Educational Seminar

By: Dr. Tony Evans, Au.D.

Audiologist

Overview

1. Sounds of life

2. Understanding hearing loss

3. Evaluating your hearing

4. Reconnecting to your world

5. Hearing aids simplified

6. Today’s hearing instruments

Sounds of life

Sounds of life

Hearing connects us with:• Family• Friends• Sounds in our environment• Music we love

When hearing loss is presentit can put limits on your life.

Communication around you

• Radio and TV

• Telephone

• Meetings

• Religious Services

• Theaters

• Traveling

Hearing is important

Personal safety• Driving• Walking• Public places

Environmental awareness• Phone calls• Door bell• Alarms and smoke detectors

Understanding hearing loss

How we hear

The ear is made up of 3 parts:• Outer ear• Middle ear• Inner ear

Each of these three parts has a special function that allows us to hear.

Inner Ear

Middle Ear

Outer Ear

Outer ear

Sound is:

• Picked up by the outer ear – pinna

• Sent down to ear canal to the eardrum

Pinna

Ear canal

Middle ear

As sound is sent down the canal to the eardrum

• Sound vibrations cause the eardrum to rock back and forth

• Three tiny bones in the middle ear send the sound vibrations to the inner ear

Middle ear bones

Ear drum

Inner ear

The inner ear contains over 30,000 tiny hair cells

• Vibrations from the middle ear cause these hair cells to move

• Hair cells are connected to the hearing nerve and send hearing signals to the brain

Labyrinth

Cochlea

Types of hearing loss

1. Conductive hearing lossSound is blocked in the outer

or middle ear.

Causes:• Excessive earwax• Damaged eardrum• Ear infection or fluid in the

middle ear• Stiffness in the bones of the

middle ear (otosclerosis)

Solution:• Most often medically treated with high success• Very successful with hearing aids if unable to treat medically

Inner Ear

Middle Ear

Outer Ear

Types of hearing loss

2. Sensorineural hearing lossInner ear hair cells or hearing

nerve is damaged and cannot send complete signals to the brain.

Causes:• Aging• Noise exposure• Hereditary factors

Solutions:• Cannot be corrected with medicine or surgery• Hearing aids can be very helpful

Inner Ear

Evaluatingyour hearing

Evaluating your hearing

Your hearing expert• Specializes in making the process

simple and easy for you• Helps you understand your

hearing loss• Matches your hearing loss to the

best solution

Evaluating your hearing

Your hearing evaluation includes:• A quick assessment of your family’s

and your hearing history• An ear exam to rule out ear wax or

infection• A hearing test to determine what you

can and cannot hear• Review of your hearing test results• A discussion of hearing solutions

The more you know, the better decisions you can make.

Degrees of hearing loss

Intensity

Frequency

Right Ear

Left Ear

Normal Hearing

Mild

Moderate

Severe

Profound

Sensorineural hearing loss:Due to aging

Intensity

Frequency

Right Ear

Left Ear

Presbycusis

Normal Hearing

Familiar Sounds Audiogram

IntensityIn

Decibels (db)

Frequency in Hertz (Hz)

Impact of hearing loss

Most people with hearing loss have difficulty with high pitched sounds like “s” “sh” “f” and “t”.

For example:• “eeee”• “see” “she” “fee” “tee”

sounds all sound alike

“I can hear but I can’t understand” Common for people with a hearing loss to say because important sounds are missing.

Reconnectingto your world

Signs of hearing loss

• People around you seem to mumble

• You often ask others to repeat themselves

• Difficulty following conversations when in background noise or when in groups

• Children and women's voices are difficult to hear

• Need to turn up TV or radio louder

• Cannot to hear high pitched sounds such as birds, crickets and bells

Benefits of improved hearing

National Council on AgingStudy of adults 50 and older

93% of hearing aid wearers reported significantly improved quality of life including improvements in:

• personal relationships• self-esteem• life overall

Family members reported an average of 15% greater benefit than the person wearing the hearing instrument.

Hearing loss & income

• More than 31 million Americans admit they have hearing loss

• Only 37% of those with hearing loss are retired

• Hearing loss negatively impacts annual household income by as much as $12,000

The good news:

• The use of hearing instruments lessens the effects of hearing loss by at least 50%

Source: Better Hearing Institute

Prepare for better hearing

What are the stepsto better hearing?

• Have your hearing evaluated to determine your challenging situations and possible solutions

• If you currently wear hearing aids, have a performance check

• Use good communication strategies

Hearing aids simplified

Are all hearing aids the same?

Hearing aids range in:

• Style and size

• Technology

• Flexibility

• Effectiveness within a noisy environment

All of the above affect price.

Size and style

Behind the ear (BTE) Mini behind the ear (BTE) with thin tube

In the ear (ITE) half shell In the canal (ITC) Completely in the canal (CIC)

In the ear (ITE) full shell

Hearing aid technology

Digital• Clear, comfortable sound• Precisely fitted to your hearing

loss and lifestyle • Reduced background noise • 95% of hearing aids sold today

Conventional• Limited flexibility – limits on sound

quality• One listening setting

Flexibility

Everyone's hearing needs are unique

• Degree and configuration (shape) of hearing loss

• Tolerance to loud sounds

• Listening environments

Hearing aids can be customized to your hearing needs.

Hearing in noise

A normal hearing system can:

• Detect and focus on speech

• Tune out unwanted “noise”

• Automatically minimize annoying sounds to enhance speech

Hearing loss disrupts these natural abilities.

Hearing instruments can help.

Regular or Omni Microphone

Hearing in noise: directional microphonesDirectional microphones • Sound from the front is enhanced –

face to face conversations are amplified

• Sound from behind is reduced – noise is suppressed

Directional microphone

One hearing aid or two?

If there is hearing loss in both ears, you should wear two hearing aids. Why?

• Better sound sensitivity – “stereo” quality

• Improved ability to locate sound

• Easier to understand speech in noise

When you have vision loss, you don’t just put glasses on one eye. Your ears are the same!

Today’s hearing instruments

Digital hearing instruments

Benefits• Brilliant sound• More detail in the speech• Programmed using a computer

for optimal flexibility• Advanced features

• Automatically adjust• Enhance speech• Stop feedback or whistling• Reduce bothersome noise• Optional remote for ease of control• Wireless connectivity

Digital hearing instruments – what users sayArlinger et al• Better sound quality• Better speech understanding

Warland et al• Improved overall hearing/

clearer sound• Enhanced performance in noise

Knebel & Bentler• Crispness of sound• Feeling more comfortable with the

accuracy of what was heard• Improved ability to hear high pitched

sounds; e.g. bird sounds

Unitron hearing instruments

More choices for:

• Your hearing loss

• Your listening environments

• Your activities

• Your budget

Premium• Fully automatic digital hearing instruments for busy, active lifestyles with

many listening environments

Advanced• Automatic performance for active lifestyles and multiple listening

environments

Basic• Semi-automatic performance with innovative features

Entry level• Manual programs with innovative technologies

Compare hearing instruments

Unitron hearing instruments:Common Features• AntiShock™

takes care of sudden uncomfortable sounds, like door slamming

• Speech Enhancement improves the clarity of speech

• Noise reduction reduces unwanted noise to improve comfort

• Wind noise manager detects and suppresses wind noise for comfort

• Advanced feedback managementto stop whistling

• Unifi™ Wireless Systemautomatic communication between hearing aids and convenient, hands-free usage of Bluetooth® enabled cell phones and other audio devices

Entry LevelLatitude 4• Up to 4 manual programs

• Fixed directional microphone lets you focus on sounds directly in front of you

• Optional Smart Control remote

BasicLatitude 8• AutoPro2™ automatic program

automatically adjusts for quiet and noisy listening environments

• Adaptive directional microphone for quiet conversations in noisy situations

• MyMusic™enhances sound quality for music

• Up to 3 manual programs

• Optional Smart Control remote

AdvancedLatitude 16• AutoPro3™ automatic program

automatically adjusts for quiet, noise and speech-in-noise environments

• SmartFocus™ a powerful, easy-to-use control that provides clear, inviting communication

• Multiband adaptive directional microphoneclear intelligible conversation no matter where you are

• Binaural Phonehear phone conversation in both ears

• MyMusic™

• Up to 3 manual programs

• Optional Smart Control remote

PremiumPassport• AutoPro4™ automatic program

automatically adjusts for quiet, noise, speech-in-noise and music environments

• Self-Learning & LearnNow™ hearing instruments learn how you like to hear in various situations

• SmartFocus™

• Binaural Phone

• Multiband adaptive directional microphone

• Up to 3 manual programs

• MyMusic™

• Optional Smart Control remote

Super power360• AutoPro2™

• Speech Enhancement SP

• Noise Reduction

• Enviro-Tough™ tested to stand up to the demands of everyday life

• AntiShock™

• Advanced Feedback Management System

• Optional Smart Control remote

Choose the best hearing solution

• Consider your long term needs

• Your hearing professional recommends the best possible solution for your hearing loss and lifestyle

• Your involvement, expectations, and level of motivation play a major role in a successful outcome

Call Today and Start Improving Your Life Through Better Hearing• Free Hearing Screenings

• Comprehensive Hearing Evaluations

• 45 Day Trial on All Hearing Aids

• 3 Year Service and Loss and Damage Warranty on All

Hearing Aids

• Interest Free Financing Available for Up to 12 Months

with Approved Credit

• No Charge for Office Visits or Routine Hearing Aid

Cleanings.

• Call 694-9870 Today!

• Free Hearing Screenings

• Comprehensive Hearing Evaluations

• 45 Day Trial on All Hearing Aids

• 3 Year Service and Loss and Damage Warranty on All

Hearing Aids

• Interest Free Financing Available for Up to 12 Months

with Approved Credit

• No Charge for Office Visits or Routine Hearing Aid

Cleanings.

• Call 694-9870 Today!

Hearing Center“Improving Lives Through Better Hearing.”

Thank you.