Like computers, tablets and phones, innovations in hearing aid technology is improving quickly. Hearing aids have more and more functions and features which fit into tiny packages that sit in or behind your ear. Current hearing aids do more than compensate for hearing loss with amplification. They are small computers that measure your sound environment then modify the way they amplify to maximise your hearing clarity.

When getting hearing aids, we need to consider the technology level and functionality that will best compensate for your hearing loss. There are also other features and additional connectable technology you might find useful to make life easier.

Getting the right hearing aids for you

Excellent core hearing aid functionality is key to success. Choosing the correct level of amplification, fitting to your ear and technology level for your hearing needs must be guided carefully by your Audiologist. Follow this link for more details about how we go about assessing your listening needs.

Once we have decided on the right hearing aid technology for you, we can consider the added features that are available. These can help with ease of use, connectivity and better hearing in specific listening environments. These features are available at most technology levels. Once we have decided on the right hearing aids for you, we can determine the technology level to go along with them.

In an ideal world, hearing aids measure the sound environment, highlight the sound you want to hear and bring it to you with increased clarity. In most cases, hearing aids do this well. However, at times, you may wish to adjust the hearing aid sound for the environment you are in. You may want to appreciate the nuances of music, hear the person who is speaking from behind you, like in a car; or understand better in a particularly reverberant (echoey) room.

In these cases, you may want to change the way the hearing aids are working; adjust the volume or focus on sound in a particular direction. These are the situations where a remote-control app may come in handy. Apps usually give you the option to change your hearing aid volume, program setting and, in some cases, pitch and adjust how the hearing aids respond in noise.

Rechargeable batteries

Rechargeable batteries in hearing aids have been available for several years. Within the last year, we have seen a surge of new rechargeable hearing aids from more manufacturers with improved battery life. The three main reasons to choose rechargeable hearing aids:

1. Simplicity – pick up your hearing aids and put them on in the morning and at night put them back in the charger. No need to open battery doors to turn them off or having batteries run out unexpectedly.
2. The environment – many people are aware of the waste they create when they dispose of used hearing aid batteries every week or two.
3. Less cost and hassle– although the battery charger costs a little more at the beginning, there is an overall cost saving when choosing rechargeable hearing aids. There is also the added convenience of not having to think about buying batteries.

Connecting your hearing aids directly to your TV, sound system or tablet means you will hear the sound a lot clearer the first time. Following the dialogue in movies and TV becomes so much easier. In most cases, we need to add an intermediate device that sends the signal from your preferred audio device to your hearing aids.

Brain and body tracking

New hearing aids from Starkey and Oticon can now work as a fitness tracker, measuring the steps you do each day. Some hearing aids have inbuilt systems to keep you active both physically and cognitively. Features released in 2019 in by Starkey are:

• Track your daily steps and set a goal to encourage you to stay active every day.
• Fall detection – they will send family members a text if you fall
• On the horizon – Heart rate measurements – which can send an alert if the wearer is soon to have a heart attack and send a text message to up to 3 family members. A special earmould detects your heartbeat.
• Your hearing aids can measure the amount of time you are using them and you can see your usage on the app. We know from research that the more you wear your hearing aids the better it is for your brain and cognitive function (including memory).

Hearing aids self check

Hearing aids self check lets you know if you hearing aids are working as expected. When the hearing aids are new, we run a check in the office. Then at anytime this test can be rerun with the results compared to the initial test.  The hearing aids will let you know if they are working as expected or if they are not working correctly which part of the hearing aids needs to be repaired. The microphone, amplifier or receiver (loud speaker). This allows for accurate trouble shooting and keeping your hearing aids working as expected at all time.

Remote microphone technology

One of the biggest challenges for people with significant hearing loss is hearing across distance. Speech understanding can be difficult over more than a few meters, even the best hearing aid technology. Another built-in advantage of the connectivity is that you can use your phone as a remote microphone. Just put your iPhone at the other end of the table or give it to the person with the quiet voice. The sound that reaches the iPhone microphone (or a connected remote microphone) and will be sent directly to your hearing aids.

Remote programming

For some people getting into the clinic to see your audiologist can be a challenge. Maybe you live a long way from the clinic, are not able to get to appointments during work hours or are homebound, for medical or transport reasons. If this describes you, then we have a solution – Telecare audiology is now a reality.

Tele-audiology means that some of the hearing aid fitting process can be delivered from the comfort of your home or office. Once we have done a thorough hearing assessment and have fitted the hearing aids in the clinic (using real ear measures), we can do further follow-ups from a distance.  All you need is a smartphone, and your hearing aids can be adjusted over the internet. Being able to customize your hearing aids from the comfort of your home makes the process of getting hearing aids more manageable than before.

Hearing aid style and cosmetics

Finding the most discrete hearing aids is a priority for many new hearing aid users. Cosmetics, of course, has to be balanced with comfort, reliability, sound quality and functionality (hearing well in more complex situations). Some of the smaller hearing aids, look great and may be able to compensate well for your hearing loss, but may not work as well as other styles in difficult listening situations.

Receiver in the canal (RIC)

The most commonly fitted style of hearing aids in recent times is the Receiver In the Canal (RIC), also known as the Receiver In The Ear (RITE) / (RIE). These hearing aids have a relatively small hearing aid that sits behind the ear, the receiver (loudspeaker) that sits in the ear.

These hearing aids are discreet, comfortable. and easy to wear. If there is a change in hearing levels, the receiver can be changed easily to a more powerful loudspeaker, in the clinic. Or if the receiver breaks down, it can be replaced in the clinic with less hassle (at a significantly lower repair cost). Receiver in the canal hearing aids can be worn with universal fit domes or custom moulds.

 

There are also many behind the ear styles available with various tubing options for those with more significant hearing loss or other specialise hearing needs.

In the canal hearing aids (IICs, CICs and ITEs)

Some people prefer not the have anything sitting behind their ear. There are various size options available to match your priorities, including Invisible in the Canal (IIC) hearing aids, Completely in the Canal (CICs) and In the Ear (ITE) hearing aids. Most brands have these hearing aid styles available.

ITE hearing aids have historically come with trade-offs in comfort and reliability. Having an electronic device deep inside your ear means more problems with moisture and wax; these issues improved dramatically over the past few years. There are many in the ear styles available.

So – how would you like your hearing aids?

In my experience, most people like milk with their tea. Some people enjoy sugar in their coffee. Sometimes I prefer herbal tea.

How do you like your hearing aids?

Connectable?

Rechargeable?

Fall detection?

Remote programming?

Significant research and development in hearing aid technology means new hearing aids are being released almost continually.  As you can see, there are many options to be considered when choosing hearing aids. It is essential to consider how you would like your hearing aids to work for you. Our needs assessment will help steer you in the right direction to get the hearing aids that suit your lifestyle and listening needs best. Finding out about your preferences is an integral part of choosing the best hearing aids for you.

At Auckland Hearing, we keep up to date with new developments from all the manufacturer’s product lines. This is so we can choose the most up to date hearing aids that are best suited to your needs.

The post Hearing Aid Technology and Innovation appeared first on Auckland Hearing.

You may be able to get funding for hearing aids through ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation). So how do you apply for ACC hearing aid funding?

You may qualify for ACC hearing aid funding if you:

• have had an accident in New Zealand that caused hearing loss in one or both ears
• have worked in a noisy environment in New Zealand and you believe that it caused your hearing loss.

ACC provides three levels of funding

The level of ACC hearing aid funding for each claimant is decided by assessing each individuals situation and attributing how much of the hearing loss is due to the accident or noise exposure.

ACC hearing aid funding for both ears (Binaural)

• Level 1 – $ 3157.90 (incl GST)
• Level 2 – $3904.40 (incl GST)
• Level 3 – $4953.05 (incl GST)

ACC hearing aid funding for one ear (Monaural)

• Level 1 – $ 1873.35 (incl GST)
• Level 2 – $ 2247.10 (incl GST)
• Level 3 – $ 2770.93 (incl GST)

More information

In 2014 funding was changed and improved for ACC claimants here are some more details about the current ACC funding system.

How to order your ACC funded hearing aids batteries

If you do not feel ACC is the right path for you, please check out the other hearing aid funding options in New Zealand.

Getting started with your ACC application

If you are not sure about whether you could be eligible for an ACC claim or would like more information, please make an appointment for a free hearing check and discuss your options and the way forward.

The post How to apply for ACC Hearing Aid Funding appeared first on Auckland Hearing.

Size 10 batteries (yellow)

Yellow labelled size 10 hearing aid batteries are used in the smallest hearing aids including Invisible in the canal (IIC), completely in the canal (CIC) and the extra small behind the ear receiver in the canal (RIC) hearing aids styles.

They last between 3- 7 days depending on the degree of hearing loss and technology in the hearing aids.

Size 312 batteries (brown)

Brown labelled Size 312 hearing aid batteries are used in some receiver in the canal (RIC) and in the ear (ITE) hearing aids.

They last about 10 – 14 days depending on the level of amplification and functionality in the hearing aids. Using functions like streaming sound from devices like your phone has a high battery drain and shortens battery life.

Size 13 Batteries (Orange)

Orange labelled Size 13 hearing aid batteries are used in some receiver in the canal (RIC), behind the ear (BTE) and in the ear (ITE) hearing aids.

They last around 10 – 14 days depending on the level of amplification and functionality in the hearing aids. Using functions like streaming sound from devices like your phone has a high battery drain and shortens battery life.

Size 675 batteries (blue)

Blue labelled Size 675 hearing aid batteries are used in hearing aids that require a lot of power including bone conduction hearing aids (BAHA) and cochlear implants (CI).

They last about 10 – 14 days depending on the level of amplification and functionality in the hearing aids, BAHA or CI.

Streaming is now available in some CIs and this will increase the battery drain.

Types of batteries

Zinc-air batteries

Disposable zinc-air batteries are the most common type of hearing aid batteries. They have a sticker on them that covers small holes in the top of the battery. Once you pull the sticker off air gets into the battery and it begins to work. Zinc-air batteries usually last between 5 and 14 days depending on the battery size.

Once the sticker is pulled off the battery will continue to drain even if the hearing aids are not being used.

Zinc-air hearing aid battery tips

• Stick the battery sticker onto your calendar when you change your battery, it will let you know when you should expect to change the battery again.
• Only pull the stickers off when you are ready to use them
• Increase your hearing aids battery life by leaving the battery on the table for 1-5 mins after pulling off the sticker. This allows more air into the holes in the top of the battery.

Rechargeable Silver-zinc batteries and nickel – metal hydride batteries

Rechargeable silver-zinc and nickel-metal hydride batteries generally last 10 to 14 hours (a day) before needing to be recharged – usually over night. The batteries look similar to zinc-air batteries but they do not have the holes to let air in.

An advantage of both Rechargeable Silver-zinc batteries and nickel – metal hydride batteries is that if the batteries run out, the same size disposable zinc-airbatteries can be used This might be helpful if they run out during the day or if you go on holiday and do not want to take a charger with you.

Rechargeable silver-zinc and nickel-metal hydride batteries last about a year and then need replacing. When you get your hearing aids at Auckland Hearing we notify you annually when it is time to renew your rechargeable batteries.

Lithium – ion rechargeable batteries

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are sealed within the hearing aid and are only removable by the hearing aid manufacturer. They are expected to last for 5 to 6 years, potentially the life of the hearing aid.

For the batteries to be replaced the whole hearing aid has to go into the manufacturer for a service.

The advantages of rechargeable batteries

• Many people choose rechargeable batteries as they are easy to manage. You just need to put them in the charger each night.
• With rechargeable batteries, there is no need to open fiddly battery doors or remember when the batteries need to be replaced.
• Rechargeable batteries are also better for the environment as you are not adding so many batteries to the landfill.

Buying your hearing aid batteries

It does not matter what branding is on your batteries, often hearing aid batteries are re-branded by a hearing clinic or a manufacturer. Clinics that fit hearing aids may be a better choice than other retailers, as they know the importance of good quality batteries. At Auckland Hearing we sell batteries by the card or at a discount by the box.

Hearing aid battery expiry date

Check the expiry date on the back of the battery pack. The expiry date on the back fo the packet should be at least a year away. Expired batteries not only have a shorter life, they may secrete a corrosive white power into the battery compartment of your hearing aids.

It is best to buy your hearing aid batteries from a retailer that sells a lot of batteries, so they have not been sitting on the shelf for a long time.

Recycling your hearing aid batteries

Auckland Hearing has a hearing aid battery recycling program. Please bring in your used batteries as we will make sure they are disposed of safely.

We send our used hearing aid batteries to UpCycle who hold EPA approved battery export permits. The batteries are exported to South Korea for processing, where they get stripped off and chemicals are extracted for recycling.

The post Hearing aid batteries – types, sizes & recycling appeared first on Auckland Hearing.

When you finalised you hearing aids your Audiologist sent in a battery request form for your ACC hearing aid batteries. ACC knows the size and type of batteries you need. The quantity of batteries you are expected to need is also on file and they are allocated to you each 6 months or so.

ACC hearing aid battery order options:

Or for any other questions about ordering your ACC hearing aid batteries or more information about your hearing loss claim contact the ACC Hearing Loss team on 0800 101 996.

The post ACC hearing aid batteries – how to order batteries for ACC funded hearing aids appeared first on Auckland Hearing.

Well… “Do you need hearing aids?”

Hearing loss is common

Many people wear hearing aids

 Have you noticed them?

Hearing aids have changed significantly over the last few years and continue to improve at a brisk rate.  Like phones, computers and tablets, hearing aids are mini computers that are processing more and more information.  Every year or two each of the larger manufacturers brings out new and improved products.

Manufacturers often release the higher end products first, then gradually they release the mid-range and value products.  The advantage of this is that there are excellent hearing aids in every technology range and they are continually improving.  What great news this is for people with hearing loss, because hearing aids are not only effective at helping you communicate understand conversation in your everyday life, they look good too!

These images show how hearing aids have changed as much as computers, in fact, each hearing aid is a tiny computer. Current hearing aids have sophisticated sound processing, connectivity to your phone and other devices and rechargeability among many of the features.

How will hearing aids help me?

Simply – Hearing aids provide audibility for the sounds that you have been missing

Hearing the sentence correctly the first time means that you will (most likely)* say goodbye to:

• Auditory fatigue (less mental gymnastics to work out what was said).
• Having to ask for repeats.
• Embarrassment from getting something wrong.

After wearing hearing aids for a while, you will notice you are more relaxed and confident in social situations and general conversation:

• More confidence – in yourself as you are sure you are responding correctly
• More interest – in being involved in social events, as you are confident to join in
• More relaxed – as you will no longer need to be on hyper-alert; you know you will hear things around you – like the doorbell, the phone ring or people walking up from behind

*Most likely – because this is hearing loss dependent.  People with severe/profound hearing losses or very poor speech discrimination may not receive all of these improvements.  If we think this may affect you, will discuss it in detail before choosing hearing aids. The most significant changes happen for people who wear their hearing aids all the time.

Detect sound with your ears

Our ears are designed to collect sound from the environment and amplify it to a level where it can be delivered, via nerves, to the hearing centre in our brain (auditory cortex). The brain uses the electrical signal to recognise the sound from the environment and understand speech.

Hearing loss means the ears are damaged in some way. In most cases, just increasing the volume of the sound to our ears is not helpful to improve hearing clarity.

Hearing aids are small computers that often work together to optimise the signal received by the brain. They are continuously measuring the sound environment and adjusting the way they amplify to maximise hearing comfort and speech understanding and to reduce listening effort.

Higher level hearing aids have more automatic features to modify the sound to help you hear easier and with less effort.

Hear with your brain

Use it or lose it

Wearing hearing aids more strengthens the auditory system by giving it more practice with listening to various sounds and helping it relearn/learn which sounds are important and which sounds are not.

The ability to understand speech, especially in noisy environments usually improves with increased wearing time.

Regular hearing aid use will help your brain “hear better”

Interpreting sound information requires regular exposure. People who wear their hearing aids “only sometimes” are giving their brain two signals, hearing and not hearing, some sounds.

Their brain does not have as much practice interpreting the sound information and will not be able to use the information so well.

The ability to understand speech reduces over time – especially with a significant hearing loss

When there is hearing loss, the brain is not receiving the signal for all the sounds in the area of hearing loss. As this continues for many years, the brain does not have practice using the sound message and becomes less capable of managing the auditory information. It may even relocate those brain resources to another function (typically the visual system). The sooner you get hearing aids, the sooner you are providing your hearing system with sound and keeping it active.

“I notice an improvement in my client’s ability to repeat back single words, in quiet, with regular hearing aid use.

This effect is most potent for people with more severe hearing losses, who have waited a long time to get hearing aids.

Maree O’Sullivan (Audiologist)

A bit about Hearing Aids

Hearing aids have a lot of technology innovations working together to bring about the outcome of “simply” hearing. Below is a brief description for some of this functionality.  There are 9 hearing aid brands that are approved by the Ministry of Health in New Zealand. Each brand has “speciality features” and often they use different terms for some of these:

Programmed for you

All hearing aids (supplied by a qualified professional) are programmed and then fine-tuned specifically for you. Your hearing test (Audiogram) is used to calculate the right amount of sound specifically for your hearing levels.

Adjust to your listening environment

Hearing aids do not amplify all sounds equally; they amplify quiet sounds more than loud sounds; this allows as many sounds as possible to be both audible and comfortable. Hearing aids are not just turning up the volume.

Directional microphones

Directional microphones help you to focus on the sounds in front of you and give less emphasis to sounds behind, these are helpful in background noise environments and are a standard feature in most hearing aids.

Feedback cancellation

Feedback cancellation makes sure that the hearing aids do not feedback (make a loud high-frequency sound).  This can happen if the sound from the “loud-speaker” reaches the microphone.

Noise reduction

Noise reduction is a feature in most hearing aids, the way it works varies between brands.  Most hearing aids focus more on speech sounds and reduce the loudness on non-speech sounds.  Noise reduction also helps you to have a more comfortable listening experience.

Physical comfort

Current technology hearing aids are light and comfortable in your ears.

Cosmetics

Hearing aids no longer look like a medical device.  Now they are a piece of technology like a computer or smartphone.

Hearing aids style

Below are examples of the receiver in the canal type technology for some of the brands. There are many other styles of hearing aid as well.  The choice of hearing aid style will depend on preference and degree of hearing loss.

Connectivity

Hearing aids can connect to other devices like a phone, TV or remote microphone to take the sound from these devices directly to your hearing aids.

There are many other hearing aid features available from various suppliers, for example, waterproof hearing aids, personalisation, stereo sound and more.

Current hearing aids look like this

Here are examples of the receiver in the canal type technology from some of the brands.  As you can see, the terminology used to describe this style varies between manufacturers.

The picture below shows the different styles of hearing aids that are available.  The choice of style will depend on your preference and degree of hearing loss.

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There are many technologies available now that connect up with your hearing aids.  They connect to your phone
(landline or mobile), TV, computer, MP3 player and stereo.  You can also get remote microphone technology, where you can give the speaker a microphone or place it on the other end of the table, then hear the conversation directly into your hearing aids.

Watch this video for example of how technology can work with hearing aids.

What is the right solution for me?

Once you have decided to improve your hearing, we will look in depth at your lifestyle and listening needs to make sure we get the best solution for you.  The best solution for you may not be hearing aids. We will let you know all the options then you can choose what you think will work best. We will ask you questions about your lifestyle and listening needs, then match the best technology (or other option) for your situation. Learn more about the process of getting hearing aids here.

The post Do I need hearing aids? What is the right solution for me? appeared first on Auckland Hearing.

Red is for the right ear and Blue is for the left ear. The removal cord sits at the bottom of your ear canal. To put your custom earplugs in, hold them with your thumb on the bottom (near the removal cord) and finger on the top and they will easily slide in.

Your custom earplugs may be a bit grippy at first, you can use some water-based lubricant to help them fit in if needed.

Cleaning your earplugs

Each time you use your earplugs give your earplugs a wipe with a tissue or a soft cloth when you take them out. Please store them in the case that they came with and keep them away from moisture, heat or direct sunlight.

Your custom sleep earplugs (pictured above) can be cleaned in hot soapy water, then rinsed. Allow them to dry out before wearing them.

The filters in a musician (or other) earplugs must not be immersed in water.

To clean them, the filters can be popped out with a gentle squeeze and then you can clean the plugs in soapy water.

Dry your earplugs thoroughly before putting the filters back.

How long do earplugs last?

Our ears continue to grow over our lifetime and silicon shrinks.  This means that over time the earplugs will become looser and will not block as much sound (or swim plugs may let water in). With a lot of wear, earplugs discolour or the material may stiffen.

Your custom earplugs could last many years but may not be as effective after a few years. Children’s earplugs for swimming need to be replaced more often as their ear shape and size is continually changing. For optimal function, it is recommended you get new earplugs every 2 – 4 years (depending on what you are using them for).

Replacing lost ear plugs

The company that makes your earplugs keeps a copy of your ear impressions on file. This means if you lose one or both plugs they can be remade easily. Just give us a call and we will reorder them for you. The amount of time
your impression files are kept is variable between companies (from 2 – 4 years). After that time you will need to come back into the clinic for new ear impressions to be made.

The post Wearing and Caring for your Custom Earplugs appeared first on Auckland Hearing.

Hearing clinics must pass a noise test that is carried out by independent experts.  Sound levels are measured with a very sensitive sound level meter to establish that the clinic meets the criteria to be able to assess hearing accurately.

In April 2014, we began renovating our new Auckland Hearing clinic. We painted, carpeted and got new signage, so you can easily spot us as you drive along Michaels Ave.

By early May 2014, we were up and running. Our lovely new and quiet rooms passed the noise testing assessment, we are able to see all government funded clients, including ACC.

Our little block of shops

Auckland Hearing clinic is in the middle 5 five shops.  The shop on the far left is currently being renovated into a lovely new organic cafe. Once it is up and running, it will be a great place to have a break before or after an appointment.

Auckland Hearing clinic offers:

• The best value hearing tests and hearing aids in Auckland
• Independent advice on the best solution for your situations
• Brand new state of the art testing equipment and client management systems
• A commitment to understand and help you manage your hearing loss.

The post Our quiet hearing clinic appeared first on Auckland Hearing.