Hearing Aids Prelim

What are the pros and cons of BTE hearing aids?

Pros: Durable, fits all losses, easy to handle.

Cons: More visible, tubing may stiffen.

What makes Mini BTE hearing aids a good option?

Smaller, cosmetically appealing, open-fit, reduces occlusion. Not suitable for severe loss.

Why might an audiologist choose an ITE aid?

Easier controls, fills concha. Suitable for patients with dexterity issues.

List pros and cons of ITC hearing aids.

Pros: Cosmetic appeal, smaller size

Cons: Limited features, not ideal for severe HL.

Define CIC hearing aids and their limitations

Completely-in-canal; nearly invisible. Limited power, prone to feedback, fragile.

What are RIC hearing aids and why are they popular?

Receiver-in-canal; discreet, less feedback, most widely used.

What are practical and sound issues to consider in HA design?

Gain needs, occlusion effects, feedback risk, patient dexterity and preferences.

What is the purpose of the HHIE scale?

Assess perceived social/emotional effects of HL.

 

What does the APHAB (abbreviated profile of HA benefit) scale evaluate?

Benefit in Ease of Communication (EC)

Background Noise (BN)

Reverberation (RV),

Aversiveness (AV)

How does the COSI scale help in hearing aid validation

Patient identifies 5 listening goals/specific listening situations they struggle with (e.g., “understanding my spouse in the car”).; used for pre/post comparison of outcomes.

What does REUR stand for?

Real Ear Unaided Response - baseline ear canal response without amplification

Define REAR in probe mic measures.

Real Ear Aided Response - response measured with hearing aid in place.

What is REIG?

Real Ear Insertion Gain - REAR minus REUR, shows the aid's added gain.

Why is RECD important?

Real Ear to Coupler Difference - crucial for pediatric fittings due to ear canal size.

List other verification methods besides probe mic.

Functional gain

aided audiogram

environmental sound checks

satisfaction surveys

Which degree of hearing loss benefits most from hearing aids?

Moderate hearing loss (55–80 dB HL) benefits most because speech is still accessible with amplification, and patients usually have good speech understanding, making hearing aids more effective.

Why is sloping HL configuration ideal for HA use?

Sloping HL typically indicates better low-frequency hearing, making HA fitting more effective.

What patient characteristics affect HA candidacy?

Age, motivation, support, cognition, dexterity, and readiness.

What is the average delay before adults seek HAs after diagnosis?

13 years

What causes hearing aid feedback?

Amplified sound leaks from receiver back to mic, creating a feedback loop

What is digital feedback suppression?

Adaptive processing to detect and cancel feedback. May reduce high-frequency gain.

What are physical solutions to manage feedback?

New earmolds, deeper insertion, wax removal.

What is a downside of reducing gain to stop feedback?

Reduces audibility and speech understanding.

What are the four common sizes of hearing aid batteries and their tab colors?

Size 10: Yellow tab, Size 312: Brown tab, Size 13: Orange tab, Size 675: Blue tab

What is the typical use for Size 10 hearing aid batteries?

Used in Completely-in-Canal (CIC) and Invisible-in-Canal (IIC) aids. Smallest size, lasts 3-7 days.

What is the typical use for Size 312 hearing aid batteries?

Used in In-the-Canal (ITC) and Receiver-in-Canal (RIC) aids. Medium size, lasts 5-10 days.

What is the typical use for Size 13 hearing aid batteries?

Used in Behind-the-Ear (BTE) and In-the-Ear (ITE) aids. Larger size, lasts 6-14 days.

What is the typical use for Size 675 hearing aid batteries?

Used in Power BTE aids. Largest size, high power, lasts 9-20 days.

What are zinc-air batteries and how do they work?

Disposable hearing aid batteries activated by exposure to air after tab is removed.

What are lithium-ion batteries and what are their benefits?

Rechargeable batteries used in modern hearing aids. Longer life, eco-friendly, no tab required

What is insertion gain and how is it calculated?

Insertion gain is the difference between the aided and unaided ear response at each frequency. It

is calculated as REAR (Real Ear Aided Response) minus REUR (Real Ear Unaided Response).

Why is the Real Ear to Coupler Difference (RECD) important in pediatric fittings?

RECD accounts for the difference in sound pressure between the child's small ear canal and the 2cc coupler, allowing accurate gain estimation without needing in-ear testing.

What is the main purpose of real ear measurements (REM)?

To verify that the hearing aid provides the appropriate amount of gain for soft, average, and loud sounds according to the prescribed target.

What does a poor match to prescriptive target in REM suggest?

It may indicate insufficient audibility of speech, overamplification, or poor HA programming and fit

7 uses for standardized scales

• Assist in determining if a patient is a candidate for hearing aids

• Assist in determining if a patient is ready to be helped

• Assist in establishing realistic expectations

• Assist in establishing a baseline

• Assist in establishing goals for treatment

• Quality Assurance Management

What are the 4 self assessment scales?

• APHAB (abbreviated profile of hearing aid benefit)

• COSI (Client-oriented scale of improvement)

• HHIE (Hearing handicap inventory for the elderly

• 101-HA (international outcome inventory for hearing aids)

What is the purpose of 101-HA (hearing handicap inventory for hearing aids)?

Standardized across cultures; covers benefit, satisfaction, and use