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The problem with hearing aids
The problem with hearing aids
A hearing aid user will often find
that the level of background noise
in a room – general shuffling and
coughing – can be as loud as the
speaker’s voice, and amplified
sound such as the television,
sounds distant and unclear.
Human ears are capable of filtering
out unwanted sounds and ‘tuning
in’ to a conversation, something a
hearing aid is unable to do.
It is important to remember that
while a pair of spectacles can
correct sight, hearing aids do not
fully restore hearing loss.
Getting the most out of your hearing aids
There are many types of hearing aids available and each one has different
characteristics and features. A hearing aid which suits one person may well
be totally unsuitable for another. The most important thing is that a user
feels happy with an aid and that the hearing aid has been correctly set up
by the audiologist.
A hearing aid has both gain (amplification)
and frequency compensation.
The gain counters the level of hearing loss,
and the frequency compensation helps to
adjust for the type of hearing loss.
A hearing aid will perform to the best of its
ability when the person talking is at about
an arms length and facing the person
wearing the hearing aid – providing there
isn’t too much background noise.
Unfortunately, this type of ideal
one-to-one listening situation is rare.
The problem with hearing aids
Difficulty hearing at a distance
Unsurprisingly, the effectiveness of the hearing aid
decreases as the distance between the person speaking
and the hearing aid user increases. The sound level of a
speaker’s voice (as picked by the hearing aid
microphone) will be quieter as the person moves
away. It is certainly possible to turn up the
amplification of the aid, which will maintain the
volume level of the speaker, but it will also increase
the level of background and surrounding noise.
The background noise can often be as loud as the
voice you want to hear!
Experience the problem: Most people have used a mobile phone or digital
recorder to record their voice. If you hold the microphone close to you,
your voice is nice and clear, but if you put the microphone on the other
side of a busy room, your voice will sound distant with a lot of background
noise. This is what listening at a distance is like for hearing aid users.
Don’t forget, a hearing aid is essentially a microphone worn on the ear!
Overcoming the problem
Our solution to the problem of hearing at a distance is...
to remove the distance! Instead of relying on the microphone in the
hearing aid, with a personal fm system, the speaker wears a wireless
microphone which will send the sound direct to your hearing aids. With a
personal fm system the hearing aid user will hear no reduction in volume,
with less background
noise, wherever in
the room the person
is talking or facing. It
will sound just as if
they were standing
next to each other!
On the following
pages we explain
more about personal
fm systems.
A personal fm radio aid can make
a real difference out of doors
Social life and hobbies can be enjoyed again by making the most of your
hearing aid with the addition of a personal fm system
