Hearing Aids

Hearing Aid Streamer

Why are Hearing Aids/Hearing Instruments so Darn Expensive?

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Hearing Aid Streamer

Hearing Aid Streamer
Copyright 2015 Oticon Canada.

Long gone are the days when ear trumpets and animal horns were used to transmit sounds to the ear.  Today, hearing aids are essentially mini computers custom programmed to your hearing loss.  The signal processing speed of them is so fast that your brain will not even notice that the sound has been changed to meet your needs.  Modern digital wireless hearing aid technology includes noise reduction algorithms and directional microphones to help you hear better than ever in our noisy world.  Aside from the advances in microelectronics that make them almost “invisible”, hearing aids today also have connectivity capability with other audio sources.

Bluetooth technology is now available in most hearing aids.  This technology turns your hearing instrument into a hands-free cell phone device through the use of a small intermediary accessory.   This is especially handy when driving since it not only frees up your hands but allows for crystal clear hearing.  You can also stream sounds from anything that is Bluetooth compatible, like music from your iPod.  Your mini computer of a hearing aid today also comes with a remote control.  You can control volume, turn your hearing aids on and off, answer your phone, adjust TV volume levels independently from others in the room, and listen to your tablet or MP3 player all with a click of a tiny pocket device. Many hearing aid manufacturers also have apps which allow you to turn your iPhone, blackberry or android smartphone into a remote control.

A hearing aid computer chip acts like an artificial intelligence scanning the sounds in your environment to reduce background noise and increase the speech sounds you are not able to hear.  However, this only helps if the person you want to hear is close to you.  There is a solution though for those who need to hear a person at a distance in a noisy environment, such as a church, synagogue, mosque or other places of worship where music and side conversations may be present at the same time.  In these cases, your hearing aids can be paired with a small discrete clip-on microphone anywhere within close range of a speaker’s voice.  The microphone delivers their voice directly to your hearing instruments with beautiful clarity.

People are often surprised to learn that hearing instruments/aids cost several thousand dollars.  Hearing aid manufacturers are not trying to gouge the public.  They need to invest significant amounts of money into research and design to make hearing aids faster, smaller and better at helping you hear.  In the end, there really is no price on better hearing.  It is one of our five senses and crucial to our ability to stay connected with one another.   Protect your hearing and we will help make the most of what is left with technology and our professional expertise.

For more information please contact our office at 905-303-HEAR (4327) and we will be happy to book you a complimentary telephone consultation with our Doctor of Audiology.  You can also email us your questions at info@salushearing.com.

rechargeaids

Rechargeable Hearing Aids Are Finally Here!

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Hearing loss is the third most prevalent chronic health condition facing older adults.1 As the baby boomers age, the incidence of hearing loss is increasing substantially. Presbycusis, also known as age-related hearing loss, first affects the higher frequencies, reducing the clarity of speech, and later affects the low frequencies, reducing the volume of speech.2   Studies suggest it is linked to a higher incidence of Alzheimer’s, dementia, falls, depression, and income decline.3  This is why early intervention of hearing loss is crucial.  An Audiologist can offer services to assess your hearing and provide treatment options.

One option to treat hearing loss is through hearing aids. These are small devices that are programmed to an individual’s hearing loss in order to offer amplification to improve speech clarity and volume. Hearing aids have come a long way in terms of the technological revolution. There are many different styles which are extremely discrete and offer features such as wireless and Bluetooth connectivity, digital noise reduction, and tinnitus maskers. The latest technology on the market is the rechargeable hearing aid which uses a built-in lithium-ion battery that can be recharged using a charging station and power source. This revolutionary technology eliminates the hassle of disposable batteries that need to be changed every 3-14 days depending on the battery size, the severity of hearing loss and the use of hearing aid. This rechargeable hearing aid is also an ideal choice for individuals with hearing loss who have issues with dexterity and vision loss. In this article, we will explore the features behind two of the latest rechargeable hearing aids from two industry leading manufacturers – Phonak and Signia.

 

Phonak Audéo B-R

Phonak Audéo B-R

Phonak released the Audéo B-R in August 2016 as part of their Belong platform. Offered in 4 technology levels and 9 colors, this hearing aid is a receiver in the canal (RIC) hearing aid which discretely sits behind the ear with a thin wire connecting to a speaker that sits inside the ear. It is IP68 rated which means it is dust and water resistant. Phonak claims this is the longest lasting rechargeable aid on the market with a battery life of up to 24 hours after only 3 hours of charging time. This hearing aid also offers a fast charge option which allows for 6 hours of use after a 30 minute charge. The hearing aid comes with a charger case, mini charger, and power pack that allows for short trips where no power source is available. In a study on satisfaction, hearing aid users reported a 9.4/10 overall rating.4

 

Signia Cellion

Signia Cellion

Signia’s Cellion is a receiver in also a RIC hearing aid which operates on the Primax platform.  It was launched in October 2016.  It is offered in both mid and high end technologies and 12 colours.  It is IP-68 dust and water resistant. According to Siemens, this rechargeable aid offers up to two days of use in one charge of 4 hours.5 The Cellion aid also offers a fast-charging option of 30 minutes which enables 7 hours of use. It also comes with a micro USB interface which allows for the user to use any USB compatible source. Once the aids are placed in the charging case, they automatically turn off and once removed, will automatically turn back on.  All in all, a great option for rechargeable hearing aids.

If you are interested in a private demo of these rechargeable hearing aids simply go to the Ontario Association of Speech-Language Pathologists & Audiologists website at www.osla.on.ca to find a regulated hearing healthcare provider near you.

 

1. CDC (2017) https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/HearingLoss/index.html
2. ASHA (2017) http://www.asha.org/Articles/Untreated-Hearing-Loss-in-Adults/
3. CHS (2017) http://www.chs.ca/facts-and-figures
4. Phonak (2017) https://www.phonak.com/us/en/about-us/rechargeable-os-technology.html
5. Siemens (2017) https://www.sivantos.com/en/press/2016/07/05/sivantos-unveils-the-worlds-most-advanced-lithium-ion-inductive-rechargeable-hearing-aid

 

Hearing Aid Use Might Equal Fewer ER Visits

Putting Off That Hearing Test? Here’s Another Reason to Hear Your Best!

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It’s no surprise that getting hearing help can make communicating and connecting with the world around you so much easier, but did you know that using hearing aids might also have a hand in cutting down emergency-room visits and hospital stays?

In a study published earlier this year in the medical journal JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, University of Michigan researchers investigating connections among hearing technology, health care consumption, and spending linked seniors’ self-reported use of hearing aids to changes such as the following:

  • Reduced ER visits and hospitalizations — each by 2 percentage points
  • Decreases in overnight hospital stays by about 0.46 nights
  • A reduction in Medicare spending — by approximately $71

So … less hospital food? Add that to the ever-growing list of better-hearing benefits. (Just kidding; some hospitals bring their A-game to patient meals!)

An estimated 466 million children and adults around the globe live with disabling hearing loss, according to the World Health Organization, with about a third of older adults affected. It’s one of the top chronic public-health challenges — potentially curbing the ability to thrive physically, socially, mentally, and financially.

Most hearing problems can be effectively treated with today’s advanced hearing technology. Even so, only a fraction of those who could benefit from hearing aids actually use them, making awareness, access, and encouragement an important part of boosting treatment rates.

With past research already connecting hearing loss to a greater chance of hospitalizations, extended illnesses, or injuries among hearing-impaired adults, the above-mentioned study, “Association Between Hearing Aid Use and Health Care Use and Cost Among Older Adults With Hearing Loss,” points to another crucial difference life-changing hearing devices can make.

Hearing better keeps you in touch with the people, places, and experiences that matter most in your life. It might also help keep you out of the ER. If you’ve noticed a change in your listening ability, or it’s been a while since your last hearing checkup, contact our caring team to schedule a consultation today!

Looking Out for Your Hearing Health

Self-Fitting Hearing Aids: Reasons to Consult a Hearing Care Professional

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Self-Fitting Hearing Aids: Key Reasons to Consult a Hearing Care Professional Instead

Have you heard of self-fitting hearing aids (SFHAs)? Can they help if you have a hearing loss? What exactly are they, and how do they differ from traditional hearing devices fitted by a hearing care professional? What’s the best action to take if you need hearing help?

With hearing loss posing a serious public-health challenge worldwide — it’s a chronic problem affecting millions of women, men, and children — technology continues evolving to improve sound clarity, expand compatibility with other smart devices, and increase accessibility to a wider reach of people.

So where do self-fitting hearing aids fit into the equation of better-hearing options? Let’s take a look.

What Are Self-Fitting Hearing Aids?

Definitions of SFHAs can vary slightly across professionals. In the simplest terms, they’re sound-amplifying devices designed to let the user measure their own hearing loss, appropriately install the devices in their ears, and program them for optimal hearing in various listening environments without the prescription or assistance of an audiologist, medical doctor, or other specially trained hearing professional.

Can These Self-Fitting Devices Help Me?

As a relatively newer product category, self-fitting hearing aids may ultimately prove a welcome addition to the range of treatment options. They still have a ways to go, however, in matching the effectiveness and satisfaction of clinician-fitted hearing devices.

One recent study, “Outcomes With a Self-Fitting Hearing Aid,” compared user-driven and provider-driven fittings of a single self-fitting product. Researchers uncovered no significant hearing-aid-performance differences between the two groups but saw that cognition plays a big role. Those “with poorer cognitive function consistently exhibited more difficulty in handling the” self-fitting devices, wrote the study’s authors.

It’s important to note that self-fitting hearing aids require access to, familiarity with, and the ability to understand how to operate and adjust the devices, which could prove challenging for some patients struggling with manual dexterity, visual acuity, cognitive issues, or inability to navigate or access computers or apps. Seeking professional assistance could make all the difference in user satisfaction.

Passage of the federal Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act of 2017 will eventually bring even more self-treating options to the market, but when it comes to addressing the full spectrum of hearing loss and integrating environmental variables such as background noise, FDA-approved, provider-fit hearing aids are the recommended approach.

What Should I Do if I’m Having Hearing Difficulty?

Did you know? An estimated 466 million children and adults around the globe live with disabling hearing loss, per the World Health Organization, but the good news is that nearly all hearing impairment can be effectively managed to keep you communicating your best.

An important first step is recognizing some of the potential signs and symptoms of hearing loss:

  • The perception that everyone seems to be mumbling
  • Trouble understanding speech in noisy environments
  • Frequent need to turn up the TV or have words repeated
  • Tinnitus — a buzzing, ringing, clicking, or humming in the ears
  • Difficulty conversing on the phone or understanding women’s and children’s voices

Untreated hearing loss has been linked to numerous other health complications such as cognitive decline, diabetes, depression, hypertension, social withdrawal, and more, making early treatment important to improving quality of life.

If you are experiencing listening problems or it’s been a while since your last hearing test, don’t wait. Schedule an evaluation with our team today. We’re here to help!

We transform lives by helping people with hearing loss and tinnitus

protect their brain health and stay connected to what matters most.
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