Archive for the ‘hearing aid news’ Category

ReSound’s wireless hearing aid, the Alera, is now available with a tinnitus treatment option.

Tinnitus causes ringing in the ears and affects about 15% of the world’s population.  It is the most prevalent physical condition reported by military service members and veterans.

The Bluetooth Alera TS combines an advanced hearing aid with a Tinnitus Sound Generator. The technology is used to administer sounds that make the disturbing tinnitus noise less noticeable, drawing your attention away from it. Over time, it can help retrain your brain to not notice the tinnitus even when you aren’t wearing the instrument.

“This kind of sound therapy when combined with informed counseling is recognized as a highly effective way of managing tinnitus,” said Michael Piskosz, M.S., ReSound.

The cause of tinnitus is unknown, but more than 80% report a significant or satisfactory improvement in tinnitus symptoms after using the Tinnitus Sound Generator feature, studies show.

The Alera also uses accessories to play sound wirelessly from your television, phones and computer directly into your hearing aids. It is available in custom, receiver in the ear and remote microphone styles and is available in three different technology levels.

“These people now have a flexible solution, and no longer have to live with tinnitus interrupting their daily lives,” Piskosz said.

To learn more about the Alera TS or to have a free demonstration, call a Hearing Aid Express office today.

The check list of things to do when flying seems to be constantly changing. Travelers are often warned about what they can or can’t bring in their checked luggage. Most travelers also know you may pass through an X-ray, metal detector or be manually checked by airport security officials.

The process, at times, seems daunting, especially if you have trouble hearing.

The Transportation Security Administration travel guidelines assure travelers that bringing your hearing aids shouldn’t be a problem.

Here is the most up-to-date information regarding hearing aids from TSA. You can find more information at, www.tsa.gov.

• It is not necessary to remove hearing aids at security checkpoints.

• It is best if you wear your hearing device while going through the metal detector.

• According to Otolaryngologist and Otolaryngology surgeons, hearing devices such as hearing aids are not affected by X-ray inspection, the walk-through metal detector, or the hand-held metal detector.

• If the screening process is unclear to you, ask the Security Officer to write the information down.

• If you can read lips or are hard of hearing, ask the Security Officer to look directly at you and repeat the information slowly.

• If you need to communicate with the Security Officer, inform her/him of your disability and the way in which you can communicate. TSA Security Officers are trained to provide whatever assistance they can to persons with hearing disabilities.

• If you are concerned or uncomfortable with going through the walk-thorough metal detector, you can ask for a full body pat-down of your person and a visual and physical inspection of the exterior component while it remains on your body.

We wish you a safe and happy holiday season whether traveling or not – Hearing Aid Express.

If your thinking about getting a new hearing aid, consider the new ReSound Alera. It wirelessly streams sound from your television, mobile phone and computer to your hearing aids.

In a recent story by the Chicago Tribune, ReSound’s Alera hearing aid was listed as a gadget that makes life easier for seniors.

The Alera hearing aid comes in three models to ensure there’s a fit for your specific needs. It also has a water-resistant coating to protect against damage from moisture, humidity, dirt and debris. This hearing aid also comes with surround sound to help you hear rich sound while maintaining awareness of the sounds around you – even in hard-to-hear listening environments.

If you’re considering this hearing aid, call Hearing Aid Express today for a free hearing test, consultation and demonstration.  Don’t forget to check out this review by the Chicago Tribune – click here

Do you have a hearing loss, but aren’t ready to wear hearing aids all the time to improve your hearing in both ears?

Panasonic has released a new product that may be just right for you. 

Panasonic’s JZ is a new type of hearing aid that is stylish, comfortable and easy to use. Designed to look like a small music player, it allows you to hear better from both ears using only one device. It’s like getting two hearing aids for the price of one.

Panasonic’s JZ will help you hear the sounds from your everyday life, including your friends and family, your television and stereo. It will fit easily inside your purse or pocket so you can carry it with you.

Because the Panasonic JZ looks more like an MP3-style music player,  your friends and family won’t even suspect you have a hearing loss. This style is also a good alternative for those who spend a lot of time reclining,  but still want to hear better.  It’s size makes it easy to use and adjust for those whose ability to manipulate small buttons just isn’t what it used to be.

With this new style of hearing instrument adjusts easily to up to four different sound environments. That means with a quick,  push of a button you will be able to hear better in various sound situations such as watching television or talking with friends and family.
 
The JZ comes with noise reduction, wind suppression and feedback suppression technology. It is also rechargeable or can use AAA batteries and comes in three      colors — red, blue and silver.

If you are unsure if you have a hearing loss, take this quick survey. If you respond ‘yes’ to some of these questions you may have a hearing loss.

DO YOU?

 Have any difficulty hearing on a phone?

Find that friends and family often tell you the television is too loud?

Find yourself straining to understand conversations?

Have trouble hearing conversations in a noisy background such as a crowded room or restaurant?

Stop wondering if you have a hearing loss. Call the hearing professionals at Hearing Aid Express today.

Hearing Aid Express is now offering Panasonic hearing systems.

Panasonic is not a newcomer to helping consumers hear better. The company has been offering hearing technology abroad for more than 50 years. Now, for the first time, this technology is available in the United States , and Hearing Aid Express is the first to bring it to you.

Panasonic’s hearing system line includes the 4 Series Receiver-In-Canal, the 2 Series Behind-The-Ear and the JZ Series. These hearing instruments include Panasonic’s own Digital Signal Processor to help deliver high-quality sound and enable precise reproduction of the original sound through advanced audio and acoustic technologies.

Whether you’re listening to a group of friends in a crowded restaurant or sharing a conversation in the privacy of your home, Panasonic’s Intelligent Scene Selector adjusts the listening mode to enhance the delivery of crisp, clear sound. Unlike units that require manual adjustment of present memory and volume settings, Panasonic hearing instruments automatically select the appropriate listening mode from up to seven different sound environments to optimize audibility and speech recognition.

Dual Focus helps users understand speech by focusing on the conversation in front of you and suppresses surrounding noise through the use of dual microphones.  The result is less noise from the sides and behind you and clear sounds from the front to help make hearing in noisy situations more comfortable.

Wind Suppression and Dual Filtering Feedback Cancellation help create a clear reception of the sounds you want to hear.

High performance and advanced signal processing typically leads to a shorter battery life, but Panasonic’s unique circuit design and optimized signal processing reduces power consumption to extend the battery life of your hearing instrument. When your battery runs low, the Battery Alarm will notify you it needs to be replaced. Panasonic hearing instruments operate in the “green” by minimizing frustration, expense and impact on the environment caused by frequently having to change batteries.

To learn more about Panasonic hearing systems, call Hearing Aid Express today for a free hearing test and demonstration.

Are there waterproof hearing aids?

Hearing aids have to have some sort of opening for the microphone so that sound waves can get inside.  Once inside, the computer chip in the hearing aid processes the signal (adjusting for noise, different frequencies and so on) and delivers the modified sounds to your eardrum.
Because there must be an opening for sound waves to get in to the aid there are no hearing aids that are completely waterproof (meaning you can’t store them in a bowl of water!).  There are some new hearing aids that are surprisingly water-resistant.

What’s the problem with water and moisture?

Hearing aids are small electronic devices.  They have one or more microphones, a receiver (or “speaker”), a computer chip, a battery for power, plus delicate wiring and other components.  Electrical devices and water don’t mix.  In fact, moisture, whether from water, sweat or humidity is one of the leading reasons hearing aids need to be repaired.  In Texas this is an especially big problem.

What about these new Water Resistant hearing aids?  How are they different?

Some new hearing aids are nano-coated to make them very water resistant.  This coating is extremely thin – less than one thousandth the thickness of a human hair.  The company doing this nano-coating is P2i www.p2ilabs.com.  (Note: watch their video to see how this coating keeps water out!)
A few hearing aid manufacturers including ReSound and Starkey are now using this  nano-coating technology on some of their hearing aid models.  This coating makes them very resistant to moisture, which should greatly reduce the need for repairs.  Nano-coating can only be applied during the manufacturing processing and is only available for BTE and RIC models.
Contact the nearest Hearing Aid Express office (show locations here) to learn more about these new “nearly” waterproof hearing aids.