hearing aids should be kept away from water, heat, hair products and body sprays as they may damage it. Try and take your hearing aid out when you go to sleep and turn it off to save the battery. Turning the hearing aid off whenever you are not using the hearing aid can help maintain the battery.

There are many common problems which occur with hearing aids but to establish which problem you should go through a checklist. It may sound simple but always check the hearing aid is on, the volume is up, not on setting ‘T’, the battery is in correctly and change battery if needed.

All these points may sound like common sense but they are easily done.

Remember to look after your hearing aid and it will last longer.

Why choose open fit hearing aids?

There have been several momentous changes in the production and manufacture of hearing aids, but none so dramatic as the introduction of open ear hearing aids.

Firstly, there was the traditional ear trumpet. Then, the first proper hearing aids were introduced, in the form of the little box, which would sit around the neck or in a breast pocket. That was known as the ‘body worn’ hearing aid.Then the first behind the ear hearing aids were made, which were large and cumbersome, but sat behind the ear, and had the microphone pointing in the direction that the ear pointed, which in itself was a big advance.

 Then anaologue ‘in the ear’ hearing aids were produced, which were the first hearing aids to pay heed to cosmetic requirements.Hearing aids that were analogue but programmable came next, and then soon after that was the advent of digital hearing aids. These revolutionised the hearing profession, giving extra clarity, noise filters, dual microphones and an accurate programming ability. When we look at original digital hearing aids now, they seem as antiquated as an analogue aids would have done when digital first became available, but at the time they were groundbreaking.

 Technology in the hearing profession has moved at an astonishing pace in the last five years or so.The biggest breakthrough for the hearing aid wearer is the open fit hearing aid. The first of these was the Resound Hearing Aid called the Contact Air. This comprised of a small pod behind the ear using size 10 hearing aid batteries, a very thin tube to carry the sound into the ear, where it connected to a soft dome, which fitted snugly in the ear canal. These were amazingly popular and successful, and were responsible for a revolution in hearing aid technology. The Delta was the first Oticon hearing aid to incorporate an open fit and the Savia Art and Audeo are some of the early open fit Phonak Hearing Aids. The Delta from Oticon (which has now been superceded by the Dual Mini) introduced RITE (receiver in the ear) technology, which removed the acoustic vagaries of thin tubing, as the tubing itself was replaced by a wire which carried the sound electronically to the speaker, which was housed underneath the soft rubbery dome.

 But what makes open ear hearing aids so special?

  There are several reasons why an open fitting hearing aid will always be preferable.

Comfort. Because there is no mould to seal the ear, the rubber dome sits snugly in the ear canal, preventing unnecessary perspiration and allowing the ear to ‘breathe’ as it would if no hearing aid was worn. I have often heard people say ‘I don’t know I’m wearing them’ as they are so light and comfortable. Quality of hearing. The basis of an open ear fitting is that it allows the wearer to use the percentage of hearing he or she still has remaining, but is given a boost (usually in mid and high pitch sound) to aid clarity with the hearing of speech. This effect has given us the nearest we can achieve to normal hearing via hearing aids. Cost. Open ear hearing aids are factory made and do not cost as much to manufacture as a custom-made in the ear hearing aid. Therefore, higher technology specifications are available at lower price ranges. The fact that they are factory manufactured also means the instruments are more reliable than in the ear hearing aids. Discretion. Due to the very thin wire and small ‘pod’ sitting behind the ear, open fit hearing aids tend to be very discrete and largely invisible.

 

OK, so how do I get an open ear hearing aid?

 If you are interested in finding out more about open ear hearing aids, the first step is to contact your local hearing aid retailer. It is advisable to mention Phonak, Resound and Oticon hearing aids, as these are the market leaders in regards to technology.

Once you have ascertained that your retailer will deal with the above mentioned brands, the next step is to ask for a free hearing test and a possible demonstration of open ear hearing aids. When you have had your free hearing test, the hearing-aid audiologist will give you a demonstration of the hearing aids recommended and discuss hearing aid prices. You may also like to ask about the aftercare offered by the retailer, and the cost of hearing aid batteries. Some retailers offer free hearing aid batteries as part of their general aftercare package. This is a nice bonus!

The rest is up to you, but you have NOTHING to lose by trying to find out if open ear hearing aids are suitable for you, and if you have hearing loss that can be helped by these little marvels, then you will be very glad you looked into it!

 

If you suffer from problems with your hearing then deciding to wear a hearing aid can be a decision which changes your life for the better. Being able to hear again will benefit everything from your relationships at home and work, to your overall health and safety.

What’s in a hearing device?

Most hearing aids feature four main components which allow you to hear more clearly. The first two components are a microphone which is used to pick up nearby noise and an amplifier which makes these noises louder. This noise is then fed through to a speaker which allows you to hear it. Most types of hearing devices are battery powered which is the forth component and is needed to power the device.

What types of hearing devices are available?

The type of hearing assistance you choose will largely depend on your personal preference and aesthetics will play a big part in your choice. You’re likely to need to use the device everyday so it’s important to carefully consider which style is right for you. If you suffer from moderate hearing loss then tiny aids can be deeply fitted into your ear canal and be virtually invisible to other people. Another option for moderate hearing loss is an aid which is not fitted as deeply into the ear canal but is still not obvious to other people. A more familiar option is the in-the-ear style which fills most of the ear opening and these are usually flesh coloured to make them less noticeable. Similar in appearance to the in-the-ear style is the behind-the-ear model which also has a separate component which fits behind the ear and this style is suitable for all levels of hearing loss.

What extras are available?

There are plenty of accessories available which will help to improve and maintain your device. You can also ask for specific features to be customised to suit your requirements. Earmoulds for example can be made with other materials to minimise irritation and splash proof covers are available which will make recreational activities such as swimming much easier. Professional cleaning sets will help to maintain the hygiene and performance levels of your device. Features such as telephone adapters can make phone conversations clearer as they help you to pick up sounds that come only from the telephone rather than background noise as well. These devices are usually used with the hearing aid set to a ‘T’ position. Some styles are available with manual volume control while others adjust volume automatically so consider which one you prefer before making an investment.

When you make a purchase

If you are buying an aid for yourself then make sure you find out what warrantees are included and also what aftercare is available. As these aids can take a while to get used to it’s wise to opt for a company which offers an aftercare service so you know you’ll have help on-hand should you need advice.

Investing in a device which can help you to hear more clearly is a big decision so make sure you ask for expert advice and consider all your options before you make a purchase.