2012
Does a hearing loss prevent you from driving?
Are there restrictions preventing the hard of hearing from driving?Many people with hearing loss are scared of losing the right to drive because of their hearing impairment. This fear can intensify among professional drivers for whom driving is their livelihood. The Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec has set certain conditions for individuals with hearing loss who possess a class 2 (bus) and/or 4 (emergency vehicles, small bus/minibus and taxicab) license. This condition
Did you know that the type of hearing aid you wear is based on your individual profile?
When deciding if a person should wear a hearing aid, there are several factors to consider. An individual’s personality and their environment bear more or less equal consideration in determining hearing aid needs. First of all, it is important to understand that the audiogram represents only one factor. This graphic, generated by the audiologist, illustrates the degree and type of hearing loss present. It forms the basis of any hearing assessment,
Bernafon Chronos 7
When it comes to hear-ing aids, the chal-lenge has always been to fit hearing-impaired people with hearing aids that provide appropriate amplification along with comfortable sound. The difficulty in achieving this balance becomes complex: If the person has hearing loss due to working in a noisy environment for an extended period; or If the person’s audiogram shows an atypical hearing loss; or If the person suffers from tinnitus; or If the person has difficulty in terms of tolerating
The negative effects of diminished auditory discrimination on the performance of your hearing aids
When getting fitted for hear-ing aids, certain obstacles can influence the expected results (hearing aids + % discrimi-nation = expected results). One such obsta-cle is diminished auditory discrim-i-nation, represented as a percent-age on your hearing test results. To determine this percentage, the audiologist has the patient listen to several words and repeat them. The purpose of this test is to measure the patient’s ability to recognize words at a comfortable loudness
The benefits of wireless hearing aid technology for mobility-impaired persons
These days, new technologies are being developed at a frantic pace in areas where it would have been unimaginable just a few years ago. It is human nature to associate these technological breakthroughs with business people, youth and people who are always looking to buy the latest gadget. Though it doesn’t get much media coverage, however, a great deal of research is being conducted in the field of hearing health to
2011
I have a hearing loss, what do I do now?
After a thorough assessment of your hearing, you recently found out that you have a hearing loss. Now that you’ve gone through a range of emotions, you suddenly find yourself full of questions. Know this: you are not alone! More than 10% of the population has some form of hearing impairment. What should I do? First and foremost, you should make an appointment with an audioprosthetist. These are the only health professionals
Digital technology and hearing aids - Starkey
At Starkey, the difference between an entry-level and a premium circuit is chiefly determined by two factors: the bandwidth and the number of channels. These two factors have an impact on the effectiveness of the digital circuit features that reduce noise, enhance speech audibility and improve sound clarity. As such, premium hearing aids will have a digital circuit with the capacity to adapt to the user’s sound space with greater speed
Digital technology and hearing aids - Oticon
The first thing you need to know when it comes to hearing aids is the range of digital circuit technology available on the market (economic level, entry level, mid level, advanced and premium). The digital technology you choose will depend on your listening and communication needs. For instance, an executive working in a financial firm will have different needs than someone who only uses a home computer to check his or
Hearing aid fittings for noise-induced hearing loss
In today’s urban, industrialized society, noise is pervasive in both the natural landscape and the workplace. Repetitive noise exposure causes irreversible damage to the auditory organ (cochlea), resulting in permanent, sensorineural hearing loss. The CSST (Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail) has set up a workers’ compensation program specifically for people who work in noisy environments. Under this program, workers can even get reimbursed for the costs
The problem with discount hearing aids and batteries
At times, persons with hearing loss can be tempted to shop around for the best price on hearing aids. Choosing the right hearing aids, however, should come down to more important factors than cost alone. The team of professionals who will take care of your hearing aid adjustments and fittings should be the number one deciding factor. Choosing a team Hearing health professionals, audioprosthetists and specialized educators, will take you under their
Digital technology and hearing aids - Bernafon
At Bernafon, there is certainly no shortage of choices, with hearing aids that can be programmed for degrees of hearing loss varying from mild to profound, and digital circuit technology ranging from economic level to premium. Why choose high-end hearing aids? The digital circuitry in superior hearing aids provides greater signal precision, enhanced adjustment flexibility, and more effective directionality and noise reduction systems, delivering clearer sound in many listening and communication environments.
Digital technology and hearing aids - Siemens
The high-end Siemens 701 hearing aid features a SpeechFocus directional microphone, which tracks down and focuses on speech, even when it comes from behind, acting like an acoustic rear view mirror. Just imagine holding a conversation with passengers in the back of your car, and actually being able to understand them, despite the engine and wind noise! The automated directional microphone works in conjunction with the effective and vigilant noise reduction
Successful hearing aid fitting depends on accepting one’s deafness
Hearing loss is sneaky; it usually develops gradually. This is why motivation, self-confidence and support from family and friends are important factors in successful hearing aid fitting. People who suspect they have a hearing problem often wait several years (seven years on average) before doing anything about it. According to statistics from the Ordre des audioprothésistes du Québec, 10% of the population is affected by hearing problems. What’s more, 80% of
2010
Hearing aids: An investment in your quality of life
When people who are hearing-impaired consult a hearing healthcare professional to get a concrete solution to their hearing difficulties, they often have no idea about the cost involved in purchasing hearing aids. Hearing aids are a lot more than just a plastic object containing a computer chip inside. They are an investment in your quality of life and that of your social circle by improving your speech comprehension during discussions at
Hearing Handicap and Hearing Aid Fitting Recommendation
The number of people who have hearing loss is increasingly regularly. These individuals often question the need to wear hearing aids. The decision as to whether to wear hearing aids should never be based solely on audiometric test results and eligibility requirements of government insurers. In the early 1980’s, a World Health Organization subcommittee developed a conceptual framework that helps clarify some concepts, specifically, the nature of impairment, disability, barrier, and
The CSST Hearing Aid Program for Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
The CSST may pay the cost of one or two hearing aids under certain conditions. To qualify, it is necessary to establish that the hearing loss was caused by occupational noise exposure. You must have worked for a number of years in a noisy environment (average noise levels of at least 85 dBA) most of that time being spent in the province of Québec, and you must also have paid
One or two hearing aids?
People with bilateral hearing loss often question the need for two hearing aids. “I know someone who wears just one hearing aid. Why must I wear two?” “Can I start out by wearing only one hearing aid and wait to see if I need one for the other ear?” There are good reasons why humans are born with binaural or “stereo” hearing. To begin with, two ears are essential for determining
2009
Custom molds and earplugs
Noise protectors Available in different styles, these types of plugs protect your ears against loud noise in work environments and are perfectly suited for recreational use or just for sleeping. Different options can be ordered to customize them to your needs: acoustic filter to allow you to hear speech while reducing noise, extraction handle to remove them easily, cord to link both plugs so as not to lose them, a ball-bearing
2008
Accepting one’s deafness
Is putting one’s quality of life first! It takes time to accept hearing loss, whether one’s own or that of one’s spouse or child. Understand that you are not alone in going through this, as over 10% of the population is afflicted with deafness. The process for accepting deafness is similar to the grieving process. Accepting one’s deafness requires acceptance of the difficulties and handicaps that come with it. For the parents
Protect your word recognition ability: avoid sensory deprivation.
Whenever we talk about hearing aids, we also talk about hearing health! Is that surprising? Not at all, not when we consider the impact of a hearing loss on our daily lives. Psychological, social, and physical impact Social isolation, reluctance to ask for repetitions, fear of admitting, and failing to accept one’s hearing handicap are just a few examples of the issues that people with hearing loss have to deal with. However,
