Download Iowa COMPASS News

September 2010
Iowa COMPASS News
A Program of the Center for Disabilities and
Development
Iowa’s information and referral service on disability
services, assistive technology (AT), AT funding
resources, and AT legal advocacy.
Have you Heard?
It is estimated that nearly 31.5 million Americans had
a hearing loss in 2004. That’s about 1 in every 10
people. The number of people with hearing loss
increases with age. That means that 1 in 3 people
over 65 have some level of hearing loss. As the baby
boomer generation ages those numbers will double.
Hearing loss is and will become an even greater issue
as we age.
However hearing issues can occur at any age, with 1
in 6 children being born with congenital hearing loss
(present at birth). New studies show 20% of all
teenagers may have acquired hearing loss to the ever
increasing use of ear buds with mp3 players.
A hearing impairment is the degree of loss of
loudness or pitch outside the normal range. You can
have a slight hearing loss but not have any problems
with every day life. On the other hand, we may all
have trouble hearing when it’s noisy or when there are
a lot of people talking at once. People with more
severe hearing issues can feel isolated from others
and from daily activities.
There are two main types of hearing loss. The first is
called conductive hearing loss. This involves the outer
or middle ear. With this form of loss sounds may
seem muffled and the loudness of certain sounds may
be affected. People with this type of loss have
problems with lower frequencies or particular vowel
sounds. Causes can include wax buildup, infection of
the middle ear, punctured ear drum, or malfunction of
the ossicular chain (three tiny bones) in the middle
ear. Treatment for these is medical or surgical.
The most common form of hearing loss is
sensorinureal hearing loss or nerve deafness. This is
from damage to the hair cells or nerve fibers in the
inner ear. This distorts and diminishes the loudness of
sound. This type of loss means a person will have
problems with understanding speech (especially in
noisy situations), and understanding consonant
sounds (high frequency). Causes for this type of
hearing loss include birth defects, head injuries, ear
infections, some medications, illnesses with high
fever, exposure to loud noises, or long-term exposure
to noise. These cannot be treated medically or
surgically but are most likely helped with hearing aids.
However, a hearing aid does not restore your hearing.
Have a hearing loss?
If you are worried about your hearing, start with your
own doctor to have a basic test done or get a referral
to an audiologist to get a complete and thorough
hearing evaluation.
Audiologists are qualified to diagnose and treat
hearing loss and other sensory issues. They will also
be the ones to evaluate and fit you for hearing aids or
other hearing devices if needed.
An audiologist has a graduate level degree. They
should have a Certificate of Clinical Competence
(CCC-A) from the American Speech-LanguageHearing Association (ASHA). They also should have
state licensure, registration, or school certification
where required.
Ask yourself— do I have:
Ringing, roaring, or buzzing in one or both of my
ears?
The TV turned up so loud others don’t like it?
No interest in a conversations when two or more
people are talking?
To ask people to repeat what they said?
Difficulty understanding speech?
Problems understanding because voices are muffled
or dull?
Problems listening when there is other noise or in
groups?
Inconsistent response to sound?
People looking at me funny when I answer them?
Problems socializing?
Frequent ear infections?
Family or friends who tell me I can’t hear?
Sudden drop in hearing in either one or both of my
ears?
Dizziness/lightheadedness/spinning sensations?
Balance problems or unsteadiness?
If you answer yes to these, you may want to see your
doctor.
Some Great Links!
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
(ASHA) - www.asha.org/
American Tinnitus Association—www.ata.org/
The Centers for Disease Control—www.cdc.gov/
Hearing Loss Association of America—
www.hearigloss.org/ (used to be Self Help for Hard of
Hearing)
Are there hearing aids in your future?
Approximately 24.1 million people with hearing loss
do not own a hearing aid or device. About 12.5 million
people own hearing aids, and 11.1 million people
actually use them.
Many people think there is a stigma against wearing
hearing aids, but the stigma is against admitting there
is a hearing problem in the first place. Most people
don’t want to listen to family and doctors who tell them
they may have a hearing problem and need to think
about getting hearing aids. However, as the numbers
show, once a person decides to get them, they will
use them.
Barriers to using hearing aids can include the design,
fit, and price. However, overall customer satisfaction
is 77%, which places hearing aids in the top third of
products and services in the United States.
Even though hearing aids do not restore hearing, they
can help 95% of people who have hearing loss. There
are no one-size-fits-all hearing aids. Every hearing
loss is individual and different. These are factors you
should consider when looking at hearing aids.
How is my dexterity?
Hearing aids are becoming increasingly smaller. The
smaller they get, the smaller their batteries and
controls. If you have physical limitations with fine
motor, control this may be an important factor in
selecting hearing aids.
Do I wear glasses?
The behind-the-ear aids can get in the way when you
wear glasses. There are special eye-glass styles
available or the smaller, in ear styles.
What is my level of hearing loss?
That can impact the type of device you should
purchase.
What type of environment am I in more—quiet or
noisy?
How often am I in groups?
Do I listen to a lot of music?
Different types of devices can help you adjust to
different surroundings and improve sound quality.
Do I travel a lot in the car?
Wind noise can cause problems with some types of
devices.
Do I spend a lot of time on the phone?
Feedback noise can be a problem with some hearing
aids. It may also depend on the type of phone you
use and what devices or options are available on the
phone. Some phones are adapted to hearing aid
users. Also consider whether you like using blue tooth
devices when talking.
Does it matter if other people see my hearing aids?
If you want to be discrete then consider smaller aids
that fit in your ear canal and are programmable so
you don’t have to make adjustments while wearing
them.
Am I active?
In the canal aids are more secure so you have less
risk of losing them and may reduce the sound of wind
noise.
How much are they?
Hearing aids can run from $80 (for the new
disposable) to $6500 for a high tech pair.
Should I just get one or two?
Discuss this with an audiologist. You might only have
one ear affected by hearing loss. But, if both ears are
involved and two ears are better than one, than so are
two hearing aids. The benefits include better sound
quality in noisy settings, improved balance, the ability
to hear farther distances, and a reduction in the strain
from hearing.
My hearing aids are driving me CRAZY!
It takes time to get used to your hearing aid. It doesn’t
happen over night. If you are patient and give yourself
a chance, you can adjust. Getting comfortable will
depend on your age, health, level of hearing loss, how
long you’ve had your hearing loss, and your level of
determination. Many people say they get used to their
aids in about a month.
Some sounds may sound strange to you at first,
especially your own voice. Don’t worry! This is normal.
You can get used to this by reading out loud.
At first you really notice back ground noises—those
noises we’ve learned over time to tune out. With a
hearing loss, you’ve not only tuned them out, they
have gone away. With a hearing aid those noises get
amplified and can be irritating. It will take time to tune
those noises out again. Focus on the sound you want
to hear. If you have multi-programmable devices,
adjust the settings until you get the one that works the
best for you.
You may have a hard time following a conversation,
especially when you’re in a group. Other
conversations will creep in and may over power
yours. Focus on the person you’re talking to and
watch their mouth—that might help.
When you are in public at a concert or lecture or
show, sit in front and watch the presenter’s or
performer’s face. Also remember that with the advent
of the ADA (American’s with Disabilities Act) public
buildings, such as theaters, churches, and conference
rooms, will probably have what is called assisted
listening devices. These are systems to help people
with hearing aids hear the event better. Call ahead to
see what they offer.
Always talk to your audiologist about adjusting your
hearing aid and if you have any questions or
concerns.
Remember:
Give yourself time to get used to the hearing aids—
don’t wear them all the time at first.
Start by only wearing them around your family and
friends.
Don’t wear your hearing aids in noisy places.
Slowly increase your wearing time.
Don’t set the volume too high.
Don’t force yourself—take breaks, especially if you
are tired or frustrated.
Iowa Lions Hearing Aid Bank Collects Used Hearing
Aids
Send used hearing and surplus batteries to:
Iowa Lions Hearing Aid Bank
Rhoda Bender, Coordinator
310 N 4th Street
Marshalltown, Iowa 50158
Phone 641-752-4337
Email: [email protected]
Devices and Definitions
There are many types and styles of hearing aids.
Here are a few definitions on various devices
available. First, there are two types of hearing aids
available:
Analogue Aids—these convert sound waves
electronically and can be either conventional or
programmable. Conventional aids amplify all sounds
equally whereas programmable aids can be set for
different environments. Examples will include
conversations versus theater. Some devices allow for
multiple settings.
Digital—these aids transfer sound to digital code,
change it and retransmit it back by using
mathematical calculations. They duplicate the sound
and produce a high quality sound that is extremely
accurate. Many believe they have revolutionized
hearing. They are more expensive then analogue
aids.
There are 4 basic styles of hearing aids on the
market:
Behind-the-Ear—Also known as BTE, they come in a
number of styles from simple ones that form around
the ear, to smaller devices that hide behind the ear
connecting to the ear with tubing . They can last a
long time and can produce a lot of power.
In the Ear—ITE hearing aids are used most often by
those who have a moderate hearing loss. Again, it will
depend on the individual whether they will fit. They do
not work for everyone.
In the Canal—Or ITC aids fit inside the ear but are
larger and slightly more visible then CIC devices.
Completely in the Canal (CIC)—these aids are
extremely tiny aids and are the most invisible. They fit
down inside the ear canal. They don’t work for
everyone. It will depend on each person’s fit.
Disposable—many of you may have seen ads for
disposable hearing aids. They are available only
online and are worn until the battery dies at about 400
hours or approximately one month of daily use. You
then throw them away and get new ones. They are
small and hide behind the ear. They are not In-theCanal devices but they are digital. They cost around
$80 for a single aid or $160 for a pair.
One of the claims with these devices is that you don’t
need an exam. They try to be one-size-fits-all, which
means they won’t work for everyone. There are no
sound adjustment options and the only change you
can make to the fit is moving the tub. They can work
in some situations, particularly if you are worried
about losing your hearing aid, for temporary situations
say when you are traveling or are away from home, if
you do lose a device. You might even give them a try
(they do offer trial periods) to see what it’s like to have
a hearing aid and how they work for you. Remember,
this would not be how a specially-fitted and tuned
hearing aid would sound or work. For the best results,
go to a licensed audiologist to get a thorough exam.
They can help you get the best fit and adjustment for
your hearing aids.
For your information Songbird Hearing Inc makes the
Flexfit Disposable Hearing Aid. Go to
www.songbirdhearing.com/ for more information.
They also manufacture two other hearing aids, the
Flexit, which allows tip replacement, battery
replacement, and volume control. It uses standard
312 hearing aid batteries. This is not a disposable
hearing aid and costs 199.90 plus $14.95 shipping
and handling.
Their second non-disposable hearing aid is the Ultra
which their smallest hearing aid, offering feedback
cancellation, noise reduction, additional sound boost,
6 replacement batteries all at a cost of $299.90 each
plus $9.95 shipping and handling.
Hearing Aid Resources and Links
Here are some resources and links you might look
into as you think about purchasing a hearing aid. Not
all information on the internet is unbiased. Some of
these resources are maintained by companies who
provide either hearing services, hearing devices, or
both. Remember, when looking at anything online,
consider the source of the information.
Consumer Reports offers a comprehensive hearing
aid report through their Consumer Reports Health
site. To access that site it will cost you $19 annually or
$4.95 monthly. This is separate from purchasing a
subscription to the regular Consumer Reports site.
However, you do not need one to get the other.
You can access a report they wrote about the process
they went through to conduct this report in 2009. Go
to their Hearing Aid Guide at
www.consumerreports.org/health/healthy-living/homemedical-supplies/hearing/hearingaids/overview/hearing-aidsov.htm?INTKEY=195BHE0.
One thing they said was that they found “a
fragmented and confusing marketplace and had
difficulty sorting out good hearing-aid providers from
less-capable ones.”
When you go to the above link, you’ll see the reports
on the left. Those with CRH in their title are only
accessible with a subscription. Even so, there are a
number of links available to all readers to guide you
through the process.
For a quick, free review go to Hearing Aids Review:
The 4 Leading Brands (Siemens, Beltone, Starkey,
and Phonak) at www.hearingaidresearch.info/.
For a fairly comprehensive site with information on
hearing loss, types of devices, and specific
manufacturers go to Hearing Aids 101 at
www.hearingaids101.com/. They do not sell products.
When reading the articles, be aware that after the first
sentence, the links you are seeing are ads. Scroll
down past the ads for the rest of the information on
that subject.
Another interesting site from a center in Indiana is
The Hearing Center Online at
thehearingcenteronline.com/.
Hearing Planet offers a free guide called Buyer’s
Guide to Hearing Aids that provides more detailed
information on hearing loss, explanations on hearing
aids and how they might help, and a comparison chart
on various models. Hearing Planet is a company that
provides hearing services through clinics in the US.
They also sell a variety of hearing aid models. You
can see their website at www.hearingplanet.com. Go
to www.hearingplanet.com/hearing-aid-guide-st2.php
to download the guide.
Before you download you will need to complete a
short form. You are asked to provide your name,
email address, phone number, and state. If you do
this, our best guess is that you will be contacted by a
Hearing Planet representative for sales or services.
How do I pay for hearing aids?
Hearing aids can be very expensive. There is a
source in Iowa that might be able to help you. The
IowaAble Foundation provides flexible loans for
adapted devices, including hearing aids. They are
customized to fit your needs. Check them out at
www.iowaable.com.
Iowa COMPASS
Center for Disabilities and Development
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
100 Hawkins Drive, Room S. 295
Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1011
Phone: 800-779-2001
Fax: 319-384-5139
Email: [email protected]
Iowa COMPASS News is published bimonthly through
the Iowa Program for Assistive Technology. Iowa
COMPASS is a project of the Center for Disabilities
and Development, Iowa’s University Center for
Excellence on Disabilities. CDD is a component of the
University of Iowa Children’s Hospital. No
endorsement of products or services is intended.
Support for Iowa COMPASS is provided by:
Center for Disabilities and Development
Iowa Program for Assistive Technology
Iowa Department of Human Services
Iowa COMPASS
800-779-2001 (toll-free)
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