Are ALDs Only for People Using Hearing Aids?
What is Tinnitus?
How do I know if I have Hearing Loss?
What Can I expect When Choosing Hearing Aids?
How Should I Maintain My Batteries?
Am I Candidate for Middle Ear Implants?

Q: Are ALDs Only for People Using Hearing Aids?
A: No. People with all degrees and types of hearing loss ? even people with normal hearing can benefit from assistive listening devices. Some assistive listening devices are used with hearing aids; some are used without hearing aids.

Q: What is Tinnitus?
A: Tinnitus is an abnormal perception of a sound reported by a patient but is unrelated to an external source of stimulation. Tinnitus is a very common disorder affecting over 50 million people in the United States. It may be intermittent, constant or fluctuant, mild or severe, and may vary from a low roaring sensation to a high pitched type of sound. It may or may not be associated with a hearing loss.

Q: How do I know if I have Hearing Loss?

Common signs of hearing loss include:

You frequently ask people to repeat what they said.
You frequently complain that people mumble.
You cannot hear the doorbell or the telephone.
You find that looking at people when they speak to you makes it easier to understand.
You miss environmental sounds such as birds or leaves blowing.
If you have any of these symptoms, you should see a hearing professional to have an "audiometric evaluation." An audiometric evaluation (AE) is the term used to describe a diagnostic hearing test performed by a licensed hearing professional. An AE is not just pressing the button when you hear a "beep." Rather, an audiometric evaluation allows the hearing professional to determine the type and degree of hearing loss, and tells the professional how well or how poorly you understand speech. Speech understanding testing shows the professional how successful amplification may be for your hearing loss. The AE should also include a thorough case history (interview) as well as visual inspection of the ear canals and eardrum. Further tests of the middle ear function may also be performed. The results of the AE are useful to the physician should the hearing professional conclude that your hearing loss may be treated with medical or surgical alternatives. Result of the AE are plotted on a graph referred to as an audiogram. The audiogram provides a visual of your hearing test result at various frequencies.

Q: What Can I expect When Choosing Hearing Aids?
A: Realistic Expectations for the Hearing Aid User
HELPFUL STEPS TO LEARNING TO USE A HEARING AID: Use the aid at first in your own home environment. Wear the aid only as long as you are comfortable with it. Accustom yourself to the use of the aid by listening to just one other person - husband or wife, neighbor or friend. Do not strain to catch every word. Do not be discouraged by the interference of background noises. Practice locating the source of the sound by listening only. Increase your tolerance for loud sounds. Practice learning to discriminate different speech sounds. Listen to something read aloud. Gradually extend the number of persons with whom you talk, still within your own home environment. Gradually increase the number of situations in which you use your hearing aid. Take part in an organized course of aural rehabilitation. See your audiologist to learn about these courses.
PHYSICAL FIT: One concern with all new hearing aids is the physical fit. Hearing aids need to be comfortable, not too tight and not too loose. They should fit just right. Do not wear the hearing aids if they cause any discomfort or irritations. Call your audiologist to schedule an appointment time to remedy the problem as soon as possible. Do not wear them if they are uncomfortable

Q: How Should I Maintain My Batteries?
A: Hearing Aid Battery Information
One question often asked is "How long does the battery last?" Typically they last 7-14 days based on a 16 hour per day use cycle. Batteries are very inexpensive, costing less than a dollar each. Generally, the smaller the battery size, the shorter the battery life. Hearing aid battery sizes are listed below along with their standard number and color codes.
Size 5               RED
Size 10 (or 230)  YELLOW
Size 13              ORANGE
Size 312             BROWN
Size 675             BLUE

Q: Am I Candidate for Middle Ear Implants?
A: In order to be fit with a MEI (or a binaural fitting), one requires a purely sensorineural hearing loss. Since MEIs are better at generating mid and high frequency gain than low frequency gain, the optimal hearing loss should be sloping. Many MEIs can be digitally programmed or are in fact digital. With the extra control that these technologies afford, other sensorineural configurations can be fit. I doubt if any new hearing aid users would be MEI candidates. Although the various surgeries are not complicated, they can be lengthy (up to 3 hours) and like any surgery, can be traumatic. A MEI candidate is therefore one who has tried conventional hearing aids and was unsuccessful either because (1) they were not able to obtain as much high-frequency amplification as required, or because (2) the occlusion effect (Vagal response) could not be resolved to the satisfaction of the patient. While the cosmetic issue is important, I am not convinced that this should be the primary deciding factor, given that CIC hearing aids can be made quite small with the newer technology.

There was a panel session, chaired by myself and Dr. Jon Spindel, at the 2001 AAA meeting in San Diego. In addition, part of the August 2001 issue of Hearing Journal was dedicated to this topic, with myself and Jon as co-editors.