There is an issue around the world that annoys many individuals who are wearing hearing aids, they can’t swim with them. Taking a hearing aid into the water spells trouble. Imagine the thought of ruining your hearing aid simply because you forgot to take it off.
There is good news out there. This issue has been resolved! Siemens, maker of several types of hearing aids, decided to step up to the plate and create the Aquaris waterproof hearing aid.
This is a new way at using hearing aids because, it is waterproof. We are talking about jumping into a swimming pool, swimming for hours then getting out without ever having to worry about if you removed your hearing aid. This is a great achievement in the hearing world.
The Aquaris is not affected by water, dust or shock. It is built with a very tough exterior, cutting-edge advancements and it is truly the first waterproof hearing aid on the market. It is IP57 certified, which means the device is water (one meter depth for thirty minutes), snow and sand resistant.
The design is also made with a custom soft ear mold designed to keep it comfortable while you are swimming.
That’s not all this machine can do. Many patients have reported that is not the fact that they can swim or get it wet that is appealing about the product – its more that if they are active, sweating is not an issue. I know its not as glamorous, but consider that most have to take their hearing aid out when they sweat – not an ideal situation.
Since it is sweat proof, going walking, biking, exercising and more is less of a hassle. You do not have to sit and worry if your hearing aid is getting ruined from the workout nor do you have to worry about yourself getting lost because you had to remove your hearing aid. Both issues are resolved using the Aqauris.
Finally, the Aquaris also offers the innovative Best Sound Technology for excellent clarity and can connect seamlessly to Tek and miniTek wireless enhancement systems.
For more information on Siemens’ Aquaris, visit their homepage: http://hearing.siemens.com
When you wear hearing aids, it is important to keep a daily routine for them to work properly. We have compiled the best information to help you do just that.
Care and Maintenance for your aid:
Make sure to store your hearing aid in a safe place that is not only dry but cool
Check your batteries and change them well before they go dead
Turn off your aid when you aren’t using it. You may want to remove the battery and clean it’s contact points once in a while to make sure it is connected properly
Change the filters once in a while so they don’t build up with dirt and clean the aid using the small brush/cloth that came with it
Talk to a healthcare professional about having the ear wax buildup cleaned out of your ear. This will help improve your hearing by removing wax that can block the canal. Do not attempt to do this yourself as it could result in further damage to your ears
If you follow these simple steps, your hearing aid will last longer and work better for you
However, there are some actions you should not take with a hearing aid, specifically ones that can potentially damage the aid to the point of having to replace it.
Don’t use your hearing aid in the shower or when you go swimming (except if it is the new Aquaris from Siemens). Water will damage the inner workings of a hearing aid
Don’t use your hearing aid with a hair dryer, hair spray or any other type of spray
Never use any tools on your aid as it can result in serious or permanent malfunctions to the receiver
If you can’t clean your hearing aid or your hearing aid isn’t working properly, always contact a service professional for advice and repairs.
Doing these simple points once a week can help maintain your hearing aid’s lifespan and keep you hearing well.
We all know that successful hearing aid fittings depends on “balance blending” of patient wants/needs/expectations, technology, and our troubleshooting skills. No one can be an expert in all of these areas and that is why the “second opinion” was invented.
Case Study: Patient is long-time user of ITE style HAs, who more recently pursued 2 BTE hearing aids. Over the year, multiple visits pursued for “hurts”, “slips/falls out”, and “can’t hear”. Remedy strategies included multiple changes of tubing length, earmold remakes, and counseling not to take her glasses off too fast. Recently, her daughter contacted Customer Service seeking a return for credit as mother had been continuously complaining and cannot wear them, remarking, “The most painful spot is in back of ear.”
A “second opinion” was arranged for a deliberate and careful observation of the facts, the product, and the physical fit of the hearing aids. Then, a simple act of “heat-bending” the earhooks for a snugger/tighter fit over the pinna resolved most of the problems. Additionally, professional observed that patient’s eye glass legs were very long – twice as long as daughter’s – and recommended shorter/thinner style frame legs. Two weeks later, patient called the professional and wanted to “give him a kiss over the phone”; stating that he finally resolved the 1 ½ years of pain and frustration.
Whether credit is due to “a fresh set of eyes” to review the facts, or, whether psychology is at play, using our own “natural resources”, our colleagues, as teammates in addressing fitting issues can make a huge difference in creating a friend or foe of hearing aids.
Ten steps to help your patients enjoy the benefits of their hearing instrument
Adjusting to new hearing instruments optimally and with enjoyment is very possible for most people with impaired hearing.
Patients who suffer from hearing loss will have to learn, in a sense, how to hear again. Having to ‘re-learn’ an innate ability that they have taken for granted for most of their lives isn’t always easy. These patients will be rediscovering sounds they have not experienced in a long time. Learning to recognize these sounds will require practice and patience.
The following Ten Step learning program will help you understand the situations patients encounter while they ‘re-learn’ how to hear and how to ensure optimal hearing aid performance.
STEP 1
Begin with easy hearing situations
Patients should wear their new hearing aids in familiar surroundings, such as their home, conversing with one or two people at a time.
STEP 2
Slowly increase the wearing time
Patients should gradually increase the amount of time they wear their hearing aid until they are using them all day.
STEP 3
Learn to control the volume
As patients gain more “wearing experience”, they will be able to adjust the volume when increased amplification is needed.
STEP 4
Adapting to hearing aids
During this transition, patients should:
¨ Let hearing happen gradually
¨ Take breaks if tired or nervous
¨ Be happy with each day’s progress
¨ Learn to be an effective listener
¨ Adjust to the sound of their own voice
STEP 5
Living with noise
Many patients lose the ability to concentrate on certain sounds to suppress interfering background noise. Patients will have to practice this.
STEP 6
Active participation with group conversations
Patients should not try to listen to the whole group, but focus on a single speaker at a time.
STEP 7
Visiting public buildings
It is helpful to sit where the acoustic conditions are best. However, numerous public buildings have assistive listening devices for anyone wearing hearing aids.
STEP 8
Listening to the radio and television
It is very difficult to understand electronically reproduced speech. Focusing on the general meaning the speaker is trying to convey will aid in deciphering what is being said.
STEP 9
Using the telephone
There are a number of options available, including special telephones and cell phones that are compatible with hearing aids. Patients should consult a hearing professional.
STEP 10
Two ears are better than one
With the use of two hearing aids, patients will enjoy more natural hearing.
The HearUSA Difference
At HearUSA, our licensed hearing professionals strive to ensure that our patients become well adjusted to their new hearing aids. Our professionals recognize and believe in the benefits that hearing aids can provide patients, and will go the extra mile to guarantee customer satisfaction.
1. Modern technology brings us hearing aids that are smaller, smarter and more effective than ever
before – and a lot less noticeable than untreated hearing loss!
2. Hearing aid technology today has exceptional digital performance and is designed in many discrete and comfortable styles.
3. Advanced digital hearing aids provide fine tuning to match your degree of hearing loss and preferences.
4. Some hearing aids are equipped with several levels of programming, (memories or programs) which have different settings for diverse listening situations, such as telephone or restaurant.
5. Some hearing aids automatically store data regarding which setting you prefer in certain situations, and will automatically switch to the desired setting for each situation.
6. Hearing aids are available with and without manual volume controls and most people prefer the ability to adjust the sound level.
7. Hearing aids with built-in telephone coils reduce external sounds and allow you to hear more clearly when using a phone.
8. For improved sound clarity and understanding, Bluetooth functionality allows you to connect wirelessly with cell phones, televisions, iPods, iPads and other electronic devices.
9. Age old-complaints, such as whistling (feedback), echoes, and background noise are dramatically minimized and clarity is much improved with today’s advanced technology.
10.The most modern hearing aid is only as effective as the clinician who matches the technology features to your needs, and produces a meaningful and measurable benefit… your provider is at least as important as the product.
HEARING AIDS – EXPECTATIONS AND HOW TO ACHIEVE THEM
When properly fitted, hearing aids can vastly improve the quality of life for 95% of people with hearing loss. Your provider is your partner in the process of what, for many, is the equivalent of learning to hear again. The key to success is to establish realistic goals and to work with your hearing care provider to achieve them.
What if your patients knew that they could get a custom fit Bluetooth earset that would:
Offer greater security in cell phone transmissions
Better signal-to-noise ratio when listening in noisy environments
Improved safety while driving
Cost less than the deductible for a hypothetical car accident
Comfortably free up their hands for multi-tasking while talking at length.
Google records that the number of search hits for the word Bluetooth is a hot topic. Say “wireless earset” and no one will know what you are talking about. Say “your Bluetooth” and now you’re connected. According to Michael Foley, Ph.D., Executive Director, Bluetooth SIG, the installed base of Bluetooth products exceeded 1 billion in 2006. “To put this in perspective, 1 billion is greater than the number of PC users in the world and equal to the number of mobile phones shipped this year.” Market share anyone?
Bluetooth protocol offers a way to think forward with technology that is literally changing at the speed of light. The information is sent in profiles that is received by an electronic device with a matching PIN. That is why “the Bluetooth” has to be paired with the mobile phone. The devices are paired one time at start-up. Once in a great while, they may have to be paired again, should an error message consistently appear on the cell. When we fit ALDs and hearing aids, we want to offer options that will enable the consumer to be connected to whatever he/she desires. Bluetooth has the potential to link the ear with the TV, computer, video games, phone, entertainment system, ATM, car, or airline/hotel check-in. In addition, the list is growing because Bluetooth is low power, small size, low cost, and digital.
You already know how Bluetooth earsets are tearing down the stigma associated with wearing an electronic gadget on the head. With the Sound ID PSS, which is classified by the FDA as a hearing aid (HCPCS code V5298), the earset can be shaped to fit the hearing loss. The patient can listen monaurally to the environment, with direct connection to a favored sound source through a companion microphone, and switch over to a mobile phone call with the click of a finger. For example, a Realtor can place the companion mic in the back of the SUV and talk to clients – despite car noise – while driving and pointing out properties – and divert to a phone call – with both hands on the wheel.
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There is an issue around the world that annoys many individuals who are wearing hearing aids, they can’t swim with them. Taking a hearing aid into the water spells trouble. Imagine the thought of ruining your hearing aid simply because you forgot to take it off.
