Hearing aid glossary
Not sure what a term means? This hearing aid
glossary gives you a brief explanation of terms relating to
hearing loss and hearing aids.
Antishock/Impulse Noise Smoother/
SoundRelax
These are all terms used by different hearing aid
manufacturers to describe a similar feature - essentially a process
within the hearing aid that detects sudden, jarring noises, like a
door slamming or clattering dishes, and makes the sound 'softer'
and more bearable, while maintaining your ability to hear
other, important sounds.
Assistive listening devices
(ALD's)
These are a variety of instruments that assist in hearing.
Telephones, clocks, FM systems and amplifiers are just a few
examples of ALDs. Some of these devices work in conjunction with
hearing aids other work independently.
Amplifier
The part of the hearing aid that makes incoming sounds
louder
Audiogram
Hearing loss shown in chart form
Audiometer
Used by the Hearing Aid Audiologist during a hearing test
to measure levels of hearing loss
Behind the ear hearing aid (BTE)
A style of hearing aid where the main part of the aid is
placed behind the ear and connected to a custom mould that fits in
the ear via a small tube.
Bilateral hearing loss
When hearing loss is experienced in both ears
Binaural hearing system
When hearing aids are worn in both ears. On basic hearing
systems, the hearing aids work independently; on more sophisticated
systems the two aids are coordinated to work together so that
programme or setting changes in one aid are automatically mirrored
in the other
Bluetooth connectivity
Hearing aids with Bluetooth connectivity can connect
wirelessly to audio devices such as your TV, mobile phone or
headphones, allowing you to hear the sounds from the device through
your hearing aids in clear, surround sound. This means, for
example, you won't have to press the phone to your ear to be able
to have a telephone conversation or have the sound on the TV up so
loud it annoys other people in the room.
Bandwidth
The spectrum of frequencies across which a hearing aid
amplifies
Cerumen
Another term for earwax
Channels
Simply put, the number of channels determines how finely
your hearing aid can be tuned to best suit your individual level of
hearing loss. The more channels the hearing aid has, the more it
can be finely tuned to give you the most natural and effective
hearing experience.
Circuit board
The piece inside the hearing aid that contains the digital
chip
Conductive hearing loss
Hearing impairment caused by interference with sound or
transmission through the outer and/or middle ear; this type of
hearing loss can result from a variety of means including disease,
infection and trauma.
Custom tips
An ear tip made to the shape of an ear to allow an
improved fit and seal into the ear canal
Datalogging
The hearing aid remembers and 'logs' your usage patterns,
for example the settings and programmes you use, how long you wear
your hearing aid for etc. allowing your Hearing Aid Audiologist to
better adjust and personalise your settings at your follow up
appointments.
Decibel (dB)
A unit of measurement that relates to the loudness of
sound.
Digital hearing aid
A hearing aid that changes analogue sound into a series of
numbers for processing. Most hearing aids made today are
digital.
Directionality/directional microphones
Directional microphones put priority on the sounds coming
from a certain direction while suppressing signal from other
directions.
Fixed directionality means that microphones are fixed in positions
where the majority of important sounds come from - often a wide arc
in front of you known as a 'beam'. Adaptive directionality
means that the hearing aid will take cues from the environment and
focus microphones to the area where the user is looking at the
people they are in conversation with.
Domes
A range of different size ear inserts not made to the
shape of ear that connect to a hearing aid to channel sound into
the ear - a suitable size is selected by the Hearing Aid
Audiologist at fitting
Ear Mould
Usually custom made, an ear mould is typically made of
hypo allergenic silicon or acrylic and is inserted in the ear
in order to channel the amplified sound from the hearing aid into
the ear canal. Ear moulds are required for behind-the-ear (BTE)
styles of hearing aids and are also used for custom made noise
protection products.
Feedback
Feedback is the name given to the whistling sound that you
may have heard typically with older or analogue hearing aids.
Feedback occurs when sound leaves the hearing aid receiver and
loops back through your hearing aid microphone, where it's
amplified a second time into a whistle or squeal. The feedback
suppression feature on most hearing aids identifies this sound
leakage and suppresses it, providing you with better quality, more
comfortable hearing - and no whistling!
FM systems
One person wears a small microphone and transmitter that
sends sound directly to the person wearing the hearing aid
which is coupled to an FM receiver. An FM system works
well in a classroom or at a conference as it allows the person to
hear the speaker's voice above disruptive background noise and
overcomes the need for the hearing impaired person to sit close to
the speaker as the transmission of the FM signal can work over long
distances. .
Frequency
Frequency measured in Hertz (Hz) is the pitch / tone of
sound that we hear
High frequency - sounds on the higher
end of the speech frequency range. Perceived as high tone or
treble, soft consonants such as f and s.
Low frequency - sounds on the lower end
of the speech frequency range. Perceived as low tones or bass,
vowels are generally low frequency
Gain
The amount of amplification added to an incoming
signal
Hearing Test
A series of tones presented to a person at different
loudness levels in order to determine the quietest level of sound
they can hear at each tone or pitch tested. performed with an
audiometer that measures a person's hearing loss.
Hertz
The unit that sound frequency (pitch or tone) is measured
in Hz. The human ear is designed to hear from 20 to 20000Hz
Impression
A silicon cast taken of the contours of the ear and canal
used to make custom hearing aids and ear moulds.
Meniere's Disease
A disease affecting the membranous inner ear; symptoms
include deafness, vertigo, and ringing in the ear (tinnitus).
Mild hearing loss (21 - 40 decibels)
Where the softest sound perceptible at any frequency
tested falls between 20 - 40 decibels.
Moderate hearing loss (41 -70 decibels)
Where the softest sound perceptible at any frequency tested falls
between 40 - 60 decibels.
Music Settings
Enhances the experience of listening to music by bringing
out the rich, full tones in the melodies creating a more satisfying
and rewarding listening experience.
Noise Reduction
Identifies and amplifies important sounds, like speech,
whist reducing gain in channels where there is unwanted steady
state noise, like fan noise. This improves the signal to
noise ratio making it easier to hear in environments where you
encounter background noise.
Occlusion
Hearing aid wearers may experience their voice sounding reverberant
as if they are speaking in a barrel. This effect is referred to as
occlusion and is alleviated by introducing venting into the hearing
aid fitting allowing low frequency energy to escape
Processor
The part of a digital chip where information is
interpreted and changed based on the instructions that have been
programmed into the processor.
Programmes
Programmes are memory settings within the hearing aid, set
up for you by your Hearing Aid Audiologist, that allow the hearing
aid to operate at its optimum potential within specific listening
environments. For example, if you regularly attend the theatre your
Hearing aid Audiologist could set a 'Theatre programme' which would
have the ideal settings to help you hear the actors on the stage.
Another programme might be set for you to listen to your TV while
at home while another might be optimized for use in noisy
restaurants where you might need more amplification with a higher
level of background noise reduction.
With manual programmes you have to manually
switch the hearing aid to the appropriate programme yourself to get
the tailored support you need for that specific environment.
More sophisticated hearing aids have automatic
programme functionality enabling the hearing aid itself to
automatically switch between programs as it senses the listening
situation has changed. The benefit of this automatic programme
feature is that the hearing always operates at the optimum setting,
no matter the noise environment in which you find yourself.
Profound Hearing Loss (over 95 Decibels)
Where the softest sound perceptible at any frequency
tested falls at 95 decibels or greater
Remote Control
This small hand held control (can be in the format of a
pager, watch or key fob device) allows you to alter the
settings of your hearing aid, like increasing the volume or
switching programmes easily and discreetly.
Self Learning
Your hearing aid learns and memorises your setting
preferences - e.g. the amplification volume you use in different
listening environments - and applies these automatically with one
click. In effect it's the next step on from data logging and allows
you greater control over adjusting your hearing aid yourself to
give the optimum performance.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Hearing loss due to damage to the inner ear (cochlea) and/
or the nerve pathway from the cochlea to the brain.
Severe Hearing Loss (71-95 decibels)
Where the softest sound perceptible at any frequency
tested falls between 71-95 decibels.
Telecoil/T-coil
Sometimes referred to as " loop system" "inductive
coupler" "Telephone Coils" or "T switches", T-Coils allow
audio sources fed into the loop system only to be directly
picked up by the hearing aid , only this signal is
heard and no other. They can be used with telephone and
induction loop systems (also called "hearing loops"). Loop systems
can be found in most public buildings like theatres, hotels, shop
counters, banks and post offices
Vent
An air channel in a hearing aid or ear mould to alleviate
pressure and reduce occlusion
Volume Control
Component of the hearing aid that turns the volume up or
down
Wind Noise reduction
Hearing aids with wind noise reduction automatically sense
wind conditions and suppress related noise for comfort. They are
particularly useful for people who spend a lot of time outdoors,
whether walking in the countryside or by the sea, or playing
golf.
Zoom Control
Zoomcontrol is a hearing aid feature that gives you the
ability to choose in which direction to focus your hearing. It's
perfect for instances where you may not be facing a speaker such as
listening to a passenger in a car or where the sound source is
coming consistently from one direction. ZoomControl can be selected
on your hearing aid manually or with use of a remote control. .
