What is Hearing Loss?
How do I know if I suffer from a hearing loss?
Why do people lose their hearing?
Why shouldn't I wait until I really need a hearing aid?
Can an accurate hearing test be done online?
Why shouldn't I use my speakers for your online hearing test?
What does classification of hearing mean?
Can your online hearing test diagnose a hearing problem?
Can this test be used to recommend a hearing aid?
Does background noise affect the online test?
What to the bar graphs indicate at the bottom of the test results?
What does your test classification by Pattern and Level mean?
Why do hearing test results change from test to test?
Why does it seem I have better or poorer hearing than the test results indicate?
What are the different types of hearing aids?
How does a hearing aid work?
How much do hearing aids cost?
Do I need a hearing examiner before buying a hearing aid?
Should I wear one or two hearing aids?
What type of batteries do I need, and how often do they have to be replaced?
Can I get a trial period?
Are there any federal regulations for hearing aid sales?
Are there any state regulations or standards for hearing aids?
Cool Stuff Being Made: How Hearing Aids Are Made(Industry on Parade)
What is Hearing Loss? Back to top
There are two main types of hearing loss (Conductive and Sensorineural), with markedly different causes and treatments.
- Conductive hearing loss is caused by physical obstructions or abnormalities, which block or inhibit the efficient entry of sound waves from getting deeper into the ear. The result is an overall lowering of volume and inability to hear faint sounds.
- Sensorineural hearing loss comprises 90% of all cases and is the type most commonly treated by hearing aids. Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when damage or trauma affects the nerve endings in the inner ear or along the nerve pathways to the brain. Such trauma can occur from overexposure to noise, the aging process, use of certain medications and many other causes. The damage not only lowers the overall hearing level, but also can selectively affect speech understanding, ability to hear certain frequencies, and other specific symptoms, which are unique to every individual.
Prolonged loud noise is a more common cause of hearing loss than age. As future generations are exposed to ever-increasing levels of noise pollution, age will probably decrease, and the environment increase, as a factor in causing hearing loss.
Examples of dangerously loud recreational activities which may cause hearing loss are: video arcades - (110 dB), firecrackers - (125-155 dB at a distance of 10 feet), live music concerts - (120 dB and above) , gunshots - (150-167 dB), movie theatres - (118 dB), health clubs and aerobic studios (120 dB), sporting events (127 dB), motorboats - (85-115 dB), motorcycles - (95-120 dB), snowmobiles - (99 dB) , "boom cars" - (140 dB and above).
How do I know if I suffer from a hearing loss? Back to top
To properly determine whether you have a hearing loss are not, it is best to consult a licensed medical professional or audiologist. You can take our simple true and false test by clicking here, which will ask you a few questions common to people having a hearing problem. You can also take our online pure tone test which will help classify your hearing levels, and indicate how well you hear at different frequencies.
Why do people lose their hearing? Back to top
Medically, there are two major types of hearing loss. The first is called a conductive hearing loss, which involves the outer and middle a year. It usually results from a wax blockage, a punctured eardrum, birth defects, ear infections, or it may be genetic. Conductive hearing loss generally can be corrected surgically, and hearing aids or devices will not work as effectively in these cases.
The second type of loss is called sensorineural - which involves damage to the inner ear. It is most commonly caused by aging, or exposure to loud noises over a period of time. Other, less frequent, causes can include prenatal and birth related problems, viral and bacterial infections, genetics, the use of certain drugs, fluid buildup in the ear, or even a benign tumor in the inner ear. Sensorineural hearing loss cannot usually be repaired by surgery. It is most often treated with a hearing aid or device.
Why shouldn't I wait until I really need a hearing aid? Back to top
Hearing is one of the basic senses that we as human beings rely on. If you are like most, you're hearing is impaired only in the upper frequencies. And, if you're like most people, you're hearing impairment has occurred so gradually over a long period of time that you really haven't noticed when you started to have a problem. You may have some trouble hearing certain things, but at other times your hearing feels normal. This does not mean that you can ignore the problem. Mild to moderate hearing impairment is easily treated, and should be viewed no differently than getting reading glasses when you start to have trouble reading small type.
If you are having trouble hearing, you may be finding yourself avoiding going out in public places, and gradually spending more time at home where you don't have to worry about being able to hear. Research shows that a patient with hearing loss is four times as likely to manifest psychological disturbances than a person with normal hearing.
The longer you wait before getting a hearing device, the more difficult the transition. This is due to the fact that the brain is no longer processing sounds at certain frequencies and thus has to relearn how to process these sounds when you begin to hear them again. It will take a while for your brain to start to discriminate between meaningful sound and background noise. The longer your condition is left untreated, the harder it is for your brain to relearn how to hear the missing frequencies.
Can an accurate hearing test be done online? Back to top
Yes, if a calibrated headset is used. Standards such as ANSI or ISO specify specific headsets for professional or research work. Calibration simply means that we know how much sound is coming out of the headset at each decibels setting at each frequency. If the output of any handset is calibrated to the ANSI or a ISO, it can be used to test hearing. Research and hearing health care professionals more often than not use ANSI or ISO specified headsets which are expensive but very stable over a long period. Any good-quality headphones will be able to give a reasonably accurate result in most circumstances, for the test employed at this web site. Again, it is best to consult a licensed professional to confirm whether you have a hearing loss or not. Our test is only designed to give you a preliminary classification for information purposes only.
Why shouldn't I use my speakers for your online hearing test? Back to top
Using your computer speakers is not advised. The test will evaluate each ear separately. Most important, the speakers cannot be calibrated without an external calibrator. Depending on the room shape and placement of the speakers, the results can vary widely simply by turning your head, which can make a difference in sound level by as much a 70%.
What does classification of hearing mean? Back to top
In order to properly assess your hearing, a classificationis done based on the results of a a Pure Tone Test. This identifies your hearing loss by Level (how loud a sound must be before you can hear it), and Pattern, which identifies your hearing ability at different frequencies. Classification of hearing by Level tells the decibel range a person can hear within but not necessarily how well they can hear. The classification level essentially explains how loud a sound must be in order for you to hear it. Pattern of hearing can tell with a high degree of accuracy where in the frequency range the problem is located if one exists, but other tests may be helpful in pinpointing the problem more precisely. The pattern will identify the specific frequencies with which you have problems. Typically, most people with hearing loss will have a loss of hearing in the higher frequencies, but still have normal hearing within the low and medium level frequencies.
Can your online hearing test diagnose a hearing problem? Back to top
A diagnosis is a determination of the cause of hearing loss and only a complete hearing test, physical examination, patient history, and other laboratory tests usually provided by a physician can determine an accurate diagnosis. The Pure Tone Test used on this web site is the most common first step in determining whether a hearing related problem exists. Physicians and audiologist use the Pure Tone Test as their main guide of where to look in order to establish a diagnosis in hearing cases. The online hearing test will simply provide information on how well you hear, and cannot be used to determine why you have any hearing loss. As always, we recommend that you consult a certified professional in order to ensure there are no medical conditions underlying your hearing loss.
Can this test be used to recommend a hearing aid? Back to top
The majority of current hearing aid fitting algorithms or formulas are based on the results of the pure tone hearing test. Other tests such as Most Comfortable Hearing Level using speech, discrimination or speech understanding scores, Uncomfortable Hearing Level and other methods are used on a less frequent basis. Typically, the pure tone test will provide sufficient information required to recommend a hearing aid.
Does background noise affect the online test? Back to top
The online pure tone test should be taken in a relatively quiet room. A quiet room usually has noise levels below 45 dB. Noise levels above 55 dB depending can influence the results, more usually because you may be distracted by noise during the test and will take longer to get an accurate hearing threshold, but will not likely influence the test findings. The worst case is that background noise will cause a test result pattern to change from normal to conductive which means the findings will be classified as a medically treatable condition when none exists.
What to the bar graphs indicate at the bottom of the test results? Back to top
These are confidence coefficients and indicate how accurate the classification system was able to classify the results. Several things can influence accuracy, the alertness of the person being tested, the type of hearing the person has, distractions during the test, how quickly a person responds to the tone, the calibration of the testing system, background noise and how many tests of this type the system has been able to identify in the past.
What does your test classification by Pattern and Level mean? Back to top
Pattern of hearing indicates where in the auditory system there is a problem. This will measure the frequencies of sound that are affected. The level indicates the extent to which hearing is impaired, or how loud a sound must be before you can hear it. Patterns of hearing include
- Normal
- A conductive pattern indicates the possibility of need for medical attention or treatment to reverse the hearing loss
- A sensorineural hearing pattern usually indicates a non-treatable or nonreversible hearing loss. This is the type of pattern which can usually be helped by the use of a hearing aid
- A mixed pattern is a combination of sensorineural and conductive hearing losses
Typically, adults have a sensorineural pattern. The level is divided most often into:
- Normal (zero to 25 dB),
- Mild (25 to 35 dB),
- Moderate (35 to 65 dB),
- Severe (65 to 85 dB) and
- Profound (85 dB +).
Level and Pattern are used in combination by hearing health care professionals to determine the extent of the person's hearing and what other assessment should be done, what course of medical intervention is taken, the potential success of medical intervention, the need for rehabilitation (usually hearing aids) or the effects of age, noise, lifestyle and ototoxic medications on the auditory hearing system. Neither Level or Pattern can be used effectively on an independent basis. They both must be assessed together.
Why do hearing test results change from test to test? Back to top
The auditory system has normal moment to moment fluctuations in a plus/minus 5 dB range, which means changes of as much as 10 dB between test would be considered normal. Headphone placement can often contribute to the change in hearing results just by their different location on the ears from test to test. Many factors influence the person's auditory attention both physiologically and environmentally. If a person has a conductive hearing loss, they can usually expect changes in pattern and level from test to test both upward and downward especially during medical treatment. It is less likely to happen with sensorineural hearing problems, but it can occur both upward and downward. The sensorineural hearing problems typically show a gradual worsening of hearing with time.
Why does it seem I have better or poorer hearing than the test results indicate? Back to top
The pure tone test is only a part of a full auditory assessment. This test is a simple test of how well pure tone sounds are carried from you ear to the brain. This test cannot tell how well you understand speech, what the range is between what you can barely hear and when year he year gets overloaded with sound, how well you listen, what type of environments you have trouble hearing in, how well the pathways in the brain to the ear are working, or if you have an active disease were some pathology which influences your hearing. If you feel your hearing is better or worse than the test results indicate, see your hearing health care professional for a complete assessment. The tests cannot indicate the presence or absence of pain, discharge, tinnitus, balance problems and numerous other conditions that alter a person's ability to hear. If these test results do not agree with your perceived ability to function adequately in hearing situations you need a medical and audiological assessment.
What are the different types of hearing aids? Back to top
Behind-The-Ear (BTE) - is a hearing aid that sits outside and behind your ear and is connected to an ear mold placed inside to year via tubing. BTE devices are fastened on the ear via an ear hook, and the ear molds are custom made to fit the users ear. This is a style of hearing aid that is old-fashioned, and is easily visible to other people. One of the benefits of this type of aid is the fact the batteries can be larger and thus need to be replaced less often.
In-the-Ear (ITE) - these are placed in the ear of the wearer. They are easily visible from a side view, and again, due to their size, can accommodate larger batteries. They are also usually the easiest to adjust for volume etc, as the setting are more easily changed by the wearer (particularly if your fingers are not as nimble as they once were).
In-the-Canal (ITC) - an in the canal aid sits in the canal itself and is less visible. Battery life is usually a couple of days, to a week or so (depending on how often they are worn. This is usually the preferred type of instrument, balancing reasonable cost , performance, ease of adjustment and comfort.
Completely-In-The-Canal (CIC) - this is the smallest type of device, and sits completely inside the ear canal. Due to their small size they are almost invisible, and can be difficult to adjust while in the ear. These are the most cosmetically attractive devices, although their batteries need to be changed frequently.
How does a hearing aid work? Back to top
A hearing aid is an electronic device with a small microphone that amplifies weak sounds through a small speaker. The speaker directs sound directly into the ear canal. You must have some ability to hear for the device to work. Modern aids are programmed to boost only those frequencies that are affected by the wearer. Typically, this means that the higher range of frequencies are boosted, while low to midrange frequencies are left unchanged. Again, due to the advanced electronics in most modern devices, there is a capability to discriminate background noise from speech, which improves satisfaction on the part of the wearer.
How much to hearing aids cost? Back to top
A typical digital hearing aid can cost between $1,000 and $1,500. The most advanced can run over $2000 each. Frequently, users will need a hearing device for each ear. This is based on the assumption that the hearing aid is fit by a professional audiologist, and his custom molded to your ear. The audiologist will also typically be available for follow-up appointments to fine-tune the performance of your hearing aid. This expense can be a big burden, and many potential candidates may prefer to wait before spending this much money.
A uni-fit digital hearing device available through our online service is much less expensive. A single device is available for $175 US, or $299 US for a pair. This provides a good-quality digital hearing device, that comes with a variety of different sized silicone sleeves to fit different sized ear canals. The digital device is preprogrammed to fit the most common hearing losses in the upper frequencies. It is important to remember that the vast majority of people suffering from hearing loss have only a mild to moderate loss, and are typically challenged only in the upper frequencies. If your hearing loss is atypical, with a pattern that shows hearing loss in the lower or midrange frequencies, it is recommended that you purchase a custom-made that can be tuned for your specific problems.
Do I need a hearing exam before buying a hearing aid? Back to top
There is no requirement necessary to have your hearing tested by professional before you purchase our hearing device. However, it is always recommended to see a medical professional or certified audiologist to ensure that your hearing is properly diagnosed. If you choose to purchase a hearing device online, you are required to acknowledge that you have waived the right to have a hearing test conducted by a certified professional.
Should I wear one or two hearing aids? Back to top
Typically, most people will have a hearing loss in both ears. If this is the case, it is highly recommended to purchase a pair of hearing devices. Having hearing corrected in only one ear will mean that it is difficult to distinguish the direction from which sound is coming, and will not provide as effective solution as possible.
What type of batteries do I need, and how often do they have to be replaced? Back to top
Every hearing aid and device takes a specific size battery. Companies now have a new color-coded system to help customers better remember and match their battery with their aid. The hearing devices available online through Telecare come with a full year's supply of spare batteries, andtypically need to be changed once a week for occasional use. These can be purchased in multiple unit packs relatively inexpensively. You can also order an additional years supply online when you are running low.
Can I get a trial period? Back to top
The hearing devices available online at this web site all come with a 60 day moneyback guarantee. If you're not satisfied with their performance, we recommend that you first contact our call center and explain the problems you are experiencing. It is often disconcerting to begin using a hearing device for the first time. You are hearing sounds you have not heard in a while, and your brain has lost its programming built up over number of years that helps distinguish between noise and speech. There is an adjustment period during which you must retrain your brain to discriminate between and process different sounds. However, we will cheerfully refund the purchase price, less shipping and handling, if you wish to return your hearing devices.
Are there any federal regulations for hearing aid sales? Back to top
The Federal Trade Commission is responsible for monitoring the business practices of hearing aid dispensers and vendors. The FTC can take action against companies that mislead or deceive consumers. The law further requires companies offering warranties to fully disclose all terms and conditions of their warranties.
The Food and Drug Administration enforces regulations that deal specifically with the manufacture and sale of hearing aids. According to the FDA, the following conditions must be met by all dispensers before selling a hearing aid:
1. Dispensers must obtain a written statement from the patient, signed by a licensed physician. The statement must be dated within the previous six months, state that the patient years have been medically evaluated, and that the patient is cleared for fitting with a hearing aid.
2. A patient aged 18 years or older can sign a waiver for a medical examination, but dispensers must avoid encouraging the patient to waive the medical evaluation requirement. Dispensers also must advise the patient that waiving the examination is not in his best health interest.
3. Dispensers must advise patients who appear to have a hearing problem to consult promptly with a physician.
4. The FDA regulations also require that an instruction brochure be provided with a hearing aid that illustrates and describes its operations, use and care. The brochure must list sources for repair and maintenance, and include a statement that the use of a hearing aid may up be only part of a rehabilitative program.
Are there any state regulations or standards for hearing aids? Back to top
There are many states that have laws governing the sale of hearing aids. Most states license hearing aid dispensers. You may also be protected by implied warranties created by state law. Your state Attorney General's office can tell you what laws apply to hearing aid sales in your state.
Cool Stuff Being Made: How Hearing Aids Are Made (Industry on Parade) Back to top
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