In this our second guest post in as many weeks, Andrew Lekashman of ClearValuediscusses words that can be difficult to understand when someone has a hearing loss and replacement words that can be used instead to give a person with hearing loss a better opportunity to understand. It’s a great article and worthwhile reading, in fact, I would like to thank him, because it is something that I will refer my Patients to from now on. Without further adieu, I will hand you over the Andrew. 

A person with hearing loss often has difficulty in understanding words or parts of words. When speaking, your voice may be audible, but separate words may sound mixed up or blurred together. Rhyming or words that are similar such as: cat/cap, bread/thread, pool/cool, etc. are extremely difficult to distinguish when the listener has a hearing loss. When your family member or speaking partner does not understand you the first time you say something, repeating the same words often will not make it more clear. This article explores other options, specifically rephrasing the sentence using different words which may be better understood.

We introduce the “Speech Banana” as a useful visual tool for describing where the sounds used in everyday human speech occur. Commonly used parts of speech and letters are mapped out on a graph according to their frequency when spoken. In this instance, frequency doesn’t refer to how often a sound is used, but instead the audible frequency that the sound resonates at. All of the letters together on the graph form a banana-like shape, which is where the fun term “Speech Banana” comes from.

This graph can be useful in understanding the high frequency (4000 Hz and up) sounds in our everyday speech such as “f”, “th”, and “s”. Although there are other types of hearing loss, the most common is a high frequency hearing loss, it also tends to be the variant that affects everyone the earliest. To increase overall understanding, high frequency words and sounds should be substituted for easier to understand low frequency words and sounds. When substituting words focus on using sounds from the left half of the “Speech Banana”.

When reading the example sentences, try to imagine that the letters in bold won’t be heard by your conversation partner for the best effect.

This / That

“This” is one of the most common words in the English Language, and it is also a very easy word to hear incorrectly if you suffer from high-frequency hearing loss. The reason it is so challenging to hear lies in two parts. The first part is because it ends on a high frequency “s” sound, which is difficult for people with hearing loss to comprehend. The second part is because there are so many words that begin with a “th” sound that a listener will not have an easy time guessing which “th” word was said.

“That” is much easier to hear because of the flatter, bassier way by which “at” is often said. It isn’t a perfect substitute, but there are many instances where “that” can be used, such as the following:

“I would like this one.” vs “I would like that one.”
“Would you hold this for me?” vs “Would you hold that for me?”

Taste / Flavor

Everyone must eat, it is one of the facts of life that brings all people together. One word that is used more than many others when describing food is the word “taste”. Unfortunately, “taste” and the frequently used “tastes” can be very tricky to hear. The first “t” sound that starts everything is a bit difficult to hear, and the “st” near the end is even more challenging.

“Flavor” is a much easier word to discern that appropriately covers many of the uses of “taste”. The first and second part of the word flavor are very drawn out, and it is not easily confused for other words.

“This sandwich tastes wonderful.” vs “This sandwich has a wonderful flavor.”
“Does that taste good?” vs “Does that have a good flavor?”

House / Home

“House” is another prime example of a word that is difficult to hear based on the amount of words that have a similar sound. On top of trying to differentiate which word you are saying beginning with an “h”, the listener also struggles to hear the “s” at the end of the word. This combination of variables would make “house” hard to hear.

When replacing the word with “home” you may still have a slight difficulty with the beginning “h” sound, but the listener will be able to better understand the ending of the word due to the lower frequency “m” sound.

“Is that your house?” vs “Is that your home?”
“What a lovely house!” vs “What a lovely home.”

First / One

“First” is a high-frequency sandwich word, made up of “f” and “st” bread. Imagine trying to hear a word within a sentence but only being able to hear the “ir”. While context clues may help you determine what word is being said, it will still be difficult to follow the speaker.

While the word “first” may be able to be eliminated completely from a sentence in certain instances, it can also be replaced with “one”.

“Let me show you this one first.” vs “Let me show you this one.”
“What is first on the list?” vs “What is number one on the list?”

Nice / Good

It would be “Nice” if you could avoid this word too. The “c” makes a very light airy sound that could be missed easily. Imagine hearing “Ni…” and then trying to decide what was said.

“Good” would be an acceptable replacement. The “g” and the “d” have very deep sounding letters, making it a “good” low-frequency word.

“You did a nice job.” vs “You did a good job.”
“What a nice meal.” vs “What a good meal.”

Thirsty / Drink

“Thirsty” is another combination of high-frequency sounds. The “Th” and “s” will get lost in conversation when using this word. Most words that contain these letters will be difficult to understand and it is most important to stay away from words that have two or more uses of these letters.

“Drink” avoids all of these high pitch sounds, making it a much better word for people with hearing loss. The “d” had a deep, low sound while the “k” has a hard, brisk sound making them easy to hear. In addition, there are few other words that begin with “drin…”, so there is a high chance of being understood.

“Are you thirsty?” vs “Do you need a drink?”
“I am thirsty.” vs “I need a drink.”

Past / Before

In the “past” few paragraphs you have probably started to see a trend here. There are so many words that we use on a daily basis that end in “st”. If we can avoid it, we should that way there is less confusion to be had.

“Before” focuses on letters on the left side of the Speech Banana. We can say and hear these letters better and with lower tones that the word “past”.

“Have you been here in the past?” vs “Have you been here before?”
“That was in the past.” vs “That was before.”

She / Her

“She” is made up of two out of three letters to avoid. The “sh” has the issue of not only being hard to hear due to the high frequency but also because so many other words start with the same sound. Being such a short word and quickly said, it will get lost in conversation.

While “her” is still a very short word, the “h” and the “r” can be pronounced clearly enough to be understood.

“Did she say something?” vs “Did you hear her?”
“She looks good in that dress.” vs “Does that dress look good on her?”

Such / Very

“Such” can be a hard one because both the “s” and the “ch” are high-frequency sounds and they make up the majority of what is said. This word is easily replaced with “very”, which is also an incredibly common word. The “v” in very is a deep and unmistakable sound, making for a simple word choice that you likely already use.

“I had such a good time!” vs “I had a very good time!”
“You are such a funny person.” vs “You are a very funny person.”

Almost / Nearly

“Almost” is unique on this list in that very few common words share a similar pronunciation. Words like “this” and “first” become difficult because there are so many other words that sound like them, but “almost” is the exact opposite. It is for this reason that it is an excellent choice for substitution, since a person who hears , “Almo….” will not be able to easily place what you meant. “Nearly” is a simple word to understand, replaces “almost” well, and has none of the especially challenging “st”, “th”, or “s” sounds that plague those with hearing loss.

“I almost made the shot!” vs “I nearly made the shot!”
“Are you almost here?” vs “Are you nearly here?”

Communicating with our loved ones is a big part of our everyday life. When talking to someone with a serious hearing loss, you can make your conversations better by replacing high frequency sounds with low frequency ones. Other great tips to make your loved one feel more comfortable is to be looking directly at them when talking, and to talk slowly and clearly. Talking slowly will drastically increase your chances of being understood. Saying words slowly decreases the overall frequency of the word, by drawing out the sounds of the letters makes it easier to comprehend.

Speaking to hear the sound of your own voice is typically considered a poor use of time. While speaking with the purpose of helping people with hearing loss to hear, we strive to make sure that everyone involved understands their role in communication. It is important that the speaker aims to be understood, and that conversation always be a two-way street. Not all of the words suggested here are perfect substitutes for their more difficult counterparts, but the rules of the English language bend a bit when one party involved is physically incapable of understanding specific tones. The purpose of this short list of ten words is to provide you with a beginning framework to adapt your use of language and be more effective when talking to people with hearing loss.

It should be noted that the words listed here are specifically tailored to address the needs of people with High Frequency hearing loss. While the most common form of hearing loss, it is by no means the only type that occurs. To properly learn the best way to adapt your speech, it is strongly recommended that a hearing test be performed by a qualified and established audiologist or hearing specialist.

Disclosure:

This article was written by Andrew Lekashman of ClearValue Hearing, the Free Hearing Healthcare Benefits Plan. To learn more about how to have your hearing tested for free, please visit us online at www.clearvaluehearing.com.

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And They May Just Be The Most Advanced Yet

In a statement recently it was announced that Starkey would partner with an Israeli start up company called Humavox to introduce a brand new wireless recharging system for their hearing aids. It would mean that Starkey would probably lead the field with the most advanced system to date if it is introduced. Let me explain.

You can read the current state of play for rechargeable hearing aids in 2017 here. 

Firstly, we are making some assumptions here and nothing other than the partnership has been announced, however, we think those assumptions can be called educated guesses. I would think that the devices will be based on Lithium-ion technology. That would make the most sense as it is hands down the best system available for hearing aid use. 

I also think that the system will be a true wireless charging system, because that is what Humavox is famous for. Let me explain what wireless charging is in this context. Humavox have designed a radio frequency system that allows them to charge a device via radio signals. Sounds fanciful but that is exactly what it does. 

It does this in the near field, which means that the charging station and the devices to be charged have to be in proximity to each other. In one of their promotional videos they show a table which acts as a charging station. You simply charge your device by putting it on the table. Update here, we were talking to an engineer friend who told us that for the system to work without interference from other radio signals, the charging stations needs to enclose the object being charged. Which means that the devices would have to be dropped into a case or box. It still would be exceptionally easy as you wouldn’t have to think about putting them in a slot or lining up contacts, you would simply drop them in. 

When delivered it should mean that Starkey devices can be charged easily and without fuss, you will probably just have to drop them into their case and they will charge automatically without any fuss. However, only time will tell and without doubt there will be difficulties that the engineers have to overcome. You can read about the latest and best Rechargeable Hearing Aids here.

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I’ve been trying out a pair of Oticon’s OPN hearing aids over the last two weeks. Being a bit of a nerd, I have been excited for a while see how the Oticon ON app would work alongside the hearing aids to allow me to connect them to other Internet-connected devices using the IFTTT service.

But more on IFTTT and me being a nerd in a later article.

I’d been told by a few people that Oticon products sound a little different to other brands as they use different sound processing and compression models – I hadn’t worn Oticon before it was interesting to find out.

In the last week, I have been to two different restaurants and both were excellent tests of the OPNs capabilities in a lot of background noise. 

The first was Oxy in Oxford, which is basically one very large open plan room. There are a few tables that have seating with high backs and I asked for one of those seats so I could at least use the high-backed seat to block out some noise behind me. I’ve been here many times before and it has always been noisy and a difficult hearing experience. 

The first thing that struck me about the OPNs was that the background noise sounded different – people’s voices from other tables around us sounded a lot more natural with the OPNs, I was able to isolate different groups and know where their voices were coming from. The noisy room chatter felt a lot more manageable, much less of “Woah, its noisy in here” – it’s difficult to describe but it kind of felt to me that the background noise was really in the background, was at a pleasant volume, wasn’t distorted or overwhelming and had clarity about it. Which is quite a change from other hearing aids in this restaurant, where the background noise was almost like a wall of noise, more of an indistinguishable roar than a lot of individual voices. 

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The better management of background noise also meant that I was able to hear people around my table VERY clearly. The OPNs picked them out superbly, that goes for people sitting directly in front of me and to the sides – the voices from my table were brought to the fore and I could hear them very clearly over the competing noise. Again this was different to previous visits where voices I wanted to hear had a very tough time competing with the background rabble. The Oticon’s did a superb job of letting me hear who I wanted to hear without much effort at all.

The second restaurant test was at the Harvester. This is not as open-plan as Oxy but we got a table which had no surrounding walls or high seats to block out noise – just to make things more difficult, I had my back to the bar, so there was a constant stream of customers ordering and people milling about.

We were a table of six, so more voices coming from many different angles. The OPNs again performed very well and I was able to follow most conversations without a great deal of effort, there was one or two times where I was turned around facing someone on my left and someone to my right said something that I was not able to hear properly – I knew they said something and turned around to say “what?” but I couldn’t pick it up the first time, this was due to the OPN focusing most of the listening to the front of me and to be honest I wouldn’t expect, or want, to be able to hear things behind me as well as things in front of me all the time, that would not be my normal listening experience.

There was not any problem of overly loud noises in either restaurant, sometimes in the past, with different aids, plates banging or chairs scraping on tiled floors could be a bit uncomfortably loud but I had none of that this time.

I guess the OPNs have a specific restaurant mode on them, which I wasn’t using and even without it I was very comfortable listening to people I wanted to hear in noisy environments that would cause other hearing aids no end of problems.

More OPN articles to follow.

I’ve been trying out a pair of Oticon’s OPN hearing aids over the last two weeks. Being a bit of a nerd, I have been excited for a while see how the Oticon ON app would work alongside the hearing aids to allow me to connect them to other Internet-connected devices using the IFTTT service.

But more on IFTTT and me being a nerd in a later article.

I’d been told by a few people that Oticon products sound a little different to other brands as they use different sound processing and compression models – I hadn’t worn Oticon before it was interesting to find out.

In the last week, I have been to two different restaurants and both were excellent tests of the OPNs capabilities in a lot of background noise. 

The first was Oxy in Oxford, which is basically one very large open plan room. There are a few tables that have seating with high backs and I asked for one of those seats so I could at least use the high-backed seat to block out some noise behind me. I’ve been here many times before and it has always been noisy and a difficult hearing experience. 

The first thing that struck me about the OPNs was that the background noise sounded different – people’s voices from other tables around us sounded a lot more natural with the OPNs, I was able to isolate different groups and know where their voices were coming from. The noisy room chatter felt a lot more manageable, much less of “Woah, its noisy in here” – it’s difficult to describe but it kind of felt to me that the background noise was really in the background, was at a pleasant volume, wasn’t distorted or overwhelming and had clarity about it. Which is quite a change from other hearing aids in this restaurant, where the background noise was almost like a wall of noise, more of an indistinguishable roar than a lot of individual voices. 

Tired of Listening to Bla? We Got You Covered

Our buying guide, no Bla, just clear easy to understand info, we guarantee it will help you pick the right hearing aid for you.

The better management of background noise also meant that I was able to hear people around my table VERY clearly. The OPNs picked them out superbly, that goes for people sitting directly in front of me and to the sides – the voices from my table were brought to the fore and I could hear them very clearly over the competing noise. Again this was different to previous visits where voices I wanted to hear had a very tough time competing with the background rabble. The Oticon’s did a superb job of letting me hear who I wanted to hear without much effort at all.

The second restaurant test was at the Harvester. This is not as open-plan as Oxy but we got a table which had no surrounding walls or high seats to block out noise – just to make things more difficult, I had my back to the bar, so there was a constant stream of customers ordering and people milling about.

We were a table of six, so more voices coming from many different angles. The OPNs again performed very well and I was able to follow most conversations without a great deal of effort, there was one or two times where I was turned around facing someone on my left and someone to my right said something that I was not able to hear properly – I knew they said something and turned around to say “what?” but I couldn’t pick it up the first time, this was due to the OPN focusing most of the listening to the front of me and to be honest I wouldn’t expect, or want, to be able to hear things behind me as well as things in front of me all the time, that would not be my normal listening experience.

There was not any problem of overly loud noises in either restaurant, sometimes in the past, with different aids, plates banging or chairs scraping on tiled floors could be a bit uncomfortably loud but I had none of that this time.

I guess the OPNs have a specific restaurant mode on them, which I wasn’t using and even without it I was very comfortable listening to people I wanted to hear in noisy environments that would cause other hearing aids no end of problems.

More OPN articles to follow.

Have your hearing aid fine tuned while you are sitting at home, what’s not to like?

Sivantos, formerly Siemens and now the artist that calls themselves Signia, has introduced a truly groundbreaking innovation in collaborative hearing care. They have introduced the first hearing aid app that has deep user/professional communications and the ability for a professional to fine tune hearing aids remotely. We know groundbreaking is used quite a bit, but this is truly earth shattering.

So first I think we need to clear up the confusion of the names, Sivantos is the private business that bought Siemens Hearing Aids from Siemens. They have the rights to use Siemens in their branding, Signia, is what they have begun to call their hearing aid brands. So at anyone time they can be Siemens, Sivantos and Signia, there not confusing at all (the voices in my head just giggled). 

Communicating with your professional

Well those lads just introduced a new app called “myHearing” at EUHA (international hearing aid conference in Germany). The app makes it possible for hearing aid users to directly contact their hearing care professional anywhere while wearing their hearing aids. They have the option to use different “CareChat” communication channels with the hearing care professional and also access a cloud-based knowledge tool for guided assistance on how to use and handle their new hearing aids.

Monitoring your progress

At the same time, hearing care professionals can monitor the progress of the user. The real game changer though is the fact that the professional can provide certain setting changes remotely. In essence, for the first time the professional can fine tune the devices on the go remotely.  

With TeleCare, they say they are targeting the initial phase when a person with hearing loss first begins to wear hearing aids. Up to now, the user has been given a relatively large amount of information and is then sent on their way until a follow up. The app is designed to plug the gap during that period, allowing the user to undertake structured listening tasks and access the information needed at their leisure. 

However, I see a huge market for this type of telehealth approach, it will mean that users will not have to wait until a physical appointment to have some settings changed or to deliver feedback. Like the Patient Insights app from Unitron which we have discussed here, this will allow users to collaborate with their care professionals in a deeper manner.

A Simple process

It is a simple enough process, the professional loads up the app on the user’s smartphone (iphone or Android) at the first visit. The app communicates via secure channels with a cloud portal that the professional has access to. 

What does it offer you?

So why should you buy into it, what does it offer you?

• Listening exercises
• Guided assistance
• Personal progress: Feedback & ratings
• CareChat: Text, voice and video communication
• Frequently asked questions
• Remote control function

So you have access to an extensive knowledge database in the cloud via the app. It automatically shows only the information that is relevant for the devices you are wearing, so you know the information is always relevant to you.

It gives you access to handling videos which clearly explain the typical questions that arise with first-time wearers Things like:

• How do I place my hearing aids in my ears?
• How do I take them out?
• How do I change the batteries?
• How do I change the programmes?
• How do I adjust the volume?
• How do I clean the devices?

And quite a bit more than that which means that the professional can concentrate on helping you hear better.  It also offers targeted listening and handling exercises in coordinated stages which the professional can track.

Quick and easy contact with your hearing care professional

If you are having a problem getting an answer from the knowledge tool, you can quickly and directly contact the hearing professional with just one click via the app. You can do so by calling or text message. The daily rating system in the app also allows the hearing professional to monitor and respond to your experiences. 

Remote adjustment of hearing aids

For the first time hearing care professional can remotely change certain parameters of the hearing aids. This allows almost instant response to feedback about experiences of a user in different situations. The changes are made in the professional’s portal and then sent directly to the app. You are informed that there are new settings on the app and you can accept them.

This is going to catch on

We think this is a fantastic leap forward for both hearing care professionals and hearing aid wearers. We think that it can only strengthen customer satisfaction. Your contact with the hearing professional as well as the handling of your hearing aids is simplified. It also means that you don’t necessarily have to physically attend the office every time you want a change made. That has to be a good thing. 

We think that this is another innovation that will see widespread adoption across the hearing aid industry. We know that Unitron have been thinking about this for some time and we discussed the possibilities of cloud based data for hearing aids before. It is a technology that makes sense for everyone involved and it is good to see a disruptive innovation like this come from within the hearing aid industry. 

The system from Sivantos will work with all Signia hearing aids and is optimised for the entire primax platform (Ace, Pure, Motion and Insio as well as the new Cellion and Silk). The market launch is currently taking place in Germany and the USA. By the end of the year, it will occur across Europe and in early 2017 in Asia.

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Rechargeable Invisible Hearing Aids Anyone?

I was talking to these guys from Canada recently, the company name is Solace Power and they design and licence wireless charging technology. Why is this interesting? Because their system is such, that they are pretty sure it is ideal for hearing aids. Not just the BTE and RIC rechargeable devices we are seeing either. Their system should theoretically allow wireless charging of a custom product. Even better, it should add no volume and no weight, that means the possibility of even rechargeable invisible hearing aids, would you be interested?

70% of Patients Want Rechargeable

According to industry research, 70% of patients have indicated a preference for rechargeable hearing instruments. This has in fact helped to form the future product road map for many of the big hearing aid brands. Reliable rechargeable hearing aids that could be guaranteed to last a full day’s use are really only a thing of the recent past. Since their introduction though, they have become amazingly popular.

I said in an article a while ago that I felt the real battleground for the hearing aid manufacturers was probably going to be in the custom in ear hearing aid ranges. It isn’t easy to manufacture a rechargeable custom hearing aid, the problem is size and placement. Rechargeable devices are usually contact or near field (induction). Both of these methods present problems for someone who is making a very discreet hearing aid. The contacts on the shell or the induction coil within the shell would add weight and size. Something that no one really wants to do. But what if it could be done with no sacrifices, no extra volume or weight? Meet Solace Power.

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A Different Way to Wireless Charge

I am not going to bore you with the technical bits, but in essence Solace uses a system whereby the device to be recharged just needs to be close to the charging pad. It doesn’t need to touch, it just needs to be close. The device that is being charged has a receiver antenna in it which picks up the energy and sends it to the battery. Here is the really cool part, that receiver antenna can be a piece of special foil. It could be as simple as attaching that foil during manufacture to the battery, to the battery contacts, hell even to the custom shell of the aid.

So absolutely no space gain, no fiddly contacts and no big inductive coil. I think that has to be a winner. There are of course plenty of things that need to be worked out, how it is done, how it will work and will the system fit well with hearing aids. However, I have no doubt that these guys are probably working pretty hard on that.

Recharging Freedom

If it comes off, it could mean complete freedom, in essence the charger could be some sort of mat or tray that you simply dropped your hearing aids onto. Or a case that you simply dropped your hearing aids into. No messing around, no slotting them in just freedom. Combine this with actual rechargeable invisible hearing aids or CICs, and that has to be a big deal right?

Wireless Charging Of Hearing Aids, Would You Be Interested?

Here is the thing, would you be interested, would you like to have rechargeable custom hearing aids combined with this freedom of movement? Let us know on info@hearingaidknow.com

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Great Sound and Even Better Connectivity

I’ve been wearing a pair of GN ReSound’s Linx 3D hearing aids for about a month now and I have to say I am more than happy with them. I have been wearing hearing aids for over 25 years, but funnily enough, this is my first pair of ReSound hearing devices – I was a little worried I might find it difficult to switch to a new style of sound after being so used to wearing other brands but the Linx 3D have been easy to wear and has sounded completely natural. You really need to try these out. 

LiNX 3D bluetooth connectivity

One thing that has really blown me away about these hearing aids is the connectivity they have with other devices. I’d never really bothered considering bluetooth hearing aids before as I thought I just wanted good quality sound and speech recognition during my normal day – whilst the Linx 3D has that in spades, the ability to connect my aids to devices I already own and have the audio played straight in to my ears has totally changed the way I do things. Phone calls have stopped being something to avoid and are now a pleasure. I communicate with my business partner Geoff via instant message mostly, however, since I got the LiNX 3D, we now do phone calls!

I’ve split this review up in to several parts for two reasons, the first is to make it easier to read, the second is because I think there is much to talk about. So, here is how it will play out, let’s talk about the LiNX 3D:

1. What’s in the box?
2. Performance in every day use, speech in noise, etc.
3. Bluetooth connectivity for phone calls, iPad and music.
4. Personalisation, the phone app and never seeing my audiologist again.

This is the third part of my review of my new GN ReSound Linx 3D 9 hearing aids.

This is the first time I’ve had a hearing aid with Bluetooth connectivity options in it. I was excited to try it out but to be honest, I always considered Bluetooth a vanity extra and not something I was particularly bothered about having; I thought I was only interested in hearing well in everyday situations through the normal hearing aid microphone, I was wrong.

Bluetooth?

Bluetooth is a technology for connecting devices that are physically close to each other – it is used to connect
wireless keyboards and mice to computers, send photos from your phone to your laptop, talk hands-free on your phone whilst driving, and loads of other stuff.

It can wirelessly transfer audio as well, it’s the tech used in wireless headphones and speakers – which makes it pretty useful for hearing aid wearers. 

Bluetooth in Hearing aids

Having hearing aids with Bluetooth basically means you can have audio played directly into your ears through your hearing aids, kind of like if you were listening to a pair of headphones. When you take a phone call via Bluetooth you don’t need to put the phone to your ear, the audio is sent from the phone to your hearing aid and then played to you from the aid.

I guess you could think of the difference in listening via Bluetooth to normal “over the air” listening as being the same as the difference between listening to with a good pair of headphones and listening to a car stereo: both of them have great sound but the headphones are clearer because they are your sole focus whereas with the car stereo there are other sounds going on to.

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Our buying guide, easing the confusion with clear easy to understand info, we guarantee it will help you pick the right hearing aid for you.

Is the Linx 3D Bluetooth any good?

The short answer is yes!

I have used my Linx 3Ds with my Android phone and my iPad for phone calls, listening to music and watching Netflix. 

The sound quality is superb and makes a phone call miles easier than the conventional way, I used to avoid phone calls where I could but I’m happy to take them all now, safe in the knowledge I will be able to hear easily. The audio played over Bluetooth is crystal clear at all times. When I’ve been watching Netflix I’ve been listening to the show instead of watching subtitles, and again, the audio is crisp and clear and it is always in sync with the video, no lag at all.

How do I connect my Resound hearing aids to my devices?

It works a little differently for Android and Apple devices.

Apple devices newer than iOS 7 (*I think*. Check this if you have a really old Apple device), will connect directly to the Linx 3D – they will stream phone calls and music to the aids and will also allow you to change some settings of the aids from your Apple settings menu. This takes about 20 seconds to set up and then works seamlessly from then on. There are some screenshots from my iPad at the bottom of this article.

For Android devices, you will need a ReSound Phone Clip+ streaming device to be able to stream audio. I think the reason for this is that hearing aids with Bluetooth use a low-powered subset of the Bluetooth protocol, which not all phone/tablet/etc devices have implemented, Apple has, but Google and other Android developers have not – in other words, even though both your phone and your hearing aids talk Bluetooth, they talk slightly different dialects and can’t understand each other, so ReSound have the Clip+ which translates for them. The aids use a low-powered subset of Bluetooth to stop your batteries running out very quickly.

The Phone Clip+ and my Android phone sound just as awesome as the Apple devices do. Again, completely seamless, crystal-clear audio at all times. I connect my Clip+ to my phone via Bluetooth, then connect it to my aids (using the other Bluetooth!) and away I go. The Clip+ has a microphone on it, so when I am on the phone I am listening via my hearing aids, talking into the Clip+ microphone and my phone is sat on the table doing not much. The Clip+ also works great with watching Youtube or playing audio from my Android. You charge the Clip+ using a standard USB cable, one charge seems to last for days. The Clip+ is pretty small and discrete, and as the name suggests does actually have a clip on it, so it can easily be worn on clothing or kept in your pocket – carrying this around with my phone has not been a problem. I’ve taken it out running with me a few times to listen to music, it stayed firmly clipped to my t-shirt.

When listening

As I said before, this is the first time I’ve had Bluetooth hearing aids and my first question when I got them was: will I be able to hear things around me while listening to Bluetooth?

Yes, I can.

Normal environmental noise is reduced when listening to Bluetooth but it is still there. So phone calls and audio are extremely clear but the aids do play you the sounds around you too, but at a lower level – so you are aware what is going on around you but it doesn’t distract from the streamed audio. The balance of background sounds to Bluetooth sounds is perfect, I feel confident that if someone speaks to me from the side or behind I will hear them, which is useful as my Linx 3Ds are discrete and it is unlikely that someone has spotted them or will have any idea that I’m listening to Blondie’s greatest hits or taking a call.

ReSound Linx 3D hearing aids are the answer to your phone call and TV watching problems

Seriously. I have avoided phone calls for a long time and am used to watching TV with subtitles. My ReSound’s fixed both of those problems for me, I didn’t use to think I wanted or needed Bluetooth hearing aids but I was very wrong.

Having Bluetooth capability has changed the way I am doing things. For example, when I’m out jogging I never used to listen to music (couldn’t wear earbuds as already wearing hearing aids) but now I’m streaming from my phone strapped to my arm, wirelessly with excellent sound quality and there’s no chance of my Resound’s falling out of my ear like the new Apple buds apparently do.

Don’t ignore Bluetooth as an option on your hearing aids, it makes a real difference to hearing ability – the ReSound Linx is at the forefront of hearing aid/Bluetooth connectivity and is a great choice.

This is a screenshot from my iPad settings screen. In General -> Accessibility -> Hearing Devices. You can see my hearing aids are already connected to my pad. To sync them initially I went to this screen and the iPad automatically looks for Bluetooth devices to connect to, I opened and closed the battery doors on my ReSounds and a few seconds after this the iPad find the aids and connect to them. That is setup done!  

If I select my hearing aid from the previous iPad screen (shown above) then I see this page. I can switch on/off streaming of audio to my hearing aids, I can adjust their volume and I can also select between some “presets”. The presets can be set up by your hearing aid provider when they fit you with the Linx 3D, you can have different presets for different hearing situations (if you want), traditionally you would use a button on your hearing aid to switch between presets but you can do this from your Apple device now too.

Overall I have to say the experience so far has been outstanding, the LiNX 3D and it’s Bluetooth connectivity has made a real difference to my life. The hearing aids themselves deliver while the extra functionality delivered by the streaming capability just delivers so much more. I have found the connection to be stable and it there has been very little problems.

Find An Independent Hearing Aid Centre in Your Area

I remember when my children were young, they seemed to tag team us with ear infections. My young lad, in particular, had a lot of problems with his ears and eventually he had to have grommets fitted. It was a quick ten-minute operation but at the time he had to go under general anaesthetic. Hard to believe that they are now fitting grommets in the office. Anyway, I have been thinking about ear infections since I spoke about the hearScope a couple of weeks ago, then, I had someone come and see me with Otitis Externa (that’s outer ear infection in English). I thought to myself, hey Geoff, let’s chat with the nice people about ear infections. 

Hearing Loss From Infection

Before we go into the ins and outs of ear infections I want to briefly speak about sudden hearing loss. Over the next few paragraphs, it will quickly become clear that hearing loss is a function of ear infections in many cases. However, it is important that you understand that any sudden hearing loss should be treated as a medical emergency. Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss is a problem of the inner ear, if you are to recover, it needs treatment within days.

Outer Ear Infection

The chap who came to see me suffered from pretty bad outer ear infections. They were chronic and recurring and they had left his outer ear misshapen and swollen. At the time I saw him there was no infection active, but nevertheless, it had been a long and painful road for him. Unfortunately, he had a nervous habit of poking at his ears and this was causing the infection. 

Ear Infections & Hearing Aids

Steve (my business partner) has also suffered from otitis externa, he detailed his problems in the article Ear Infections. He spoke about the problems he had with ear infections as a hearing aid user, he also gave some pretty good tips about how to deal with it.

Intolerable Pain

An ear infection can deliver intolerable pain, all the worst because there is little you can physically do about it. Ear infections happen when germs such as bacteria, viruses or fungi cause swelling and irritation of the structures of your ear. They are most common in childhood, but they can happen at any age. There are generally two types of ear infections:

• Otitis Media (middle ear infection) 
• Otitis Externa (outer ear infection)

Otitis Media, Middle Ear Infection 

Middle ear infections or otitis media occur inside the middle ear, behind the eardrum. Middle ear infections are exceptionally common in young children but can happen in adults as well. In fact, most children will have a bout of otitis media during their early life even if there are no symptoms. The reason for it in children is often a combination of upper respiratory tract infection and eustachian tube dysfunction. Don’t worry, I ain’t getting all medical, the eustachian tube connects the middle ear and the back of the nose and throat. It is responsible for drainage and keeping the pressure in the middle ear equal. In children, the eustachian tube is smaller and more horizontal than adults. 

The Eustachian tube is pretty narrow, it also has an isthmus, means an even narrower bit. The middle ear cavity and the eustachian tube are lined with mucous membrane (the same as your nose). When you combine all these things with some sort of infection, you get a closed up eustachian tube, pressure and fluid build up in the middle ear and if the mucous build up gets infected, you get pain, deep, deep pain. The symptoms of middle ear infection are:

• Pain
• Fever
• Pressure or fullness in the ear
• Hearing loss
• Puss or fluid draining from ear canal
• Headaches

Otitis Externa, Outer Ear Infection

Sometimes this type of infection is called “Swimmer’s Ear”, it is an infection of the eardrum, ear canal or outer ear. The reason it is often referred to as swimmer’s ear is that it is often caused by swimming. It often begins with water inside the ear canal, however, other things can cause it. In general, many outer ear infections are fungal in nature, but I have seen some whopping bacterial ones. While both types of ear infections can cause pain and discomfort, outer ear infections affect the visible part of the ear and canal, often appearing as swelling, redness and itchiness. Symptoms of outer ear infection:

• Painful ear
• Often tender to touch
• Occasionally pus or fluid
• Red appearance
• Swollen

When do You Need to Visit a Doctor

In the case of mild outer ear infection, some antiseptic cream or medicated drops may do the job. In the case of a mild middle ear infection, the eustachian tube may open and relieve the pressure and drain fluid. If the infection doesn’t clear up on its own after a week, or if it keeps returning. If you begin running a temperature combined with ear pain, you really ought to go and see your Doctor.

Treatment

The type of treatment given depends on the type of ear infection and what may have caused it. In many cases of middle and outer ear infections, antibiotics are necessary. In some cases of outer ear infections, antifungal treatments are necessary.  

Treating middle ear infections

Many middle ear infections are treated with antibiotics. In most cases, the antibiotics will be taken orally. On some occasion, antibiotic ear drops may be prescribed. They will also prescribe pain medication or advise the use of over-the-counter pain relievers. Many Doctors will also advise the use of a decongestant, nasal steroids, or an antihistamine.

Opening The Eustachian Tubes

A helpful technique here can be popping your ears, the medical term is auto-insufflation. It is a technique taught to scuba divers to equalise pressure, it also is a favourite of anyone who flies regularly. It’s meant to help clear your eustachian tubes. You do this by squeezing your nose, closing your mouth, and very gently exhaling. This can send air into the eustachian tubes, causing them to open, relieving pressure and help drain the fluid. Be careful doing this, if your middle ears are well and truly infected this can be painful. 

Treating outer ear infections

First off, the outer ear should be carefully cleaned. That is then followed by the application of antibacterial or antifungal and anti-inflammatory medications on your ear. Antibiotics would be prescribed if your doctor thinks the infection is bacterial. Viral is different and irritating, viral infections don’t really have a treatment, simply clean it and put antibacterial medication on it so that it doesn’t turn bacterial. You then just have to wait for the infection to sort itself out. However, if it is something like herpes simplex (don’t panic, it’s a cold sore), more specialised treatment may be necessary.

Home Remedies or Alternative Treatments for Ear Infections

Don’t do it, nope, nope, nope and nope. You can take some painkillers and hope it might pass, it might. It also might become chronic and if it is a mid ear infection eat away the attic of the middle ear and enter the brain. Yes, you heard that right, you just gave yourself meningitis, how cool, you didn’t need that hearing or the hand or leg anyway. 

Preventing Future Infections

There are a couple of things you can do to prevent a further infection, especially in the case of outer ear infection. Here is what you can do:

•  Don’t stick anything in your damned ear, no fingers, no bobby pins, no keys, nothing, de nada
• Try to keep water out of your ears. If you’re a frequent swimmer, get earplugs or a swimming cap
• If you didn’t follow the rule above (idiot) shake out or drain any trapped water inside your ears once you get out of a pool or ocean.
• If you are suffering from a bad cold, use a decongestant, this can help keep the eustachian tubes open
• If you feel stuffed up, try clearing your eustachian tubes by auto-insufflation

If you have any questions about ear infections, give us a shout here at Know, better still, go see a doctor and tell us about it later.

The talk of fuel cell powered hearing aids has been around since 2009. Since then several interested parties have been researching and developing the idea both seperately and in collaboration. While there have been breakthroughs and even prototypes, we haven’t seen anything arrive on the market. Although that may well be changing, let’s talk fuel cells and latest developments.

The talk of fuel cells came to light in 2009 when a new Danish project was announced. It was announced that Teknologisk Institut, DTU Nanotech, Kemisk Institut / iNANO Århus Universitet, and Widex A/S would work together to develop a viable fuel cell technology for hearing aids. All was relatively silent until a patent by Widex became public in 2013. The patent had originally been filed in 2011. Although there has been prototypes made and displayed, there has been no move to market.

However, that now looks like it is about to change, as reported here “Widex, Sonion and DTI have previously demonstrated the technology where micro fuel cell replaces batteries. This time the partners joins forces to bring the technology all the way to the market.” That made me giggle a little, I am sorry, it might just be my sense of humour but that reads like “The last time it was serious, but this time it is personal!” Like I said, probably my sense of humour.

So, it would seem some serious funding was raised and has been ploughed into actually delivering the technology for use. The funding was raised during 2015 and the work began in 2016. But what is it and why might that be exciting?

Charge your aids in three hours? How about thirty seconds with no plug?

No electricity, no charging, no batteries, just place the hearing aid in a specially designed docking station, wait 30 seconds while it fills with methanol and your hearing aid will have enough energy for 72 hours of use. Fuel cells provide power via the use of hydrogen, methanol is rich in the stuff and it doesn’t need a pressurised storage facility to work. 

It is a truly innovative idea and could lead to the end of the use of batteries in hearing aids. In fact, the fuel cell technology may actually provide more power, power that can be used to drive more complex computing and the power hungry wireless technology that is demanded by modern consumers. 

At EUHA Widex were again talking about fuel cell technology, this time with very big smiles. So, maybe we are about to see a massive revolution in hearing aid power, I kind of hope so. 

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