Frequently Asked Questions

How prevalent is hearing loss?

What are the signs of hearing loss?

Sometimes a hearing problem can creep up on you very gradually so that you don’t even know it’s happening. Perhaps you begin to notice that you are experiencing some difficulty in understanding what people are saying:

If you answer “yes” to some of these questions, you may be experiencing symptoms of hearing loss.

What influences my ability to understand what is being said?

You…the listener

The Speaker

What are the types of hearing loss?

Conductive Hearing Loss.

One type of hearing loss is conductive, which could be caused by impacted wax or other debris in the ear. This would stop the flow of sound down to the eardrum. Some conductive losses can be caused by fluid build-up in the middle ear. A calcium deposit on the middle ear bones causes fixation, which does not allow the vibrations to travel to the inner ear. Or there could be holes in the eardrum. Generally, conductive losses are treated medically; however, hearing aids can frequently help.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

The second type of hearing loss is called sensorineural hearing loss. This type of loss can be caused by a gradual decrease in hearing due to advancing age, excessive exposure to loud noise over a period of time or the use of certain medications.

Mixed Hearing Loss. This is a combination of a conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.

What are the different types of hearing aids?

You may or may not be aware, but there are many different types of hearing aids today. Along with the basic shell types of completely in canal, canal, half-shell, low profile, all in the ear, behind the ear, and eyeglass hearing aids, there are also many different types of circuits that can be put into these types of hearing aids. Different circuits include basic analog on up to multi-channel, multi-memory, digitally programmable self-adjusting hearing aids. The audiologist, through the various tests that are done, determines what make and model would best suite your loss. This does not mean that there could be a selection of a number of different types of hearings aids.

Will hearing aids help me hear better than I do now?

If you have had a hearing exam and have been recommended a hearing aid, chances are very good that you can receive benefit from wearing hearing aids. If, however, your exam reveals your hearing loss to be a total hearing loss, there is a chance nothing can be done to help. The longer a hearing loss is left without help, the greater the chance the ability to understand speech will be reduced.

Do I have to wear two hearing aids?

In general, a person who has hearing loss in both ears should be fit with binaural, or two hearing aids. When both ears are working together, the overall sound does not need to be as loud. Plus, the clarity for speech is improved, in most cases. You also have a better chance of telling from what direction the sound is coming from. Even so, somebody who wears hearing aids should not depend on the hearing aids alone. Lip reading, speech reading, studying body language can all help to improve overall understanding, especially in group and background noise conditions.

What are cochlear implants?

People with very minimal hearing might consider a cochlear implant. Tiny wire filaments are inserted into the cochlea and connected to a type of “hearing aid.” This procedure will give the person some ability to hear sounds again and many can retrain themselves to distinguish words again.

What is the difference between digitally programmable and 100% digital hearing aids?

While both types of hearing aids can be programmed by a computer, if the aid is not 100% digital, it still works in an analog fashion. The 100% digital aid converts the signal to a pure digital format. The signal can then be adjusted and modified. The 100% digital hearing aids also have multi-channel adjustment capability and multi memory.

If you are thinking of buying a new hearing aid, be sure to ask your audiologist if the aid is 100% digital. Please note that 100% digital hearing aids cost more than analog aids.

How much do hearing aids cost?

Prices of hearing aids can vary based on the manufacturer, the dispenser, the size of the aid and the electronics that are put into them. Just make sure you get the best type of aid for your hearing loss and that you are not sacrificing quality for price. Check around for price quotes and after-care services.

How do hearing aids work?

Basic analog hearing aids have a microphone, an amplifier and a receiver or miniature speaker. The sound is picked up by the microphone and amplified into the ear canal. The prescription of the hearing aid is designed so that it best accommodates for the hearing loss. Adjustments can be made with a screwdriver to fine tune the hearing aid. The 100% digital aid converts the auditory signal to a pure digital format. The signal can then be adjusted and modified.

Is it difficult to adjust to wearing hearing aids?

If you are a first-time wearer of amplification, you will probably encounter sounds and noises that you haven’t heard in a number of years. At first, these sounds may be somewhat annoying to you. This is because the brain has had a lack of proper stimulations for probably a number of years. You need to be relaxed and expect to take a while to adapt to listening with the hearing aid. Gradually, as you wear the hearing aid, the sounds will be reintroduced to the brain and the brain will start to feel more comfortable processing these sounds. If you continue to have trouble adapting to hearing with hearing aids, there is a possibility that an adjustment to the hearing aids might be necessary. You should contact your audiologist to have this adjustment made as soon as possible. Discuss and review the complete rehabilitation program your audiologist has planned for you.

What about those free hearing tests I see advertised?

Beware of ads for free hearing tests. Many times this sales technique is used to encourage you to make an appointment so that the dispenser has an opportunity to sell hearing aids to you. Be an educated patient. Ask questions and don’t make a hasty buying decision.

What is the best way to care for a hearing aid?

While inserted into the ear canal, a hearing aid is exposed to wax, dead skin, body oils and perspiration. Therefore, proper cleaning of your hearing aid is vital to its ability to function at its optimal level and to its long-term functionability.

Generally, you should wipe the hearing aid with a tissue after removing it from your ear. You can wait overnight before cleaning the sound port because if there is wax inside, it will be drier and more easily removed the next day. Use a small brush or wax pick to gently clean the area where the sound comes out. It is a good idea to do this while the hearing aid is facing down so that any debris can fall out. You should also inspect the microphone area, which is on the face plate of the hearing aid. If you are wearing behind-the-ear hearing aids, you will notice that the tube can harden or yellow with age. This can easily be replaced by your dispenser.

Please consult your dispenser for further in-depth cleaning. An occasional replacement of the wax trap (a gold-looking metal spring in the sound opening) or wax guard by your dispenser may also be necessary. Avoid getting the hearing aid wet, so do not wear it in the tub, shower or while swimming. Avoid storing the hearing aid in the bathroom which generally is more humid.

If you are in a work environment where you perspire more than average, you may wish to use a dry-aid kit. This is a kit that you place the hearing aid in overnight to absorb any moisture that may be collecting.

Are there ways to troubleshoot my hearing aid if it fails to work?

If your hearing aid fails to operate, the first thing to do is to check the battery to make sure it’s fresh. You can do this by using a volt meter or you can take the battery from your other hearing aid, if it’s working, and use that. (Don’t waste your batteries by peeling the sticker or label off the back of several batteries.)

If you can’t get the hearing aid to work, check for wax in the receiver sound tube area (that’s the part where the sound comes out down in your ear canal). Brush or clean away any wax you might see.

If you still cannot get the hearing aid working, take it to your hearing aid dispenser. If they can’t get it to work, they may have to send it out for repair.

My hearing aid is whistling. What causes that and is there anything I can do about it?

Your hearing aid may emit feedback or whistle when you cover it with your hand or the telephone. However, if you get feedback when you are turning up the volume, check to make sure there isn’t earwax blocking your ear canal. If there is no earwax present, check to see if the hearing aid itself has internal feedback by blocking the sound opening and turning the hearing aid on full volume. If someone with normal hearing can still hear the hearing aid whistle, then there could be a problem inside the hearing aid.

If your hearing aid is three to four years old, the feedback could be caused by a fit problem. Believe it or not, but the ears still grow after everything else stops. After a number of years, the hearing aid may be looser in the ear canal, allowing the sound to leak around the aid and get picked up by the microphone.

Another cause for the feedback or whistle could be that the hearing aid has a bad frequency or response with a spike at the feedback frequency. This may necessitate a repair. The hearing aid may also need a remake in order to get rid of the feedback condition. If the hearing aid is older, it may not be worth putting money into a remake or repair, especially with the benefits offered by the newer technology available today.

Will I be able to hear with my hearing aids when speaking on the phone?

If you have very mild hearing loss it is possible you can use the hearing aid itself on the telephone. A number of people, however, do remove the hearing aid for telephone usage due to feedback.

There is another option. Consider purchasing a hearing aid with a telephone switch. This option is available with low profile, half shell and canal type hearing aids. (If it is a smaller than normal canal aid, it may not accommodate a telephone switch.)

The telephone switch works by shutting off the microphone and going into a coil pick up system. The coil of the hearing aid senses the magnetic pulses from the telephone ear piece and converts it into an amplified speech signal. A recent development is the automatic telephone switch. As soon as the telephone is placed near the aid, the switch is activated. Both systems work very well, unless your telephone is not hearing aid compatible. Sometimes a phone can be described as “hearing aid compatible” when in may only refer to the shape of the earpiece. Make sure the telephone is hearing aid telephone coil compatible. A telephone coil can also be used with neck loops, which plug into telephones. If your hearing aid doesn’t have a telephone system, you may want to opt for an amplified telephone.

What type of batteries does a hearing aid use? How long will they last?

Not all batteries are created equal. Choose premium zinc batteries over standard zinc batteries as they will have by far the longest life. Sometimes the cheaper batteries will cause performance issues. Mercury batteries are no longer available.

The length of time your batteries last depends upon the current draw and power of your particular hearing aid and the size of the battery you use.

Hearing aid battery sizes are 675, 13, 312, 10 and 5. The 675 battery is the biggest and is used with behind-the-ear hearing aids. The number 10 and number 5 batteries are the smallest and are used in the very tiny, completely-in-the-canal hearing aids. Battery life can vary from one week to six weeks. It is important that you make sure you have a quality battery in your hearing aid, especially in the advent of the digital hearing aids and the more powerful hearing aids. They require a constant voltage in order for the circuitry to operate at its maximum efficiency.

Batteries no longer need to be stored in the refrigerator. The zinc air batteries have a peel tab across the back of the battery. Once this tab is removed, the battery becomes activated. For this reason, it is not recommended to peel the tab off the battery before you are ready to use the battery.

If you have questions about your batteries, ask your dispenser. It can also be helpful to purchase a battery tester to check the voltage of your battery.

*This information is general in nature and not intended as advice or to replace contacting your dispenser, audiologist or physician.