From a busy sidewalk to a crowded restaurant, you can encounter overwhelming amounts of noise almost anywhere. The problem becomes worse for people with hearing aids, which can make it nearly impossible to pick out wanted sounds from the surrounding noise. Fortunately, many newer hearing devices are incorporating a digital noise reduction feature, a type of technology that helps block out unwanted sounds so you can focus on the things you want to hear.

Conversational speech and meaningless noise follow different sound patterns, which digital noise reduction technology is able to pick up on. In quiet environments, picking up the sounds of speech is easy because they are the primary sounds in the room. Walk into a crowded and noisy room and the hearing aid equipped with digital noise reduction immediately knows that unwanted noise is present. Once your device picks up on sounds that may interfere with your ability to follow a conversation, it automatically lowers the volume in the noisy channels.

There is no hearing aid that can completely block out noise interference, but this function can still go a long way when it comes to lessening the frustration that comes from communicating in noisy areas. People who use this feature tend to find that background noise becomes less overpowering while speech patterns become easier to hear and understand.

Users are most pleased with their results when the device is used to counteract a constant background noise. Steady, unchanging sounds such as a car engine or an air conditioner are effectively blocked, but more dynamic noises such as loud music or conversation cannot be overcome as effectively.

To give your digital noise reduction capable hearing aid the best chance at succeeding, use common sense measures in conjunction with technology. For example, if you find yourself in a noisy part of a restaurant, ask to be seated somewhere that isn’t quite as hectic.

Digital noise reduction technology is not perfect, but it can go a long way in helping to counteract the unwanted noise you encounter in your day to day life.
