Issue 3 PDF Download - Oticon

Welcome to 

Sound Advice 

Magazine! 

Hearing - perhaps the most precious of all the 

senses - is something that every human being takes 

for granted, until the day it begins to fail. Consider 

the symphony of sounds you hear and enjoy, every 

single day. The sound of laughter, children playing, 

a loving remark, a play, a musical, a walk 

on a windy day. We are surrounded by joyous, 

stimulating, informative sounds that touch our 

emotions and make life worth living. 

In the old days, hearing loss was something you 

couldn’t argue with. You accepted it with silent 

resignation. Today, no one has to take it lying 

down. Over the past decade, technology has 

developed at lightening speed to maintain a lifeline 

to the world of sound. Modern solutions originate 

in knowledge that has taken decades to acquire by 

scientists and specialists who are truly committed 

to their cause. 

The science of hearing and the art of creating 

good hearing solutions is truly fascinating, and 

we’d like to share some of this knowledge with 

you. The Sound Advice Magazine offers a variety 

of information, practical tips, and insight into the 

design and development of hearing aids. All this, 

to provide a solid basis for making decisions about 

purchasing and using today’s hearing instruments 

to improve the way you communicate with friends 

and loved ones. 

Indepth interviews with people of all ages and 

from all walks of life provide a unique glimpse 

of the transition into a new world of hearing. 

They’ve already discovered how to get the best out 

of life with something that used to be viewed as 

a handicap, but in reality, no longer needs to be. 

Today, hearing aids do more than simply amplify 

sound - they let you live the life you want with the 

hearing you have. 

The Sound Advice Magazine is free and so is the 

advice. We hope you enjoy the read! 

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S O U N D A D V I C E M A G A Z I N E 2 0 0 3 

CONtENtS 

Life Lessons Learned by the 

teachers 

ExpErIENCES At SChOOl AND 

hOME WEArING thE NEW 

DIGItAl GAIA… 

page 6-9 

choosing the right coLor 

hIDE yOUr hEArING AIDS Or 

ShOW thEM Off? lEt thE 

COlOrS DECIDE! 

page 10-13 

better hearing with two 

ears 

Why WE NEED tWO EArS – 

AND WhAt hAppENS If WE 

NEGlECt thEM 

page 14-15 

from inside the ear 

ChOOSING thE rIGht 

hEArING AIDS 

page 16 

anaLog to digitaL - what a 

difference! 

AN INtErVIEW ON thE NEW 

GAIA hEArING AIDS 

page 17 

the process of 

rediscovering sound 

OpENING thE DOOr tO A 

WOrlD Of SOUND 

page 18-21 

digitaL vs. anaLog 

WhAt’S UNIqUE AbOUt DIG- 

ItAl SOUND prOCESSING? 

page 22-23 

a boost in the right 

direction 

DIrECtIONAl tEChNOlOGy = 

MOrE CONtrOl IN trICky 

lIStENING SItUAtIONS 

page 24-27 

good communication habits 

SIMplE, yEt VAlUAblE 

tIpS, ON hOW tO MAkE 

COMMUNICAtION EASIEr 

page 30-33 

deveLoping the gaia 

hearing aid 

bEhIND thE SCENES – hOW 

GAIA tEChNOlOGy prOVIDES 

SUpErIOr SOUND qUAlIty 

page 34-37 

cherazad in paris 

ON thE IDEA – AND rEAlIty – 

Of WEArING hEArING AIDS 

page 38-41 

the technoLogy in openear 

acoustics 

lEArN hOW thIS SyStEM 

rEDUCES SOME Of thE MOSt 

IrrItAtING SIDE EffECtS Of 

WEArING hEArING AIDS 

page 42-43

hearing aids – then and 

now 

SEE hOW hEArING AIDS hAVE 

ADVANCED OVEr thE pASt 75 

yEArS! 

page 44-45 

the gaia name and address 

WhErE thE NAME OrIGINAtES - 

AND WhAt yOU CAN fIND ON 

thE WEbSItE 

page 46 

test your own hearing 

EASy qUEStIONS hElp yOU 

MAkE A qUICk SElf-ASSESSMENt 

page 47 

hearing and hearing Loss 

lEArN AbOUt thE ANAtOMy 

Of thE EAr AND thE prIMAry 

CAUSES Of hEArING lOSS 

page 48-49 

getting the right 

hearing aids 

thE prOCESS – frOM thE 

hEArING tESt tO thE hEArING 

AID fIttING 

page 50-53 

it’s your choice 

ONCE yOU ACCEpt yOUr 

hEArING lOSS It bECOMES 

EASIEr tO DO SOMEthING 

AbOUt It… 

page 54-57 

the hearing Quiz 

SEE hOW MUCh INfOrMAtION 

yOU AbSOrbED frOM thIS 

MAGAZINE. hAVE fUN! 

page 58-59 

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life lessons 

learned by the 

Teacher 

Caroline, a first grade teacher in Clinton, N.J. and mother of 

two young children, is new to hearing instruments. Since 

childhood she has suffered from allergies and associated problems 

with her ears. however, it was not until recently that 

she was diagnosed with a significant hearing loss.

When I was about eight years old, I was diagnosed 

with “fluid in my ear” and had tubes put in. I was 

treated by an allergist and over the years, continued 

to see different allergists. I was unaware of 

my hearing loss. I married about 11 years ago and 

my husband was the first to notice that I was not 

hearing correctly. “You don’t hear me all the time,” 

he would complain. 

His concern prompted me to have my ears checked. 

Two physicians told me everything “looked fine.” I 

accepted their assessments of my hearing problem. 

At that point in my life, I was busy starting my 

family and it wasn’t until my second child was a 

toddler that I again focused on my hearing. 

FOTO: KIrSTen AbelIn 

I suppose that my life was so busy that until that 

time I had just put paying attention to my own 

needs on the back burner. I had enough to take care 

of with my children, my husband and my house. 

When my daughter, my second child, was about 

three years old, I took it upon myself to go to an 

enT as opposed to a family physician. 

He noticed a wax build-up in my ear and took 

care of that. When I returned for a follow 

up appointment, he found that I had several 

choleastomoas, tumors in my ear that had 

eroded some of the temporal bones from the inner 

ear. I immediately went for a hearing test with 

an audiologist who told me that I had significant 

hearing loss. 

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He proved his diagnosis by 

putting his hands over his mouth 

as he spoke to me. I couldn’t 

hear him. I had compensated so 

well all these years, I never realized 

I was reading lips. 

Over the next several years, my 

tumors were treated surgically 

and it was just two years ago that 

I was able to be fitted for my first 

hearing aids. even though I had 

only traditional, analog hearing 

aids, I was amazed to discover 

how much I was missing. 

I knew about the new digital 

hearing instruments. but my 

husband and I wanted to wait. 

We’re the type of people who 

like to do a lot of research before 

we try new things. 

Just over two months ago, my 

audiologist suggested I try the 

new Gaia hearing instruments. I 

had been unhappy with some of 

the features of my old hearing 

aid, especially my inability to 

hear well in background noise. 

A Difference in the Classroom 

I was having difficulty in larger 

settings. I teach first grade and it 

can be very challenging because 

the children need a great deal 

of help. They are just developing 

their speech patterns and 

learning the proper way to speak 

and use language. It’s important 

that I am able to hear them. 

When my audiologist told me 

that certain models within Gaia 

could help to reduce background 

noise, I was very excited. I was 

also interested in trying hearing 

instruments that I could wear 

comfortably while I spoke on the 

phone. I am constantly speaking 

with parents on the phone and 

with Gaia, I no longer have the 

whistling or feedback that is so 

distracting and irritating. 

I’ve worn Gaia for a few months 

now and they are wonderful. 

Sounds are a lot clearer and 

crisper. The noise reduction is 

amazing. I have a directional 

feature in my hearing aids. 

When I’m teaching the whole 

class, I can turn the directional 

feature on and off. 

When I’m in the classroom, I 

can now position myself in a 

corner or at the blackboard with 

a whole group of students in 

front of me and feel confident 

that I can hear everything that is 

going on. In a learning environment 

with young children, there 

are always one or two or three 

children who are distracting the 

other students. It is important 

that I can hear these children 

because when I’m teaching, I 

may not be able to always see 

them. With my new instruments 

I can hear what is going on and I 

don’t have to rely on visual cues. 

The children haven’t noticed 

my hearing aids. What they do 

notice is that now I can hear 

them all the way across the 

room. 

Help on the Home Front

When I’m at home I can hear 

my children in ways that I never 

could before. For example, I 

could never hear them on the 

second floor of the house when 

I was downstairs in the kitchen. 

now I can hear conversations 

going on, when they’re supposed 

to be in bed. I know when 

they’re fooling around instead 

of getting ready for school. It 

makes it so much easier for me 

to give them directions, “Get 

your coat on” or “Put your shoes 

on” rather than walk up the 

stairs. As it would be for any 

busy parent, the extra five or 

ten minutes I used to spend to 

go upstairs and communicate 

one-on-one with them was 

especially stressful. Those extra 

ten or fifteen minutes getting 

them out the door sometimes 

meant the difference between 

arriving on time or being late. 

The evening I wore my Gaia 

instruments home for the first 

time, my husband was surprised 

to find me watching television 

while I was preparing dinner. 

before that, I never put on the 

television because I needed to 

sit and watch it and do nothing 

else. Otherwise, I couldn’t hear 

or comprehend what was being 

said. That night, I could listen to 

television while I was chopping 

vegetables. It was wonderful! 

Having a hearing loss is not an 

issue for me. People really can’t 

see my Gaia instruments when 

I wear them but I have to admit 

that I really don’t mind people 

knowing that I wear hearing aids. 

I am comfortable with the fact 

that I have hearing loss. I am 

proud that I can lead a normal 

life and that I have these hearing 

aids to help me. Without my 

hearing aids, I couldn’t work, I 

couldn’t hear my children. It 

would be very, very frustrating. 

My new hearing aids are very 

comfortable. I wear them all 

day and only take them out at 

testimonial 

Photo: Kelly/Mooney 

night when I go to sleep. I wish 

I could wear them to bed - but I 

know it’s not practical. 

My young son has excellent 

hearing and he is awakened by 

the wind at night. He hears the 

winds gust and it is so nice to 

put my hearing instruments in 

and hear what he is describing 

to me. I can assure him that it 

is only the wind and that helps 

him return to sleep. It comforts 

me to be able to understand what 

upsets him and be able to help 

him. 

My children take music lessons 

and it is really nice to be able to 

appreciate their development. 

Their music playing is just one 

of the many sweet sounds my 

Gaia instruments have made 

possible for me! 

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S O U N D A D V I C E M A G A Z I N E 2 0 0 3

Choosing the right 

COlOr 

Show them or hide them? It’s only natural 

to want to be in control, especially 

when it comes to the way you look. Some 

things you want to show off, while others 

you want to keep more discrete - hearing aids are 

no different! It’s nice to have a broad selection 

of colors when choosing new instruments. Today’s 

hearing aids come in a multitude of colors to blend 

with your skin tone, hair tone or personality; ranging 

from subdued colors with discreet cosmetic appeal 

to neon colors that are bright and breezy. Hearing 

aids are like any other accessory - they can make a 

positive statement about who you are. 

Two basic styles 

There are two basic types of hearing aids: those you 

put “In-the-ear” (called ITes) and those you place 

“behind-the-ear” (bTes). behind-the-ear instruments 

come in the widest range of colors. Although 

the skin-tone colors in bTe styles are very popular, 

the hair-tone colors are also worth considering 

when being fit with hearing instruments. These 

colors are designed to blend in with almost any hair 

color. 

Colors for kids 

Kids are full of energy and if given the choice, 

they aim straight for the fun, neon colored bTe 

instruments. When children take part in selecting 

their own hearing instruments, they have an easier 

time showing them off to friends and teachers at 

school and explaining how they work. 

Aspects to consider 

If you have short hair, you might feel more comfortable 

wearing a color that matches your skin tone. 

If you tend to wear your hair long, then a hair-tone 

color is probably the best solution. However, if you 

don’t mind showing off your hearing aids, why 

not choose a totally striking color for a modern, 

high-tech look? 

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the right color 

today’s hearing aids come 

in a multitude of colors to 

blend with your skin tone, hair 

tone or personality

Kids are bright, bubbly and full of energy! behind- 

the-ear (bTe) hearing aids come in a wide range of 

fun colors - they’re smart, reliable and easy to use, 

both at home and at school. 

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better hearing 

with two ears 

being able to hear with both ears is just as important as being able to 

see with both eyes. If you have difficulty hearing with both ears, you will 

almost certainly benefit from a binaural hearing aid fitting - wearing a 

hearing aid in each ear. 

The most important benefits of 

wearing two hearing aids are: 

• Your ability to localize sounds 

will improve 

• It will be easier to understand 

speech in noisy environments 

• The risk of auditory deprivation 

is considerably reduced 

• You will experience a fuller, 

more comfortable sound picture 

Sense of sound direction 

The brain needs input from 

both ears to tell us which direction 

sounds are coming from. 

Think about a car honking its 

horn. Your ears alert you to the 

danger, sending sound signals 

to your brain. Within a split 

second, your brain compares the 

information received from both 

ears such as, the intensity of the 

sound wave and how long it took 

to reach the ear. 

This process tells you instantly 

which direction the car is coming 

from and how far away it is; this 

is called sound localization. 

If you don’t use it, you lose it 

When only one hearing aid 

is used, the risk of auditory 

deprivation is increased. This 

is when the brain gradually loses 

some of its ability to process 

information from the unaided 

ear because of a continued 

lack of stimulation. Auditory 

deprivation most often occurs 

when the ear goes unaided over 

a long period of time - so the 

earlier you consider wearing 

two hearing aids, the better your 

chances are of minimizing this risk. 

Understanding people in noise 

Imagine an everyday situation, 

like a conversation at the dinner 

table. You are trying to talk with 

the person next to you, but the 

rest of the family is also talking, 

and the background noise makes 

it difficult for you not only to 

hear, but especially to understand 

what is being said. 

background noise makes it difficult 

to follow what people are 

saying. If you don’t hear equally 

well with both ears, you can’t tell 

which sounds are coming from 

far away and which ones are in 

the background and therefore 

less interesting. This is because 

the brain needs input from both 

ears in order to separate 

sounds effectively. 

It is possible to assist some of

the brain’s natural ability to filter 

out background noise by getting 

professionally fit with two 

hearing aids. 

A fuller sound picture 

If you hear equally well with 

both ears, sounds are more 

comfortable to listen to. You 

don’t have to strain to hear, and 

sounds are clearer and richer in 

detail. In other words, you get 

more out of the sounds around 

you. 

Imagine listening to your favorite 

program on the stereo. It has 

two amplifiers and two speakers, 

to give music and speech a natural 

depth. However, if only one 

amplifier and speaker are working, 

the sounds become shallow and 

flat. If you only wear one hearing 

aid, but should be wearing two, 

you may also perceive sound in 

this way. 

Fortunately, your hearing care 

professional can prevent this 

from occuring by fitting you with 

hearing aids in both ears. 

The main reason why some people 

don’t like to wear two hearing aids 

2 is better than 1 

is because they make you feel 

plugged up and distorts the way 

your own voice sounds. With the 

new Gaia hearing aid, you don’t 

have to worry about this problem! 

Gaia uses Openear Acoustics technology 

and large vents to provide a 

more natural listening experience. 

read more about this on pages 36 

and 42. 

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Choosing the right hearing aids 

before choosing hearing aids, 

there are a number of factors to 

consider. Most of these depend 

on the specific characteristics 

of your hearing loss, the 

shape of your ears, your ability 

to physically handle hearing 

aids, your communication needs 

and price. Your hearing care 

professional will recommend 

a solution that is best for you. 

The most popular styles of 

hearing aids available today are: 

• CIC (Completely-in-the-Canal) 

• ITC (In-the-Canal) 

• ITe (In-the-ear) 

• bTe (behind-the-ear) 

CIC 

This is the smallest type 

of hearing aid available and 

is almost invisible in the ear. 

These are custom made and 

are reserved for people with 

ear canals large enough to 

accommodate the insertion depth 

of the instruments into the ears. 

Keep in mind that CICs use very 

small batteries that require good 

manual dexterity. CICs are not 

suitable for people with more 

severe hearing loss. 

ITC 

ITC instruments are a little bigger 

than CICs. They also fit 

relatively deep in the ear canal. 

They do use a slightly larger battery, 

which makes them easier to 

handle and replace when needed. 

ITCs are suitable for mild to 

moderately severe hearing losses. 

ITe 

These hearing aids are appropriate 

for mild to severe hearing losses. 

Due to their larger size, ITes can 

accommodate more features such 

as directionality (makes speech 

easier to understand in noisy 

situations - see page 24), multiple 

listening programs, and telecoils 

(for telephone use and assistive 

listening devices). These 

instruments are also easier to 

handle for many people. 

bTe 

bTe hearing aids house all of 

the electronics in a case that fits 

behind the ear. The sound travels 

via a tube that connects to an 

earmold, which directs the sound 

into the ear canal. bTe instruments 

are appropriate for mild to 

profound hearing losses and are 

available in a range of colors to 

match hair and skin tones, or in 

bright and fun colors. 

Colors 

Hearing aids are available in a 

wide variety of skin and hair 

tone colors, plus a series of 

bright and fun colors. See the 

article on colors on page 11.

Analog to Digital - What a Difference! 

Andrew, a computer systems analyst, has worn analog hearing aids for 

approximately two and one-half years. he learned of his need for hearing 

instruments when a bad ear infection sent him to his family physician. he’s 

been wearing Gaia hearing Aids for several months. 

An interview with Andrew Mirolsky 

bridgewater, nJ 

When I had a bad ear infection, 

a hearing test showed that I 

needed hearing aids to hear high 

pitched sounds. I began wearing 

analog instruments. I decided to 

try Gaia because my audiologist 

told me that they would work 

better for me than my analog 

instruments. She explained that 

I would be able to hear high pitch 

sounds and long distance sounds 

more clearly, experience a more 

comfortable fit and just an overall 

superior sound quality. 

My audiologist is terrific. She 

worked with me to be sure I was 

fitted properly and instructed 

me on how to work with my 

new instruments. With my Gaia 

instruments, I can hear people 

speaking more easily and I can 

hear and listen more comfortably. 

The background noise doesn’t 

overwhelm me. 

AT HOMe …How does my family 

feel about my new hearing aids? 

Well, I don’t ask them to repeat 

themselves as much. My wife has 

a tendency to talk to me as she 

is walking out of the room. even 

though I still can’t hear her when 

she’s two rooms away and still 

talking, with my Gaia instruments 

I can actually hear her a little better 

when she starts to walk way! 

AT WOrK …I am a computer 

systems consultant and I attend 

many meetings where there may 

be several conversations going 

on at one time. now I am able 

to pick up those conversations 

more clearly. I’ve noticed I am 

also better able to hear women’s 

voices with my new hearing aids. 

When I’m driving in my car, I 

can hear much better than I could 

with my analog instruments. 

There was lots of background 

noise and distraction with the 

old hearing aids. I am also more 

comfortable listening to people in 

a car environment. road noise 

doesn’t bother me any more. 

AT PlAY…I enjoy playing golf 

and now I will be able to enjoy 

the conversation as I’m playing. 

It will definitely be easier to hear 

what everyone is saying, especially 

on a windy day. If only they 

could improve my game! 

I leave my Gaia’s in all day, from 

first thing in the morning, and I 

take them off at night when I go 

to bed. They’re very comfortable. 

I don’t even notice them. 

I have a very inquisitive granddaughter 

and she has noticed 

my new hearing aids. but other 

people don’t notice them. When 

I show them to people, they are 

amazed at how small my Gaia 

hearing aids are. People really 

can’t see them when I’m wearing 

them. That is, unless they’re like 

my granddaughter -- snooping 

around in her granddad’s ears! 

Some people are embarrassed 

that they wear hearing aids, but 

I’m not. My hearing aids make 

a world of difference in what I 

hear and how I can appreciate the 

world around me. 


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thE prOCESS Of 

rEDISCOVErING SOUND 

hearing aids can open the door to a 

world of sounds that seemed lost and 

gone forever. It may have taken a long 

time for them to disappear, but it will 

take only a little time to rediscover 

them. And the benefits are many... 

There is no such thing as “normal hearing.” Surprised? 

Well, don’t be! There is a huge difference between the 

hearing abilities of a newborn and a teenager. The hearing 

abilities of an adult also vary from 40, 50 and 60 years of 

age and onwards. like so many things throughout life, our 

hearing changes, but the changes usually happen so slowly 

that initially we don’t even notice them. It’s only when our 

hearing starts to affect the way we communicate that we 

begin to wonder what’s going on. 

Hearing aids can make a positive and immediate difference 

in your life. If a person has waited a long time before 

getting hearing aids, certain sounds might seem rather 

loud - even unidentifiable! This is because the brain forgets 

what it was like to be able to hear those sounds, and it has 

to remember them all over again! The brain has to learn to 

focus on the sounds that are important, and filter out everything 

else. It’s a process that takes time!

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train your brain 

Very few people are able to adjust to new hearing 

aids immediately. Hearing is a very complex 

system that starts in the outer ear, where sound is 

captured, and ends in the brain where all the information 

is stored, decoded, and transformed into 

something we can understand. With hearing aids, 

the brain registers so many new sounds that the 

initial adjustment period can be quite tiring. It’s a 

bit like training a muscle that hasn’t been used for a 

long time. but what a difference it makes when you 

finally regain that lost strength! 

When you first get new instruments you should 

start slowly. It doesn’t take long before they can 

be worn comfortably all day. Just as a personal 

trainer would offer guidance during fitness sessions, 

a hearing care professional can be of similar 

assistance during consultations. They can offer 

good advice when it comes to people’s expectations 

and experiences. They can also put new hearing 

aid users in touch with others who have dealt with 

similar situations. There’s a whole community of 

experienced users out there! 

help from the professionals 

Hearing care professionals are highly qualified 

at guiding people through the adjustment process. 

With hearing aids, listening becomes much 

easier most of the time. However, noisy environments 

can still present a challenge. During followup 

appointments, hearing care professionals can 

provide practical recommendations about how to 

cope in difficult listening situations. They can also 

make adjustments to the hearing aid settings if 

necessary.

Adjusting 

There will always be a difference between what can 

be measured electronically in the hearing aids and 

how the hearing aid user actually perceives what 

they hear. Therefore, the more information that 

person can provide regarding their experiences, the 

better the results. Hearing aids often come with a 

personal diary, which can be very useful for logging 

events and describing how things sound. 

These entries make an excellent starting point 

for follow-up visits, in which the hearing 

care professional will review current progress, 

and take corrective action if necessary. 

hearing in noise 

Hearing in noise can be difficult, even for people 

who don’t have a hearing loss. Conversations 

in a restaurant, talking at a basketball game or 

even trying to hear while the water is running are 

difficult for anybody. As a hearing aid user, it’s 

useful to have a few tricks up one’s sleeve when 

encountering such situations! 

There are some easy ways to deal with the most 

common noisy situations. It is a good idea to avoid 

standing near a noise source (radio, TV). It’s also a 

good idea to avoid communicating from separate 

rooms; face to face contact makes talking much 

easier. Finally, keep in mind that listening in noise 

is even more difficult when you are tired. 

practice makes perfect 

And last, but not least, practice makes perfect! 

Hearing aids pick up many sounds - some wanted, 

some unwanted. Separating the noise from the 

conversation can be tricky at first, but as each day 

passes, focusing becomes easier. Two good exercises 

are to practice talking with a friend outdoors and 

practice following a conversation in a moderately 

busy restaurant. 

With practice, tangible improvements can be 

achieved within weeks. There are lots of benefits 

- easier communication with friends and family, 

increased self confidence, and more energy to enjoy 

the good things in life. even family and friends will 

notice the difference! 

! did 

! did 

adjusting 

you know that the world’s 

first commercially available hearing aid, 

akoulallio - was introduced in 1899? 

you know that approximately 500 million 

people in the world have a hearing loss, 

but only approximately 10% wear hearing 

aids? 

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Digital vs. 

Analog or digital – what’s the 

difference? 

If you’ve read or heard about hearing aids, you may 

have noted that there are two types: analog and 

digital. Analog technology is the conventional way 

of treating sound, digital technology is the most 

modern way. The first digital hearing aids were 

introduced by Oticon in 1996. 

Most people agree that digital technology has done 

wonders for the quality of video films (digital VCrs, 

camcorders, and now DVD) and also for music 

(Compact Disk and Minidisk) but the question is, 

what does digital do for hearing aids? 

The basics 

All hearing aids have a number of features in 

common. The sound enters through a microphone, 

it is then treated and amplified, and then finally, 

it is delivered to a receiver (loudspeaker). If the 

hearing aid is placed inside the ear, the receiver 

sends the sound directly into your ear canal. If the 

hearing aid is placed behind your ear, the sound 

travels via a small tube to an earmold and is then 

delivered into the ear canal. 

In analog hearing aids, the original sound signal 

is treated electronically, with the aid of miniature 

circuitry. The disadvantage of analog is that 

analog 

Digital cameras, digital televisions, digital telephones, digital sounds... the word 

“digital” is used more frequently with all kinds of products. but what is digital? 

Is it really as great as they say? 

the more you want to process the signal, the more 

circuitry you need. With each additional piece of 

circuitry, the risk of creating noise and distortion 

increases. 

However, in digital hearing aids, the sound is 

converted into digits (0,1) for processing - just 

like in a computer. As soon as it’s been processed, 

it’s reconverted to an analog acoustic signal that 

you can hear. Digital technology allows us to 

manipulate the sound, over and over again, without 

affecting the overall quality. 

Analog sound processing 

Sound waves are vibrations in the air. In analog 

hearing aids, these vibrations are picked up by a 

microphone and then transforms the movements 

into a single, yet complex electrical current. Analog 

sound is similar to making a photocopy. The sound 

is registered, and then you get an overall picture. 

but processing sound this way is like copying a 

photocopy - it can only be done to a certain extent, 

because the quality of the original imprint is 

significantly reduced. 

Digital sound processing 

Digital sound processing is totally different. Once 

again, a microphone picks up the sound, but now

it’s transformed into mathematical units. The signal 

is then divided into many small parts, the pitch and 

the volume can be measured at any given moment 

in time. This method is much more precise. It gives 

us the freedom to change certain details, without 

disturbing the rest of the picture. And because a 

digital signal is more robust than an analog signal, 

it can be shaped and reshaped accurately 

and endlessly, without affecting the overall quality. 

It’s like making copies of a digitally scanned 

image - each copy is a perfect duplicate of the original. 

The advantages of digital 

technology 

Compared to analog hearing aids, digital hearing 

aids provide dramatically improved sound quality. 

They can be tailor-made to suit people’s individual 

hearing loss and listening requirements. 

They are also designed to make communication 

easier. Speech is a complex signal to process, 

but digital technology treats the signal very gently 

- without adding unwanted elements - so the 

speech stays crisper and clearer than with analog 

processing. 

Today, digital technology is an integral part of everyday 

life. You probably already have a variety of 

digital products in your household - maybe, without 

even knowing it. Telephones, video recorders 

and stereos are mostly digital. So are the computers 

that have been influencing our daily lives, both at 

work and at home, for the past 10-15 years. 

Thanks to miniaturization techniques, this same 

technology can now be squeezed into amazingly 

small hearing aids. Digital technology in hearing 

aids provide excellent sound quality and ease of use 

that makes the listening experience more natural 

and more enjoyable than ever before. 

23

24 


directionAlIty 

A special focus on 

speech 

Imagine a “normal” day; getting 

up in the morning, dressing, 

making breakfast, shopping, 

visiting friends. “normal” days 

are as different as one person 

from the next is different. but 

one thing is certain - everyday 

life takes us through many different 

listening situations, some 

of which are more difficult than 

others. 

When you are in a noisy 

situation, like a restaurant or 

shopping mall, it can be a great 

challenge to focus on what 

people are saying. It certainly 

would be nice to have hearing 

aids that could focus for you in 

these situations. These hearing 

aids exist. They’re called directional 

hearing aids and they give 

you a clear advantage in difficult 

listening situations. 

Gaia directional hearing aids 

provide you with more control 

over your hearing. You can 

manually switch between two 

different listening programs, one 

for everyday use, and the other 

for pinpointing speech in noisy 

surroundings. 

Stay in touch with the 

world 

The surround program is perfect 

for everyday situations, when 

you want to be able to hear everything 

that’s going on around 

you. When the hearing aid is in 

this setting, Gaia will make all 

sounds come through clearer and 

keep you in contact with your 

surroundings - no matter where 

the sound is coming from. 

When you are at home, for 

example, switching to the 

directional program ensures that 

loud sounds coming from behind 

remain at a comfortable level 

while making other people’s 

voices in front of you easier to 

hear. 

When conversation is 

important 

There will be situations where 

you want to hear the speaker in 

front of you very clearly. This is 

where the directional program is 

ideal. It automatically protects 

you from the background noise, 

which otherwise would drown 

out the speech and make it 

harder to understand. 

You could be celebrating an 

anniversary, for example, with 

your family and friends in a 

restaurant. The conversations 

are lively; everyone is enjoying 

themselves. but you find it 

difficult to follow what’s being 

said. now is the time to switch 

to the directional program in 

Gaia. The direct program makes 

speech come through clearly 

and simultaneously suppresses 

background noise. 

you are in control 

no two people are alike; 

some prefer to hear sounds 

from all directions, even in 

noisy surroundings. Others 

want to be able to focus even in 

relatively quiet environments. 

In certain situations - such as in 

busy traffic, directionality can 

actually be a disadvantage. 

This is why it is so important 

to be able to adjust to any 

given situation. When you 

wear Gaia hearing aids, you 

have the freedom to switch 

to the directional program 

whenever you feel you can 

benefit from it. In addition to 

providing excellent sound 

quality and speech understanding, 

Gaia gives you direct control 

over your ability to focus on 

speech. It puts background noise 

where it’s supposed to be - in the 

background! 

Gaia directional 

instruments are 

available in 

behind-the-Ear and 

In-the-Ear styles.

In the directional program, Gaia 

reduces the noise coming from 

the sides and the back, so you 

can focus on what is coming 

directly in front of you. 

In the surround program, Gaia 

provides information from all 

directions. 

Knud beier: 

The Directional 

experience 

Carsten Ahlbom interviews 79-year-old Knud beier, 

retired Managing Director, who has just completed a 

fitting of Oticon’s new Gaia Directional hearing aids. 

After 14 days of lively indoor and outdoor activity, 

Knud pinpoints a number of benefits he’s never 

experienced before… 

Knud, what has it been like to wear these 

instruments in everyday listening situations? 

It’s been a truly pleasurable experience. The speech 

and sound quality is far superior to anything I’ve 

ever tried before. My old hearing aids were good for 

the technology of the time. but technology advances, 

and I can really feel the difference with Gaia. 

During the trial period I was in a meeting with 

Photo: Martin Sølyst 

25

26 


! did 

Testing Gaia made Knud 

beier realize what he had 

been missing. He hears 

more speech, finds it easier 

to talk on the phone, 

and no longer experiences 

problems with whistling 

sounds. 

you know that 

the first digital hearing 

aid was introduced by 

oticon in 1996? 

20 people around a large table, 

and for the first time ever, I 

could hear what was being said 

from all directions. The whole 

evening was really enjoyable. 

When you can’t follow the 

conversation it’s very difficult to 

communicate. eventually every-thing 

comes to a halt. 

Since I got these instruments I’ve 

become very aware of just how 

much I had been missing when I 

was together with my family and 

friends. We can laugh about it 

now - the way I used to go off at 

a tangent in what I thought was 

the right direction, but in reality 

I’d completely lost the gist of the 

conversation! With these hearing 

aids people’s speech comes 

through more clearly, and the 

sound quality is much better. 

Can you describe the difference 

in sound quality? 

It’s difficult to find the right 

word - in a way it’s become 

more concise. I wouldn’t call it 

sharp. Of course, it can never 

be completely natural, but 

it’s much more comfortable than 

my previous hearing aids. 

I can wear these instruments 

from seven in the morning to 

eleven at night. With the others 

I got so tired that I had to take 

a break once in a while. not for 

long though, because I’m very 

dependent on my hearing aids. I 

couldn’t understand what people 

were saying beyond a certain 

distance, and that was both tiring 

and frustrating. now it’s far less 

problematic to find out where 

sounds are coming from, and 

from how far away. 

Have any other situations 

become less problematic? 

With my old hearing aids there 

were many situations where 

feedback really bothered me, 

when I put on a hat, and when 

talking on the phone - especially 

in my left ear. The whistling 

sound really interfered with my 

perception of speech sometimes. 

now when the phone rings, I just 

take the call without having to

emove my instruments. 

I also used to have problems if I 

was out walking on a windy day. 

With my old instruments a gust 

of wind could sound like a hurricane; 

with these you can hear 

the wind but it’s not nearly as 

loud. The design of the hearing 

aid helps to prevent wind from 

channelling into the microphone. 

I have two different settings in 

the hearing aid - one for normal 

listening situations, indoors 

and outdoors, and one to help 

me understand speech in noisy 

situations. I find the first setting 

best on a windy day. 

How often do you switch to the 

‘anti-noise’ setting? 

I use the directional setting 

- program 2 - when we go to 

the theatre, because the music 

can sometimes be overwhelming. 

last time I went to the ballet we 

sat in the 6th row of the royal 

Theatre. The music can be very 

loud at that distance, but when 

I switch my hearing aid to the 

directional setting, it dampens 

sounds coming from the sides 

and behind, so whatever is coming 

from the front comes through 

more clearly. 

The directional mode also helps 

when I am outside. It’s nice to be 

able to walk down the street and 

hear what other people are saying. 

And if someone approaches me 

to ask for directions, I can now 

reply quite easily. With all the 

other noise on the street I used to 

have to get really close to people 

to understand what they were 

saying. 

I often switch to program 2 when 

I’m doing something noisy at 

home. A couple of years ago I 

took over the vacuum cleaning 

because my wife hurt her 

shoulder. If I’m vacuuming, 

and my wife says something in 

front of me, I can respond more 

quickly, because the directional 

setting dampens the noise behind 

me. It also reduces the noise of 

the extractor fan when we are 

cooking. 

What’s your overall impression 

of Gaia? 

I can only say that as soon as I 

hear a sound, it feels comfortable. 

I don’t want to miss anything. 

being able to hear more clearly 

keeps me in touch with my 

surroundings. Without sound, life 

would be empty. All I can say is 

that the quality of these hearing 

aids is much better at all levels 

than any of the others I’ve tried. I 

really enjoy using them. 

I think my wife enjoys it too. 

She would sometimes say ‘I can’t 

stand having to repeat things - 

it’s so tiring’, but not any more. 

I hear really well now. If I’m in 

the living room and she is in 

the kitchen or the hallway, even 

though there’s distance between 

us I can hear most of what she’s 

saying. And that’s really good. 

All in all it’s been a really 

pleas-urable experience. The 

speech and sound quality is far 

superior to anything I’ve ever 

tried before. My old hearing aids 

were good for the technology of 

the time. but I can really feel the 

differ-ence with Gaia. 

! did 

knud beier 

you know that 85% 

of all hearing losses are 

age-related? 

27

A New balance in hearing 

A New balance in Life 

Gaia creates great balance and harmony in your life by making 

it easier for you to stay focused and concentrate on what 

is important to you - communicating with friends and family. 

At Oticon, we don’t put technology first, we put people first. 

This is clearly reflected in Gaia, a brand new family of fully 

digital hearing aids. 

The Gaia Sound System is at the core of the Gaia hearing aid 

and provides you with: 

• Improved speech understanding 

• More natural sound 

• Increased comfort 

The name Gaia is closely associated with Mother earth, 

balancing the most fundamental, compassionate and positive 

qualities in life. We believe this hearing aid does just that. 

Gaia represents harmony in hearing!

26 

S O U N D A D V I C E M A G A Z I N E - F A L L 2 0 0 3 

Good 

communication 

habits 

Communication is the key to all human activities. It is necessary for learning, exchanging information and generally 

taking care of each other. When someone you know has a hearing loss, communicating can be far more 

challenging than anyone would believe. 

What to expect from hearing instruments 

Hearing aids can improve hearing, but even the most advanced hearing instruments today can not restore 

hearing to normal. A damaged hearing nerve not only impairs a person’s ability to hear sound, but also the 

entire system for interpreting what they hear. 

Good quality, professionally fit hearing instruments are only one part of the solution. There are other 

techniques which relatives and friends can adopt in order to make conversation easier for hard-of-hearing 

individuals. 

Follow the advice in this article to learn more effective ways to communicate, as a hearing aid user or as 

family and friends of a hearing aid user. 

Easier ways to communicate 

Communicating becomes easier once you get 

hearing aids. But it becomes even more enjoyable 

if you use the following simple techniques: 

• Move closer! The closer you are to the person 

you’re speaking with, the easier it is for you to 

understand what’s being said. 

• If you need to communicate with several people, 

don’t sit at the end of a table but rather in the 

middle where you can hear and see everyone. 

• In a room with a lot of noise try to stay away 

from the noisiest areas – e.g. the entrance, open 

windows facing a street, loudspeakers or heating 

systems. 

• Sit with your back to the window – when the 

light falls on the person you are talking to, it 

becomes easier for you to see his/her lips and 

facial expressions. 

• Call in advance to see whether a theatre or 

cinema provides assistive listening devices or 

whether some seats are better suited for people 

with hearing problems. 

• Arrive early at lectures or seminars and ask the 

speaker to use a microphone. 

• Try to reduce background noise – turn down the 

music, close the windows or find a quieter place 

to talk.

During a normal day our sound environment 

can change dramatically… 

Useful tips for friends and family 

Communication is a two-way thing! It’s not solely 

up to the hearing aid user. As friends and family, 

you need to develop new habits to make it easier 

for the hearing aid user to follow conversations. 

Look at the following list, and see how you can 

improve communication in three easy steps. 

There are several ways to 

make listening and understanding 

easier… 

Whether you’re communicating 

on a one-to-one 

basis, or in a group. 

1. Talk face to face 

• Face the person you are talking to. Don’t try to 

converse from a different room or with your back 

turned. It is easier to hear what people say when 

you can see what they are saying. Visual cues like 

facial expressions and lip movements do a lot to 

help listeners understand your words. 

• Stand where your face is well lit. This makes 

it easier to see your facial expressions and read 

your lips. 

• Try not to talk while chewing – it makes it harder 

to understand what you are saying, and almost 

impossible for others to read your lips. 

• If you talk while reading the newspaper, or lean 

your cheek on your hand while talking, this will 

also make lipreading difficult for others. 

27

28 


Good 

communication habits 

2. Speak at a natural pace 

• You don’t need to shout. It’s perfectly okay to 

speak at a normal conversational level when you 

talk with someone who wears hearing aids. Most 

instruments amplify a normal level of speech, 

so if you shout, it may become too loud or even 

painful for the listener. 

• Try not to talk too fast. Speak naturally, but try 

to enunciate your words more clearly. This will 

naturally slow your speech, but be careful not 

to overdo it. 

• If your companion has trouble understanding 

you, try rephrasing your sentence rather than just 

repeating yourself. Some words are easier to hear 

or lipread than others. 

! 

Did you know that you hear twice as much 

with two hearing aids – but understand four 

times as much? 

• When you are in a group, take turns at talking 

and try not to interrupt each other. 

• If the conversation changes suddenly, you should 

inform the person with the hearing loss; when 

you know what the subject is, it is easier to 

understand what is being said.

3. Try to reduce background noise 

Background noise can be a real barrier 

to communication. Voices can be difficult to 

hear because they are in competition with all the 

other sounds. Here are some tips that may help: 

• Try to eliminate background noise when holding 

a conversation. Turn off the television and close 

any open windows to reduce any noise from 

traffic. 

• Move closer to your partner so your voice is 

louder than the background noise. This will also 

make your face and lips easier to read. 

• Alternatively, try to find somewhere quieter to 

talk. 

Good communication habits 

A better sound environment 

All over the world, people are increasingly exposed 

to more sound during a normal day. More people, 

more traffic, more machines – the list is endless. 

This provides some food for thought. We know 

that long-term exposure to loud sound can damage 

our hearing, so we have an obligation to promote 

good sound environments and reduce unnecessary 

noise. We shouldn’t wait until our hearing becomes 

affected – we should start right now! 

29

30 


The Adapto Vision 

Developing the Adapto 

Hearing Aid 

a fusion of modern technology 

Hearing aids take a long time to develop. The process 

of analysis, planning development and construction 

can take years. The new Adapto instrument 

is no exception. It represents what many 

groups of specialists at Oticon strive to do - find 

new ways to combine the latest technologies to 

solve the most important needs of today’s hearing 

aid users. 

At Oticon we don’t put technology first - we put 

people first. This is clearly reflected in Adapto. We 

want hearing aid users to experience the perfect 

combination of high quality features. Anyone who 

experiences Adapto, will experience two benefits 

in one: comfortable sound quality combined with 

better speech understanding. 

With Adapto, our goal has been two-fold; to satisfy 

the needs of the experienced hearing aid wearer 

and to provide first time users an easier time getting 

used to their new hearing aids by making the 

adjustment period as smooth as possible. We have 

been able to do this due to the unique manner in 

which Adapto processes sound. 

Adapto introduces three important new sound 

processing techniques: VoiceFinder, OpenEar 

Acoustics and Client-Focussed Fitting. 

the VoiceFinder 

New digital breakthrough 

VoiceFinder provides better speech understanding, 

less fatigue and a more natural perception of sound. 

Similar to voice-activated technology used in telephones 

and computer software, the 100% digital 

hearing aid detects speech when it is present. 

As soon as it identifies the presence of speech, 

it makes millions of subtle adjustments to make 

words come through clearly. You have a much 

better chance of catching the conversation - even in 

noisy places. 

When no one is speaking, the VoiceFinder automatically 

switches to a more comfortable listening 

mode. So at the end of each day you will have 

heard and understood more, and you will be less 

tired from the constant bombardment of irritating 

background noise. 

OpenEar acoustics 

Excellent, natural sound quality 

OpenEar Acoustics makes everyday sounds and the 

sound of your own voice seem more natural. This 

is due to the larger vents in the hearing aids. These 

vents allow sounds to enter and exit from the ear 

canal which prevents them from building up and 

Conventional Vent Trapped Sound 

OpenEar Acoustics 

Large vent 

for more 

natural sound 

becoming uncomfortably loud. This unique feature 

is supported by a very effective anti-whistling 

system.

Client-Focused Fitting 

Although two people can have exactly the same 

hearing loss, their perception of sound may differ 

greatly. And since their personalities and lifestyles 

also differ, so will their expectations regarding hearing 

aids. Adapto is designed to take these differences 

into account. 

Adapto’s Client-Focused Fitting software addresses 

more than just your hearing loss. It considers your 

personal requirements too. All you have to do is 

discuss your priorities with your hearing care provider, 

and he or she will combine the information 

with the data from your audiogram. 

Once your personal parameters are plotted in, 

Adapto automatically recommends the most appropriate 

levels of amplification. So you can feel confident 

in your hearing and much happier in yourself! 

When speech is in Focus 

With hearing impairment the brain often loses 

its ability to focus on what it really needs to hear 

because other noises constantly get in the way. This 

selective ability can not ever be fully restored, but 

Adapto gets pretty close. With Adapto, it’s much 

easier to focus on what is important to you - communicating 

with friends and family. 

The unique combination of advanced digital processing 

technologies used in Adapto provides better 

speech understanding and all day listening comfort. 

This makes Adapto a hearing aid you can use all 

day long in whatever listening situation you find 

yourself in. 

31

32 


Unplug your ears 

With conventional hearing aids, larger vents (opening that allows 

air to circulate between inside the ear canal and outside the ear) 

always resulted in acoustic feedback (whistling). But Oticon’s 

advanced signal processing addresses this problem head on. 

OpenEar Acoustics TM delivers more natural sound, exceptional 

use of the remaining hearing, and a significant reduction or elimination 

of the annoying whistling. 

Stop the whistling 

If there’s one thing hearing aid users dislike about 

their hearing aids, is that from time to time, they 

whistle. And it’s not a happy tune – but a short, 

high-pitched burst. This whistle can not only bother 

the user, but also alert everyone nearby that a 

hearing aid is somewhere in the vicinity! 

The whistling is caused by a technical condition 

known as feedback. When the sound has been processed 

and amplified by the hearing aid, sometimes 

it can leak out along the side of the hearing 

aid. When this happens, it travels in a loop and 

reenters the microphone… that’s when the whistling 

starts. 

To prevent this from happening, hearing care 

professionals plug up the ears so the sound cannot 

leak out and cause feedback. This may sound like 

a good solution, but it has some disadvantages. 

No matter how mild the hearing loss, once the ear 

canals are blocked, you lose all remnants of natural 

hearing. The ideal solution is a hearing aid that 

doesn’t completely block your ear and allows for 

more natural hearing. 

Unplug your ears for more 

natural sound 

When a hearing aid is placed in the ear, the body’s 

natural sounds – such as chewing or your own 

voice, may sound unnatural and unpleasantly loud 

as if you were speaking from inside a barrel. That’s 

because sounds are trapped inside the ear canal. 

This effect is caused occlusion. The only effective 

remedy for this is to keep the ear canal open. 

Recently, Oticon developed a new digital signal 

processing technology to address the problem

of occlusion. This technology is called OpenEar 

Acoustics and it makes a major difference in 

the way hearing aids can be built. Thanks to 

this technology, Adapto and Gaia hearing aids 

can be fit with spacious ventilation channels that 

allow natural sound to come in and body-transmitted 

sounds (like talking and chewing) to escape 

without the risk of whistling. 

Both In-The-Ear (ITE) styles and Behind-The-Ear 

(BTE) styles have large vents. Perhaps the most 

important benefit of these vents is that they make 

one’s own voice sound more natural. Additionally, 

they act like a mini air conditioning system, ensuring 

optimum air circulation inside the ear canal for 

ventilation. 

With conventional hearing aids, larger vents almost 

always result in whistling, but Oticon’s advanced 

signal processing addresses this problem. OpenEar 

Acoustics delivers clearer, more natural sound, 

exceptional use of remaining hearing, and a 

reduction or complete elimination of annoying 

whistling. 

try taking a bite of something crunchy and 

then stick your fingers in your ears. Get 

ready for a surprise when you start chewing! 

the crunching sounds like an earthquake, 

and if you try to say something, 

your voice sounds like it belongs to 

somebody else! 

this phenomenon is called occlusion. 

33

34 

S O U N D A D V I C E M A G A Z I N E - F A L L 2 0 0 3


hearing... 

it’s a Family 

affair 

An interview with Gilbert Zimprich 

and his wife Jerry 

Racine, WI 

I have worn hearing aids for about a year now. I think that 

I realized for some time that I wasn’t hearing well but I 

just refused to give in to it. I always had to ask, “What? 

What? What?” But I didn’t want to get hearing aids, I was 

afraid it would make me feel old. 

I think that I may have started to lose my hearing during 

my army days. I was a gunner on a tank during the 

Korean War. I really began noticing my hearing loss in 

my mid-sixties, by that time I had already retired from my 

work as a florist. My wife had passed away a few years 

ago and I was living alone. Whenever my grown children 

would come over to the house, they would complain that 

I had the television volume turned so high, they could 

hear the television next door. It was almost a game. They 

would say, “Go get tested!” and I would say, “I can hear 

pretty good.” 

But when I went to parties or social gatherings, I knew I 

couldn’t hear very well. And certain voices, I couldn’t 

hear at all -- especially women’s voices or anyone who 

spoke softly. 

35

Photos: Kelly/Mooney 

Jerry’s Comments: 

36 


In 2001, I remarried and my wife 

encouraged me to have my ears 

tested. I realized that my hearing 

loss was making things difficult 

for both of us. So I made an 

appointment with an audiologist 

for a check-up. 

I met Gil at our 50th high school 

reunion. When I first met him, he 

tried to cover up his hearing loss. 

He would always try to make me 

feel like he knew what I was saying. 

Finally, I saw that he was making 

it up - he wasn’t hearing what I 

was saying at all. Sometimes the 

radio and television were so loud, 

I would tell him that pretty soon 

I would be having a hearing problem, 

too. 

The audiologist found that I had 

hearing loss in both ears and 

needed two hearing aids. She 

recommended Adapto hearing 

aids because she felt they would 

help me hear voices better. She 

was a very good audiologist, very 

conscientious and thorough. She 

gave me a lot of time and really 

made me feel that she was listening 

to what I needed. She was 

patient and explained everything 

to me so I understood what was 

happening. 

It was a very warm day when 

I had my first fitting. The air 

conditioning was on in the office 

and as soon as I put on my hearing 

aids, I noticed the fan. But 

more amazing was when I got 

in my car and heard the tire 

noise. I hadn’t heard it before 

and thought to myself, “What is 

that noise? What’s wrong with 

my car?!” We laugh about it 

now but it was quite a surprising 

moment for me - and showed me 

how much I had been missing 

before my hearing aids. 

The minute I arrived home, my 

kids were waiting. They said, 


From the day he came in the door 

with his new hearing aids, he was 

committed to making them work 

for him. It was quite a change 

for him because he wasn’t used 

to hearing all of the sounds most 

of us experience every day. He 

was finally hearing the conversation 

he had been missing before. 

I was really proud of him. And it 

has been a major plus for our lives 

together. 

“You can hear us now - we don’t 

have to shout at you!” We have 

a big family. I have two daughters, 

four grandchildren and one 

great grand daughter and my 

wife, Jerry, has five sons and 

three daughters, 25 grandchildren 

and one great granddaughter. 

Now when we get together 

with the family or at parties with 

25-30 people, I can hear conversations 

and join in the fun.


I would urge anyone who has a 

loved one with a hearing loss to 

encourage them and help them 

to understand that it is so much 

easier to live together if you take 

care of your hearing loss. Our life 

together has been so much better 

since Gil got his hearing aids. 

I have no fatigue with my 

Adapto hearing aids. In fact, I 

don’t even know I have them 

on. Sometimes I have to feel to 

be sure I have them on. I have 

to remind myself to take them 

out before I step into the shower 

with them on, which I’ve done 

several times. 

My voice sounds like me and I 

don’t have a problem with whistling 

or feedback. I am really satisfied 

with my hearing aids. 


Gil and I go to all kinds of sporting 

events. We love sports -- especially 

sports that our grandchildren 

are involved in. Now, Gil can follow 

the game play and join in the 

conversation of people around us. 

We have a great life! 

When I first got them, my audiologist 

told me to wear them 

all the time so that I would get 

used to hearing again. She was 

right. I gave them a chance - 

not like some of my friends who 

just throw their hearing aids in 

a drawer and say, “They’re no 

good.” I tell everyone you have 

to give them a chance - to make a 

go of it because that really makes 

the difference. Now they’re second 

nature to me! 

37

38 


Hearing Aids 

– then and now 

Adapto Hearing Aids, 2003. 

Dahlberg model Magic Ear 

II, 1957. BTE with miniature 

external receiver. 

Acousticon model 30. 

Produced from 1933-35. 

Equipped with a bone 

conductor on a handle. 

In 1910, hearing aids came 

with a portable table. They 

were very cumbersome and not 

very mobile, but they were the 

best you could get at the time. 

The invention of the transistor 

in 1947 by Bell Laboratories 

was a great help for both hearing 

aid users and hearing aid 

manufacturers. 

The transistor paved the way for 

entirely new hearing aid styles. 

In 1954, the first Behind-the-Ear 

(BTE) models became available. 

Technology continued to 

advance and intense audiological 

research in the field of psychoacoustics 

initiated a move 

towards more user-oriented products. 

This initiative resulted 

in a revolutionary breakthrough 

in 1996, when Oticon 

headquartered in Denmark, introduced 

the first fully digital hearing 

aid. 

Since that time, Oticon has 

continued to improve upon the 

design and performance of digital 

hearing aids, in a tireless effort 

to create more advanced hearing 

solutions. 

. 

Collapsible hearing 

trumpet. Material 

painted brass. Was 

used sporadically 

up to the 1960’s!

Hearing aids have developed 

over the last three 

centuries from mechanical 

devices, such as hearing 

trumpets and speaking tubes, 

to the highly advanced digital 

hearing aids of today. 

39

40 


the First Voice-activated hearing aid 

Don’t let 

poor 

hearing 

come 

between 

you and 

your grandson 

If you’re finding it harder 

to hear all the little things 

your grandchildren are 

saying to you, then maybe 

it’s time to do something 

about it. Fortunately, 

amazing advances in digital 

hearing aid technology, 

like adapto hearing aids, 

can help you. 

adapto is the world’s 

first 100% digital voiceactivated 

hearing aid. With 

the revolutionary feature 

called VoiceFinder, adapto 

is able to detect speech 

when it is present. When 

speech is not present; 

VoiceFinder automatically 

turns down the volume 

to a more comfortable, 

listening mode. the result 

is that you hear voices 

more clearly and naturally. 

hearing life’s most precious 

moments is really 

what adapto hearing aids 

are all about!

tEst 

Test your hearing 

Do you suspect that your hearing is not as good as it used to be? 

The following questions will allow you to make a quick assessment: 

1. Do people seem to mumble or speak 

in a softer voice than they used to? 

2. Do you feel tired or irritable after 

a long conversation? 

3. Do you sometimes miss key words 

in a sentence, or frequently need to 

ask people to repeat themselves? 

4. When you are in a group, or in a 

crowded restaurant, is it difficult 

for you to follow the conversation? 

5. When you are together with other 

people, does background noise 

bother you? 

How did you do? 

Your answers to these questions only provide 

an indication of whether or not you may have a 

hearing loss. Keep in mind, that answering yes to 

one or more questions does not necessarily mean 

you have a hearing loss. It only means that you 

should contact your hearing care professional for a 

full hearing evaluation. If you do not have a hearing 

care professional, you can contact your physician 

for a recommendation. 

YOUR 

HEARING 

Yes No Yes No 

6. Do you often need to turn up the 

volume on your TV or radio? 

7. Do you find it difficult to hear the 

doorbell or the telephone ring? 

8. Do you find it difficult to hear 

water boiling when you are in the 

kitchen? 

9. Is carrying on a telephone 

conversation difficult? 

10. Do you find it difficult to pinpoint 

where an object is (e.g. an alarm 

clock or a telephone) from the noise 

it makes? 

11. Has someone close to you 

mentioned that you might have a 

41

42 


hearing 

and hearing 

The human ear is a precisely tuned system with a 

sensitivity and range that easily out performs the 

most elaborate sound system ever manufactured. 

The ear contains many physiological mechanisms, 

and a breakdown or disruption in any of these can 

cause hearing difficulties. There are three types of 

hearing loss. Learn more about them here. 

Conductive hearing loss 

This type of hearing loss is a condition of the outer 

and/or middle ear. It occurs when sounds from 

the outside world cannot be transmitted normally 

through the ear canal and/or middle ear to the 

nerve cells of the inner ear. Conductive hearing loss 

can be temporary or long term. The most common 

causes of this hearing loss can be a build-up of 

wax in the ear canal, fluid in the middle ear space 

(common in children), perforated eardrums, or 

damaged or defective ossicles (middle ear bones). 

Most conductive hearing losses can be medically 

or surgically treated. If the conductive hearing loss 

cannot be medically or surgically treated, hearing 

aids can compensate significantly for the loss of 

loudness. 

the pictures on the right illustrate normal and damaged 

hair cells. With a normal ear the rows of hair cells 

are clearly visible. the normal hair cells are able to 

perform the important function of transforming sound 

vibrations into electrical signals. 

the damaged ear illustrates an inner ear whose hair cells 

have been destroyed due to aging and/or noise exposure. 

the damage done to the hair cells is permanent and 

can result in significant hearing loss. 

Normal Ear 

Sensorineural hearing loss 

Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common form 

of hearing loss. It occurs when some of the delicate 

hair cells inside the cochlea (inner ear) get damaged 

and are unable to transform the sound vibrations 

into electrical signals. Sensorineural hearing loss is 

often caused by long-term exposure to loud sounds. 

However, the primary cause of sensorineural hearing 

loss is due to the natural aging process. 

Typical symptoms are a loss of loudness 

and difficulties in understanding speech. Once 

sensorineural hearing loss sets in, the condition 

may continue to worsen and will in most cases 

be permanent. Hearing aids are the recommended 

course of treatment. 

Mixed hearing loss 

This type of hearing loss is a combination of 

conductive and sensorineural hearing losses. The 

conductive portion of the hearing loss may possibly 

be treated medically or surgically, however 

the sensorineural portion will remain. Hearing aids 

are the recommended course of treatment. 

Damaged Ear 

inner 

hair Cells 

Outer

1. 

loss 

How does sound travel through the ear? 

The ear might be small, but it’s one of the greatest wonders of the world! The anatomy of the ear is precisely 

shaped to capture sound waves and amplify them. Once these sound waves enter the ear they follow what 

might seem like a long and tortuous path. But every step of the way has a very precise function. This is how we 

hear: 

1. Sounds from the outside world are picked up 

by the outer ear, which is made up of the pinna 

and the ear canal. As the sound waves enter the 

ear, the ear canal increases the loudness of those 

pitches which makes it easier to understand 

speech. 

2. The ear canal also protects the tympanic membrane 

that separates the outer ear from the middle 

ear. This membrane, also known as the eardrum, 

vibrates when sound waves touch it. 

3. The vibrations are transferred to three tiny bones 

called the ossicles. They consist of the hammer, 

anvil and stirrup. These bones form the bridge 

from the eardrum to the inner ear. 

2. 

3. 

4. Through the ossicles, the vibrations reach the 

cochlea. The cochlea is a spiral-shaped capsule, 

much like the circular shell of a snail. It houses a 

system of tubes filled with liquid. 

5. When the sound waves reach the cochlea, the 

liquid inside begins to move and sets thousands 

of tiny hair cells in motion. 

6. The movements of the hair cells are transformed 

into electric impulses that travel along the 

auditory nerve to the brain. 

7. The brain interprets the electric impulses so you 

can understand what is being said. 

4. 

5. 

7. 

6. 

43

44 


Photo: Martin Sølyst 

The process of getting the 

RIGHT 

hearing aids 

Oticon’s audiologists spend a lot of time with hearing aid 

users, testing their listening skills, fitting them with instruments 

and monitoring their progress. The work they do is 

almost exactly the same as any hearing care professional 

you would encounter on the high street. 

Angela Lønberg visits Dragan Gusatowich, one of Oticon’s 

most experienced audiologists, who explains what people 

can expect when they decide to have their hearing tested. 

The hearing test 

“The first thing we do is to check the person’s hearing to 

determine the nature of their hearing loss,” says Dragan 

Gusatowich. “We examine their ears, which is called an 

otoscopy, we test how well the eardrum reacts, and we 

check the pressure in the middle ear. That helps us to 

determine whether the hearing loss is due to problems in 

the middle ear or in the inner ear. When we’ve done this, 

it’s time to do a proper hearing test. It doesn’t take long, 

and when it’s over, we get a print-out of the person’s hearing 

profile – a so-called audiogram – showing what they 

can and cannot hear.” 

45

46 


Dragan shows me a list of steps that he always 

follows when performing a standard hearing 

test. The list seems simpler and less scary than I 

thought. “First, I ask them to listen to a series of 

simple tones, which I play to them either through 

headphones or through tiny soft 

inserts in each ear,” says Dragan. “We 

start off with low-frequency tones and 

progress up to high-pitched tones. 

Most everyday environmental sounds 

and speech are situated in this range 

of frequencies. When the person hears 

the tone, they let me know, either by 

raising a hand or pressing a response 

button. 

“Then I begin to decrease the volume 

of the sounds, to determine where 

it starts to become difficult for the 

person to hear. We call this the hearing threshold. 

These levels are recorded on the audiogram.” 

According to Dragan the next step is to evaluate 

how well the person understands speech. “We 

often ask people to listen to and repeat a series of 

two-syllable words, like ‘ice cream’, which we play 

more and more softly. This helps us to determine 

their threshold for recognizing speech. We do the 

same with monosyllabic words, like ‘dog’. We 

“For me, 

fitting and finetuning 

hearing 

aids is where 

the fun really 

starts” 

The audiogram 

is a simple 

printout showing 

the sounds 

you can or cannot 

hear. 

then calculate a percentage of ‘word discrimination’ 

for each ear. If we need to, we can do other tests 

to evaluate how well people understand speech in 

difficult or noisy situations.” 

Preparing for 

hearing aids 

At the end of the test procedure it is time 

to determine whether hearing aids are a 

good idea, and which type would be best. 

“At this stage we take an impression of 

the person’s ear,” Dragan explains. “If we 

choose a BTE (Behind-The-Ear) hearing 

aid, we begin by making an impression of 

the ear canal, for the earmold section of 

the instrument. It’s a completely painless 

procedure in which we use a soft, puttylike 

material. If we decide to go with 

ITE (In-The-Ear) instruments, the ear impression is 

used for the hearing aid itself. The choice of style 

depends on the hearing loss, the shape of the ear 

canal and people’s personal preferences, of course!” 

The making of hearing aids requires meticulous 

craftsmanship. The ear impression is sent to a 

special laboratory where highly-skilled staff take 

it through a range of complicated processes. When 

the hearing aids are ready, which takes between

1-3 weeks, it’s time for the next appointment. 

For Dragan this is where the fun really starts. He 

enjoys the fitting process – the discussions and the 

adjustments that lead to the ideal setting for that 

particular individual. 

The programming 

“When we program hearing aids, we use a computer 

to provide the right volume and tonal quality,” 

says Dragan. “We also give people a thorough demonstration 

on how to insert, use, and look after their 

new instruments. And before they leave, we review 

their listening needs and their expectations. Because 

the more they know what to expect, the more likely 

it is that they’ll stay with the program and succeed.” 

Follow-up appointments 

Follow-up appointments are normally scheduled for 

a few weeks later in order to keep track of progress. 

“Getting used to new hearing aids is a process that 

requires both time and patience,” explains Dragan. 

“We like to start gently, and we can always adjust 

the settings as people become used to hearing 

more sounds. In follow-up appointments we try to 

address their personal requirements. We talk about 

their experiences, set a few goals and evaluate their 

overall satisfaction. It’s crucial to keep the expectations 

realistic: hearing aids cannot completely 

restore your hearing – but they can make an amazing 

improvement to your quality of life!” 

Note from the editor: If you do 

not know how or where to locate 

a hearing care professional, ask 

your general practitioner or an ENT 

doctor – they’ll most certainly know. 

Getting the right hearing aids 

47

48 


IT’S YOUR 

CHOICE 

It’s not a question of 

hearing; it’s about 

communication 

The first signs 

A hearing impairment may be congenital (present 

at birth), it may have been caused by an accident, 

or it may have been the result of a sudden very 

loud sound. However, most of the time it’s a slow 

process that you hardly notice, even though your 

closest friends and family probably have noticed a 

difference. They have noticed that you don’t always 

answer, you’ve become slightly reserved in social 

gatherings and that the TV is often too loud. 

And then it happens. One day you discover that 

your spouse or your child/grandchild has been 

standing behind you, calling your name, without 

you even noticing. This can come as quite a surprise. 

But don’t panic – realize that a solution to 

the problem is closer than you think. 

49

50 


You’re not alone 

Did you know that approximately 500 million 

people worldwide have hearing loss? It’s one of 

the most common conditions, yet one of the least 

understood. Many people think that hearing aids 

are bulky, cumbersome and not helpful. But today’s 

hearing solutions are smaller, fully automatic, 

discreet and are really effective in providing better 

speech understanding. There are lots of people 

in the “less than perfect hearing club” and most 

of them are delighted they did something about 

it. When they get used to the idea, and begin to 

wear hearing aids, they often wonder how on earth 

they coped before, and why they didn’t take action 

earlier. 

What causes hearing loss? 

Our ears are very delicate instruments and our ability 

to hear can diminish for a number of rea- 

sons. The majority of people develop a hearing loss 

as they get older. Over time, part of the ear’s delicate 

mechanism may break down or simply wear 

out. 

The first sign of hearing loss is when you find 

yourself saying, “I can hear just fine, I just don’t 

understand what you’re saying!” Over time, this 

begins to happen more frequently, especially when 

you’re in a group or in background noise, like a 

restaurant or a car. It’s only when your friends and 

loved ones suggest that you might have a problem 

that you begin to notice. 

I have a hearing problem? 

“I’ve never felt better. I am in good shape, I’m 

strong, my heart is good and I have 20/20 vision. So 

why do I have to have a hearing problem?” That’s a 

question many people ask themselves.

It’s hard to accept that your hearing ability has 

decreased, especially when everything else seems 

to be just fine. But once you overcome the surprise 

and frustration, you’ll find plenty of good reasons 

to do something about it. 

Acceptance is a great way to begin 

The sooner you accept your hearing loss, the sooner 

you can find a solution. Today’s hearing aids are 

very advanced and they can put you back in touch 

with your family and friends. Adapto or Gaia are 

the best choices. They have been developed specifically 

to provide a gentle transition to the world 

of aided hearing. Gaia allow you to feel more comfortable 

and secure, and make communicating with 

others a pleasure. 

The final step 

Coming to terms with your hearing loss and mak- 

ing the decision to seek a hearing care professional 

is the best thing you can do for yourself and your 

loved ones. Hearing care professionals are ready 

to provide all the necessary support; they evaluate 

your hearing and work with you to find a solution 

that meets your needs. 

symptoms of a hearing 

loss 

If you, or someone you know, are 

experiencing one or more of the 

following problems, then it’s time to 

consider taking a hearing test: 

• People mumble all of the time. 

It’s your choice 

• You have to strain to hear when someone 

talks or whispers. 

• You have difficulty hearing someone call 

from behind you or from another room. 

• You need to watch a speaker’s lips closely 

to follow a conversation. 

• Following a conversation is difficult in 

meetings, at church, or lectures. 

• You have to turn up the volume on the 

TV or radio. 

• You find it hard to hear clearly on the 

telephone. 

• You have difficulty hearing at the theater, 

cinema, or other entertainment venues. 

• It’s hard to hear in noisy environments like 

a restaurant, shopping mall or a car. 

• You tend to limit your social activities 

because it’s difficult to hear and 

`communicate with others. 

• Family, friends, or colleagues mention that 

they often have to repeat themselves when 

speaking with you. 

51

52 


Better hearing with two ears 

Being able to hear with both ears is just as important as being able to see with both eyes. 

If you have difficulty hearing with both ears, you will almost certainly benefit from a binaural 

hearing aid fitting - wearing a hearing aid in each ear. 

The most important benefits of 

wearing two hearing aids are: 

• Your ability to localize sounds 

will improve 

• It will be easier to understand 

speech in noisy environments 

• The risk of auditory deprivation 

is considerably reduced 

• You will experience a fuller, 

more comfortable sound picture 

Sense of sound direction 

The brain needs input from both 

ears to tell us which direction 

sounds are coming from. Think 

about the honking of a car horn. 

Your ears alert you to the danger, 

sending sound signals to 

your brain. Within a split second, 

your brain compares the 

information received from both 

ears such as, the intensity of the 

sound wave and how long it took 

to reach the ear. 

This process tells you instantly 

which direction the car is coming 

from and how far away it is; this 

is called sound localization. 

If you don’t use it, you lose it 

When only one hearing aid 

is used, the risk of auditory 

deprivation is increased. This 

is when the brain gradually loses 

some of its ability to process 

information from the unaided

QuiEt ROOM 

NOisy 

ENViRONMENt 

One speaker 

television 

Group 

Conversation 

ear because of a continued 

lack of stimulation. Auditory 

deprivation most often occurs 

when the ear goes unaided over 

a long period of time - so the 

earlier you consider wearing 

two hearing aids, the better your 

chances are of minimizing this risk. 

Understanding people in noise 

Imagine an everyday situation, 

like a conversation at the dinner 

table. You are trying to talk with 

the person next to you, but the 

rest of the family is also talking, 

and the background noise makes 

it difficult for you not only to 

hear, but especially to understand 

what is being said. 

Background noise makes it difficult 

to follow what people are 

saying. If you don’t hear equally 

well with both ears, you can’t tell 

which sounds are coming from 

far away and which ones are in 

Car 

store 

Restaurant 

street 

Party 

Monaural binaural Normal 

hearing 

the background. This is because 

the brain needs input from both 

ears in order to separate 

sounds effectively. 

It is possible to assist some of 

the brain’s natural ability to filter 

out background noise by getting 

professionally fit with two 

hearing aids. 

A fuller sound picture 

If you hear equally well with 

both ears, sounds are more comfortable 

to listen to. You don’t 

have to strain to hear, and sounds 

are clearer and richer in detail. In 

other words, you get more out of 

the sounds around you. 

Imagine listening to your favorite 

song on the stereo. It has 

two amplifiers and two speakers, 

to give music and speech a 

natural depth. However, if only 

one amplifier and speaker are 

working, the sounds become shal- 

ideal 

Markides: binaural hearing aids, survey of Reactions, 1977 

low and flat. If you only wear one 

hearing aid, but should be wearing 

two, you may also perceive sound 

in this way. 

Fortunately, your hearing care 

professional can prevent this 

from occurring by fitting you with 

hearing aids in both ears. 

2 is better than 1 

The main reason why some people 

don’t like to wear two hearing aids 

is because they make you feel 

plugged up and distorts the way 

your own voice sounds. With the 

new Adapto and Gaia hearing aids, 

you don’t have to worry about this 

problem! 

Adapto and Gaia use OpenEar 

Acoustics technology and large 

vents to provide a more natural 

listening experience. 

53

54 


Choosing the right 

COLOR 

Show them or hide them? It’s only natural 

to want to be in control, especially 

when it comes to the way you look. Some 

things you want to show off, while others 

you want to keep more discrete – hearing aids are 

no different! It’s nice to have a broad selection 

of colors when choosing new instruments. Today’s 

hearing aids come in a multitude of colors to blend 

with your skin tone, hair tone or personality; ranging 

from subdued colors with discreet cosmetic appeal 

to neon colors that are bright and breezy. Hearing 

aids are like any other accessory - they can make a 

positive statement about who you are. 

Two basic styles 

There are two basic types of hearing aids: those you 

put “In-the-Ear” (called ITEs) and those you place 

“Behind-the-Ear” (BTEs). Behind-the-Ear instruments 

come in the widest range of colors. Although 

the skin-tone colors in BTE styles are very popular, 

the hair-tone colors are also worth considering 

when being fit with hearing instruments. These 

colors are designed to blend in with almost any hair 

color. 

Colors for kids 

Kids are full of energy and if given the choice, 

they aim straight for the fun, neon colored BTE 

instruments. When children take part in selecting 

their own hearing instruments, they have an easier 

time showing them off to friends and teachers at 

school and explaining how they work. 

Aspects to consider 

If you have short hair, you might feel more comfortable 

wearing a color that matches your skin tone. 

If you tend to wear your hair long, then a hair-tone 

color is probably the best solution. However, if you 

don’t mind showing off your hearing aids, why 

not choose a totally striking color for a modern, 

high-tech look? 

55

56 


The right colour 

today’s hearing aids come 

in a multitude of colors to 

blend with your skin tone, 

hair tone or personality 

Kids are bright, bubbly and full of energy! Behind- 

the-Ear (BTE) hearing aids come in a wide range of 

fun colors - they’re smart, reliable and easy to use, 

both at home and at school.

From inside the ear 

Choosing the right hearing aids 

Before choosing hearing aids, 

there are a number of factors to 

consider. Most of these depend 

on the specific characteristics 

of your hearing loss, the 

shape of your ears, your ability 

to physically handle hearing 

aids, your communication needs 

and price. Your hearing care 

professional will recommend 

a solution that is best for you. 

The most popular styles of 

hearing aids available today are: 

• CIC (Completely-in-the-Canal) 

• ITC (In-the-Canal) 

• ITE (In-the-Ear) 

• BTE (Behind-the-Ear) 

CIC 

This is 

the smallest 

type of 

hearing aid 

available and is 

almost invisible in 

the ear. These are custom made 

and are reserved for people 

with ear canals large enough to 

accommodate the insertion depth 

of the instruments into the ears. 

Keep in mind that CICs use very 

small batteries that require good 

manual dexterity. CICs are not 

suitable for people 

with more 

severe hearing 

loss. 

ITC 

ITC instruments 

are a little bigger than CICs. They 

also fit relatively deep in the 

ear canal. They do use a slightly 

larger battery, which makes them 

easier to handle and replace 

when needed. ITCs are 

suitable for mild to 

moderately severe 

hearing losses. 

ITE 

These hearing aids are appropriate 

for mild to severe hearing losses. 

Due to their larger size, ITEs can 

accommodate more features such 

as directionality (makes speech 

easier to understand in noisy 

situations) - multiple listening 

programs, and telecoils (for telephone 

use and assistive listening 

devices). These instruments are 

also easier to handle for many 

people. 

BTE 

BTE hearing 

aids house all 

of the electronics 

in a case that fits behind 

the ear. The sound travels via a 

tube that connects to an earmold, 

which directs the sound into the 

ear canal. BTE instruments are 

appropriate for mild to profound 

hearing losses and are available 

in a range of colors to match hair 

and skin tones, or in bright fun 

colors. 

Colors 

Hearing aids are available in a 

wide variety of skin and hair 

tone colors, plus a series of 

bright and fun colors. 

57

58 


The Hearing 

QUIZ 

One of the best ways to deal with new situations in life is to go into them armed with as much 

knowledge as possible. The more you know, the less your imagination is likely to get the better of 

you. Here’s a chance to put your knowledge about hearing to the test. Some of these questions 

are fairly simple, others require a little homework. But don’t worry, the answers are right here at 

your fingertips…just read the Sound Advice Magazine. And have fun! 

1. Which source of energy is used 

in most hearing aids? 

A) Batteries 

B) Electricity 

C) Solar cells 

2. What are the three tiny bones 

in the inner ear called? 

A) The hammer, anvil and stirrup 

B) The anvil, hammer and sickle 

C) The screw, driver and clamp 

3. What is the name of the 

membrane that separates the 

outer ear from the middle ear, 

which vibrates when touched by 

sound waves? 

A) The eardrum 

B) The drummer 

C) The screen 

4. What is the most common form 

of hearing loss? 

A) Mixed hearing loss 

B) Sensorineural hearing loss 

C) Conductive hearing loss 

5. How many people in the world 

are estimated to be hard of 

hearing? 

A) 5 million 

B) 50 million 

C) 500 million 

6. Which term is used to describe 

hearing aids that process 

sounds by converting them 

into digits (0, 1)? 

A) Analog hearing aids 

B) Digital hearing aids 

C) Hearing computers 

7. What is the name of the 

smallest type of hearing aid, 

which is almost invisible in the 

ear? 

A) CIC 

(Completely-In-the-Canal) 

B) ITE (In-The-Ear) 

C) CIA (Concealed Invisible 

Aid) 

8. What is the term for the science 

of hearing? 

A) Ornithology 

B) Otology 

C) Audiology 

9. In the inner ear some 24,000 

tiny structures are put into 

motion by sound waves. What 

is the name of these structures? 

A) Ear trumpets 

B) Hair cells 

C) Amplifiers

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