Julie Christensen, M.S., CCC-A
Boys Town Hearing and Balance Center

Most of us are in many different listening situations throughout the day. We spend time in quiet offices, attend noisy ball games, go to concerts and lectures, stop in at shopping malls, and eat at restaurants. These frequently changing listening environments present a challenge for individuals wearing hearing aids. Hearing aid manufacturers are actively addressing the need for listening in frequently changing conditions. Newer hearing aids are able to sample the listening environment and automatically select the features most appropriate for optimal speech understanding and comfort.

Many newer hearing aids now have:

• Automatic volume controls that provide additional amplification for soft voices when the listening conditions are quiet.
• Directional microphones that improve the ability of the user to understand conversation through background noise.
• Noise reduction circuitry that increase the user’s comfort by selectively reducing the amplification in louder environments.
• Automatic phone programs that “turn on” when the phone receiver is near and “turn off” when you hang up.
• Feedback cancellation circuits that monitor for hearing aid “whistling” and reduce or eliminate it.
• Impact noise sensors that reduce the loud sounds from sudden noises such as a door slam or a shout.
• Circuits that recognize music and adjust the aid for improved music sound quality.
• Wind noise circuits that identify the presence of wind sounds and actively reduce the loudness and annoyance of that signal.

While these new features cannot guarantee perfect hearing for every user in all situations, they go a long way to improve hearing aid users’ performance and satisfaction. Click here to learn more about the Boys Town Hearing and Balance Center.