HearingAids:TheBasic

InformationYouNeedtoKnow
FDABASICSWEBINAR
May23,2012
PresentedbyShuChenPeng,Ph.D.CCCA
ScientificReviewerinAudiology
CenterforDevicesandRadiologicalHealth

Outline

Hearingloss
Basicsabouthearingaids
Whatarehearingaidsandwhoaretheyfor?
Howdoesahearingaidwork?
Stylesandcommonfeatures

Gettingthemostoutofyourhearingaids
Hearingaidfitting&care
Hearingaidbenefits&limitations
Learningtolistenwithhearingaids

HearingAidsvs.PersonalSoundAmplifyingProducts
Questions&Answers
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FactsaboutHearingLoss

Individualswithhearinglossmaybelimitedindailyoral
communication.
Somefactsabouthearingloss&hearingaids(NIDCD/NIH)
36million(or17%)adultpopulationintheUSreportsome
degreeofhearingloss.
Lessthan20%ofthosewithhearinglosswhomightbenefit
fromtreatmentactuallyseekhelp.
Mosthearingaidusershadlivedwithhearinglossfor10+
years,andwaiteduntilitprogressedtomoderatetosevere
levelsbeforeseekingprofessionalhelpforhearingaid
fitting.
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TypesofHearingLoss

Conductive:Middleearpathology
Sensorineural:Damageattheinnerear(cochlea)
Mixed:Bothcochleardamage&outer/middleearpathology

DegreesofHearingLoss

0 20dBHL:Withinnormallimits(WNL)
2040dBHL:Mild
4070dBHL:Moderate
7090dBHL:Severe
>90dBHL:Profound

WNL
mild
moderate
severe
profound
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WhoareHearingAidsfor?

Soundamplifyingmedicaldevicestoaidindividualswith
hearingloss.Hearingaidsmaybeusefulfor:
Hearinglossthatmayormaynotbemedicallytreatable.
Anytypeofhearingloss,aslongastheindividualneeds
compensationforthereductioninhearing.

Selectionofhearingaidsshouldbebasedonthetypeand
severityofhearingloss,listeningneeds,andlifestyle.

HearingAids:
BasicComponents&HowTheyWork

Electroniccomponents:
Microphone
Amplifiercircuitry
Miniature
loudspeaker/receiver
Battery

Howdoesahearingaid
work?
www.fda.gov/hearingaids
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HearingAidStyles

Behindtheear(BTE)aids:
Aplasticcasecontainingmostparts;restingbehindtheearconnectedtoan
earmold
Easytobecleanedandhandled,relativelysturdy

"Mini"BTE(or"ontheear")aids:
Averythintubeconnectstheaidtotheearcanal
Mayhaveanopenfiteartiporaregularearmold
Withopenfit Reducedocclusion("pluggedup)sensations,increased
comfort,relativelylessvisible

(SiemensHearingInstruments)

(NIDCD/NIH)

HearingAidStyles

Intheear(ITE)aids:

ITE

Allpartscontainedinashell,which
fillsintheearcanal
Relativelyeasiertohandlethan
smalleraidssuchasITC&CIC

ITC
Inthecanal(ITC)aids&
completelyinthecanal(CIC)aids:
Allpartscontainedintinycases,
whichfitspartlyorcompletelyin
theearcanal
Smallestinsize,whichmakesit
difficulttohandleandadjustfor
someusers

CIC

(SiemensHearingInstruments)

HearingAidTechnology:Analogvs.Digital

Analog
Convertingphysicalsoundwavesintoelectricalwaves
Makingthecontinuoussoundwaveslarger

Digital
Convertingsoundwavestotheirbinaryformatwhere
thesoundisrepresentedbyaseriesof1sand0s
Allowingmanipulatingsoundsinrelativelyflexibleways
toachievemoreprogrammingoptions.

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CommonHearingAidFeatures

Directionalmicrophones
Soundfromaspecificdirectionamplifiedtoagreaterlevel
Mayhelplistenerstounderstandspeechinnoisyenvironments

Feedbacksuppression
Squealssuppressedwhenthehearingaidgetstooclosetothe
phoneorhasaloosefittingearmold

Tcoil(Telephoneswitch)
Soundpickedupfromthetelephonewhenswitchingtothe"T
coil"setting
Helptoreducethechanceofhearingaid"whistling"
Alsoworkswellinenvironments(e.g.,theaters,auditoriums,etc.)
wherethereisinductionlooporFMinstallation

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HearingAidFitting

Getamedicalcheckupfroma
licensedphysiciantoruleoutany
medicalreasonsforhearingloss.
Insomecases,hearinglossis
medicallyorsurgicallytreatable.
Certainmedicalconditionsmay
underliethepersonshearingloss.

Seekhearingaidfittingfromalicensedhearing
healthcareprofessional.
Audiological exam,includinghearingevaluation
Providepropergainandsetting:Toomuchamplification
maycausediscomfort&additionalhearingloss.
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HearingAidFitting(contd)
Questionstoconsider:
Whatstylesandfeatureswouldfitmydailyneeds?
Cost:
Whatisthetotalcostofthehearingaids?
Dothebenefitsofnewertechnologiesoutweighthehighercosts?

Trial/adjustmentperiod:
Isthereatrialoradjustmentperiodformetotryoutthehearingaids?
WhatfeesarenonrefundableifIdecidetoreturnthehearingaids?

Care&Warranty:
HowshouldIcareformyhearingaids?
Whatiscoveredduringtheperiodofwarranty?
Howlongisthewarranty?Canitbeextended?

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HearingAidCare&Maintenance

Keephearingaidsawayfromanymoistureandheat,which
maycausedamagetotheinternalelectronics.
Cleanhearingaidsasinstructed.
Powerconsumption&batterysafety:
Turnoffhearingaidswhennotinuse.
Keepbatteriesandhearingaidsawayfromchildrenandpets.

Visitthehearinghealthcareprofessionalonaregularbasis
tohavehearingaidsinspected.

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HearingAidBenefits&Limitations
Benefits
Abilitytohearsoundsthatcouldnotbeheardpreviously,
andhelporalcommunication
Abilitytohearspeechoverthetelephone
Limitations
Donot restorenormalhearing
Allsounds,includingbackgroundnoiseandundesired
sounds,aremadelouder.
Sounds,includingownvoice,mightseemtooloudatfirst.
Mayneedtobereplacedeveryseveralyears
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LearningtoListenwithHearingAids

Understandyourhearingloss&setrealisticexpectations
Allowyourselftimetoadjustandrequestfinetuning
Involveyourfamilymemberstounderstandhearingloss
andhearingaids
Learnaboutcommunicationstrategies,includingdealing
withbackgroundnoise&utilizingvisualcues
Joinsupportgroups
LearnaboutAssistiveListeningDevices(ALDs)

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HearingAidsvs.PersonalSound
AmplificationProducts(PSAPs)
HearingAids

Anywearablesoundamplifyingmedicaldevice
Aidingpersonswith,orcompensatingforimpairedhearing

PSAPs

NOTmedicaldevices;wearableelectronicconsumerproducts
Amplifyingenvironmentalsoundfornonhearingimpaired
consumersforuseinavarietyoflisteningsituations
Notintendedorlabeledtocompensateforhearingloss

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Questions?
Formoreinformationabouthearingaids,
pleaserefertotheFDAwebsiteon
hearingaidsat:
http://www.fda.gov/hearingaids