March 31, 2008 Issue
HEARING
LOSS HELP E-zine
"The premier e-zine for people with hearing loss"
Volume 3, Number 2 March
31, 2008
Publisher: Neil Bauman
neil@hearinglosshelp.com
http://www.hearinglosshelp.com
Copyright Center for Hearing Loss Help 2008
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"Hearing loss may change your life,
but your life need not be any less
rewarding and fulfilling
because you have a hearing loss."
— Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
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================================================== In this issue ==================================================
1. News Items
2. Beware of (Ototoxic) Drugs That Can Damage Your Ears
3. Tinnitus
4. Answers to Your Questions
5. Coping Strategies
6. Information on Hearing Aids, Cochlear Implants and/or
Assistive Devices
===============================================
1. News Items
===============================================
Aldosterone—A New Treatment for Hearing Loss and Meniere's Disease?
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
I get some very interesting email at times. A man wrote: "I'm
under the care of Dr. Jonathan Wright of the Tahoma Clinic in
Renton WA. He's been working with Professor Dennis Trune
(U of OR Hearing Sciences Center) on an aldosterone therapy
trial on a human patient. His previous research demonstrated
that aldosterone added to mouse drinking water restores
damaged hearing. Their first human patient has experienced
cessation of further hearing loss plus a total stop of his vertigo
(from Meniere's).
I've been on the same treatment—125 mcg twice a day of
compounded aldosterone for seven months. (I get the
compounded aldosterone from a Canadian pharmacy.) To
date, although my balance is still poor, I have recovered 30
dB (at 250Hz) in my nearly-deaf left ear, and about 20 dB
each in the rest of the test frequencies. On my still "sort of
functioning" right ear, I got back 20 dB across the test
frequencies. My discrimination came up to 95% on my right
ear (from 70%), while the discrimination in my left ear rose
from 20% to 65%. Also, it stopped my serious recruitment!"
This is great news for people with hearing loss from AIED
(autoimmune inner ear disease), people with Meniere's
disease and people who are losing their hearing as a result of
aging (presbycusis)!
Aldosterone is a naturally-occurring hormone (technically a
mineralocorticoid [steroid]) made in our adrenal glands. It
plays an important part in regulating our sodium and
potassium levels—both critical for normal hearing.
Unfortunately, as we age (that means you and me brother),
not only do our potassium levels drop, but so do our
aldosterone levels. This results in some hearing loss.
Furthermore, some people have below normal levels of
aldosterone in the first place, and thus, they too have hearing
problems.
Researchers have discovered there is a direct link between
blood levels of aldosterone and our ability to hear normally.
Thus, for people with lower than normal aldosterone levels,
taking bio-identical aldosterone supplements can help restore
their hearing, and even help with related issues (balance,
recruitment, discrimination, etc.).
If you want to know more about aldosterone therapy and
where you can get bio-identical aldosterone, check out the
easy-to-read article "Take Control of Your Hearing Loss
Before It's Too Late" by Dr. Jonathan Wright.
—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—
Web CapTel—Using Your Computer and ANY Phone to Make Captioned Calls
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
Captioned (CapTel) telephones have been around for a few
years now. With these special phones, you can both hear the
caller and read whatever you miss hearing on the small screen
on the phone a few seconds after the caller has said it.
The downside of this is that you need to have the special
CapTel phone (and they are quite expensive). What happens
if you are away from home, or don't have a CapTel phone on
your desk at work, or you have a digital line?
Here's some exciting news. March 1st, 2008 saw the
beginning of a new web CapTel service by both Hamilton
Relay and Sprint Relay. Now you can make captioned phone
calls from ANY phone, not just CapTel phones if you have a
computer on-line with you, and the best news about it is that it
is absolutely free. It doesn't cost you a penny extra to call
anywhere in the USA. (Sorry foreign readers, if you are
outside the USA, you are out of luck.)
For example, say you are away from home on vacation. If you
stop at a coffee-shop that is Wi-Fi enabled, you could make a
web CapTel phone call using your cell phone and read the
words on your lap-top computer at the same time. Nice, huh?
You could do this in a hotel room, or a client's office, or a
friend's home—virtually anywhere you can get an Internet
connection and be near a phone at the same time.
Web CapTel works with all phones and with all computers with
Internet access. You can access in from the two (below) providers:
Hamilton Web CapTel
Sprint Web CapTel
To make things easy, both companies have exactly the same
registration/sign up forms. Furthermore, to have your incoming
calls captioned, you use the same 800 number.
Before you can use web CapTel, you first you need to register
with either or both of the above relay services. Registration is
easy, and again, it doesn't cost you a penny. You'll need to
come up with a different User Name and Password for each
service.
When you have filled out the on-line registration form, they
send you an email within a few minutes with a link to activate
your account.
Once you are registered and have activated your account,
making outgoing calls is easy. Here's all you do. Go to one of
the above web sites and log on with your user name and
password. Then fill in the appropriate places in the "Place and
Receive Calls" form. The left side of the form is for placing
calls.
You put the number of the phone you will be using in the first
box (this may not be your own phone number, but the number
of the particular phone you are going to be using at that point),
and the number you are calling in the second box. Choose
your language preference. Both English and Spanish are
supported, however English is checked by default. Finally,
click the "Place Call" button. Now wait until your phone rings, then answer it in the normal fashion. Anything the other party
says will shortly appear in the Web CapTel window on your
computer screen. It's that simple.
To receive incoming calls, you fill out the right side of the
"Place and Receive Calls" form. You put the number of the
phone you want to use in the box (again, this is not necessarily
your own phone number, but the number of the phone you are
going to be using at that point) and then click on the "Start Waiting For Calls" box. Leave your computer on and
connected to the Internet with that program running in the
background.
To use this incoming web CapTel service, you need to
instruct people that in order to reach you, they must first dial
1-800-933-7219. They will then be instructed to dial your
number followed by the pound (#) sign. Your phone will ring
and the Web CapTel screen program will become active. You
will both hear and read what the person is saying. Again, it's
that easy! When you no longer want to use this service, log off
and the "system" returns to normal again.
Note: there is a delay of a few seconds between the time you
hear your party's voice and when those words appear on your
monitor. This is normal, so you have to get used to it.
If the captions get too far behind, or things are obviously
missing, you need to have your party slow down a bit so the
relay operator working behind the scenes can keep up.
It is your responsibility to ask your caller to repeat anything
that does not come through properly. Maybe the relay
operator didn't understand it correctly either. (The relay
operator has no way of telling your party that he/she didn't
hear them—so you have to be the "mouthpiece" in those
cases.)
Finally, don't forget to log out when you are finished.
Now go try it out. It really works!
—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—
Captioning Problems—Avoiding the HDMI Cable Fiasco
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
The changeover to digital programming and digital TV is
coming on February 17, 2009—that's less than a year away. If
you are like me, you depend on closed captioning (CC) to
understand what is said on the TV. Thus you want to be sure
that the captions will be working when the changeover comes.
However, not all is as easy and simple as it should have been.
Here is Bob McPherson, the head honcho and owner of the
Yahoo on-line group called "BH News" with his succinct
summary of one of the problems. He writes:
"In a nutshell, the crux of the problem lies in flawed design of
the favored HDMI interface standard, the gold standard today
for interconnecting devices such as DVD players/recorders,
etc, to the new high definition TVs (HDTV). The flaw is that the
HDMI interface was not designed to pass the closed
captioned (CC) signal!
This occurred because the authors of the HDMI protocol assumed that the CC decoding would occur in the
peripheral devices (DVD/etc.) producing open captions
overlaid on the video stream, which the HDMI IS designed to
pass perfectly. Of course that assumption was wrong, as we
well know today in practice!
What is needed, simply, is a next generation HDMI standard,
that does pass CC data. When or if that will happen, I have
no clue.
Why the HDMI anyway? Because the HDMI is a digital
interface as opposed to the analog composite or component
video connectors used in older equipment, and is able to
deliver uncompressed video—which means a much better
picture resolution—what we bought that pricey HDTV for in the
first place!
So, cutting to the quick, what is the best solution for today?
Best: Buy a new DVD device with an included
tuner/decoder ( a DVD recorder, rather than DVD player)
where the CC will be decoded and the captions overlaid on
the video, and will pass through the HDMI interface.
Better: Buy a DVD player with component video output
jacks. ( the red/green/blue ) which will work in many cases,
but not guaranteed.
Good: All DVD players have the basic composite video
output jack ( yellow) and will work with any set, but at an even
lower resolution (picture quality) than the component
connection.
For those investing in new equipment for the coming DTV
transition, if the purse will allow it, I suggest an HDTV and a
DVD recorder with ATSC (digital) tuner, with HDMI
connectors on each, which all have now, I believe."
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===============================================
2. Beware of (Ototoxic) Drugs That Can Damage Your Ears
===============================================
More on Ototoxic Ear Wax Removal Products
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
An eZine reader in Australia wrote: "Thanks once again for the
excellent newsletter. The subject of
ototoxic earwax removal
medications got me checking
the products we have in Australia. One particular product
which sells under the brand name here of "Cerumol" lists
amongst it's contents ortho-dichlorobenzene and para-dichlorobenzene.
I note that in your book "Ototoxic Drugs Exposed",
dichlorobenzene is listed as an ototoxic chemical.
Even though this product was recommended to me by a
health professional, I will pass. When one looks at what
dichlorobenzene is and what it is used for, I will certainly not
be putting that into my ears. I did try it once, since a health
care professional recommended it. I remember my ears
feeling sore and a bit "stingy" afterwards. Not surprising given
that dichlorobenzene is an industrial solvent!"
I'm with you in this. All the dichlorobenzenes (ortho, meta and
para) are industrial solvents, pesticides, etc. For example
para-dichlorobenzene is used in moth balls. The
dichlorobenzenes are somewhat ototoxic and can cause
dizziness and vertigo.
I'm sure the Cerumol will dissolve ear wax just fine—but it is
not the kind of thing I want to put in my ears either. There are
much safer alternatives.
We need to be aware of the chemical nature of the drugs and
medications health professionals try to pawn off on us as
being "good" and safe for us.
—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—
Alcohol and Hearing Loss
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
Did you ever wonder why as people become more and more
inebriated, they talk louder and louder? You probably thought
they were just losing their inhibitions—and rightly so—but that is
not the whole story.
The surprising truth is that the more intoxicated people
become, the worse their hearing gets. That is why as people
become more and more intoxicated, their voices get louder
and louder. They just don't hear as well when inebriated. (1)
No wonder "watering holes" become so noisy as the evening
progresses. They even have a name for it, "Cocktail
Deafness". Fortunately, the hearing loss is temporary. When
you sober up, your hearing returns to normal again.
Another interesting finding is that hearing loss from drinking is
mostly in the lower frequencies. No wonder patrons on the
dance floor want the bass cranked up so loud.
(1)
Healthy Hearing
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===============================================
3. Tinnitus
===============================================
Acamprosate—Effective Tinnitus Cure?
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
A man wrote: "I have recently read a number of articles
involving the use of Acamprosate (Campral) in treating
tinnitus. One
Brazilian study showed pretty positive results in
giving tinnitus sufferers some relief using this drug.
I am going to see my ENT soon for my annual hearing test.
While there, I am going to show him some articles I have
printed to see if he would allow me to try this drug to see if I
too can achieve some relief.
Prior to seeing him, I thought I would e-mail you to see if you
have any thoughts or viewpoints regarding the use of this drug
in the treatment of tinnitus. It seems as though the side
effects are generally mild and well tolerated. After suffering
with tinnitus for seven years, I would certainly welcome a trial
with anything that may provide me some relief!"
I hear you. There are millions of people in the same boat that
would love to get rid of their tinnitus with a magic "tinnitus pill",
but that is not very likely in the near future.
First, be aware that at the present time there is not a single
drug approved by the FDA for the treatment of tinnitus. To me
this is a pretty strong indication that drugs are not the answer
to curing tinnitus. Many drugs have been tried as possible
tinnitus cures, but none has been very successful so far.
Now let's look at Acamprosate (Campral). Acamprosate is
approved for helping people overcome their alcohol addiction.
In the Brazilian study you mentioned, the figures sound
impressive. After 90 days on Acamprosate there was a
significant overall improvement rate of 87%. Nearly half stated
their tinnitus had declined by at least 50%. Wow! Impressive
results, right? But this was one small study involving only
25 people taking Acamprosate.
The results of this single study have been picked up and
spread far and wide. What bothers me is that the research
was done 4 years ago, and IF the results of this study were so
wonderful, why haven't many other studies been done in the
past 4 years verifying the results of this study? Why aren't
doctors prescribing this drug to help people with tinnitus? Why
hasn't the FDA moved to approve this drug for tinnitus
treatment, and thus help the 50 million Americans that have
tinnitus?
The truth is, Acamprosate is not without serious side effects
including suicide and depression. In addition, it can be
ototoxic. It has been implicated in hearing loss, tinnitus,
dizziness and vertigo as well as [auditory] hallucinations.
When it comes to drugs, it is better to not be on the leading
edge because most (about 51%) serious side effects are not discovered in the studies drug companies do—but only
become apparent after the drug has been approved by the
FDA and is released to the public. Do you really want to be
the guinea pig?
One of the problems in finding a drug cure for tinnitus is that
we so often think of tinnitus as a single condition—whereas it is
really a number of different things that cause the annoying
phantom sounds. Since there are a number of causes, it
stands to reason that one treatment that not will work for
everyone. The treatment has to fit the cause.
For example, some studies show that the herb, Ginkgo biloba,
alleviates tinnitus, and other studies show it doesn't. Who do
you believe?
In actual fact, if your tinnitus was the result of lack of blood
flow to your inner ears (cochlea), then Ginkgo may indeed
"cure" your tinnitus. But, if your tinnitus was caused by ototoxic
drugs, or wax in your ears, or a glomus tumor in your neck,
then obviously Ginkgo is the wrong treatment.
Therefore, if and when Acamprosate has stood the test of
time as an effective treatment for tinnitus, and if its benefits far
outweigh its side effects, then, and only then, is it time to give
it a try if you value your health.
—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—
Bronson's Ring Eze—Will This Formulation Cure Tinnitus?
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
A lady asked: "I am forwarding this to ask your opinion. I don't
suffer with tinnitus but friends do and I would like to be able to
recommend this product if it is something you might
recommend."
The ad reads: "What is Tinnitus? Research shows almost 40
million adults suffer from tinnitus commonly referred to as
'ringing in the ears.'
This problem may be caused by excess ear wax, nerve
damage or dysfunction, or irritation from an unknown source.
The constant ringing or noises in the ears can greatly interfere
with the quality of life.
If this sounds familiar, you'll be happy to hear Bronson's Ring
Eze formula may offer you the relief you've been searching
for! This topical formula is an all-natural, high quality liquid
containing a proprietary blend of Bio-Chelated concentrated
herbal extracts in a synergistic combination shown to help
relieve the ringing, buzzing and noise in the ears. Though
there is no cure for Tinnitus, this unique blend of natural
ingredients helps by nourishing nerve endings in the ear and
gently improving circulation."
So much for the hype. What is the truth? Will this formulation
help people with tinnitus?
Let's look carefully at the claims this ad makes and see what it
is really saying—not what you thought it said based on a quick
reading.
Here's the first statement.
"This problem may be caused by excess ear wax, nerve
damage or dysfunction, or irritation from an unknown source.
The constant ringing or noises in the ears can greatly interfere
with the quality of life."
This is a true statement. There are many different causes of
tinnitus. What they don't say is that consequently you need
specific treatments based on these causes. It is not a case of
one treatment fits all. It continues:
"If this sounds familiar, you'll be happy to hear Bronson's Ring
Eze formula may offer you the relief you've been searching
for!"
Notice the "may offer you the relief". It doesn't say it will—but
they are counting on you to believe it will—so that you will order
it. Now comes the part—long on hype and lacking in any
concrete evidence:
"This topical formula is an all-natural, high quality liquid
containing a proprietary blend of Bio-Chelated®
concentrated herbal extracts in a synergistic combination
shown to help relieve the ringing, buzzing and noise in the
ears."
It sure sounds good, doesn't it. It's got all the right buzz-words. However, where are the studies showing that this
particular formulation really works? They've got you believing
you can say bye-bye to your tinnitus, but in the very next
sentence they essentially contradict themselves. Notice:
"Though there is no cure for Tinnitus"
If there is "no cure", why should a person think their formula
will work for them?
It then continues, "this unique blend of natural ingredients
helps by nourishing nerve endings in the ear and gently
improving circulation."
Now they finally get to what their formulation can do—improve
circulation. Thus, IF your tinnitus is caused by a lack of blood
flow to your inner ears—then this formulation may help you. I
agree.
What they don't say is that most people with tinnitus do not
have this problem, so it helps a relatively small proportion of
people with tinnitus.
As I've said in previous articles, if you have wax in your ears,
or partially obstructed arteries in your head and neck, or have
tinnitus from taking ototoxic drugs, or tinnitus from noise
damage, this formulation is not going to help you much, if at
all, because your tinnitus is not caused by a lack of
circulation in your inner ears.
I once tested a whole case of a similar product—took it
faithfully for 9 months—and at the end I couldn't discern any
difference in my tinnitus because, like most people, my
tinnitus is not caused by poor circulation.
Do I recommend this product? Actually, I neither recommend
nor not recommend it. It certainly won't hurt your ears. It can
help your tinnitus if your tinnitus is caused by lack of blood
flow to your ears, but otherwise don't expect any/much help
from it. That's my assessment based on my knowledge and
experience.
—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—
Remifemin and Tinnitus
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
A lady explained: "In your book 'When Your Ears Ring' you
speak of black cohosh as a possible tinnitus treatment. I have
tinnitus and I am trying to get off HRT [hormone replacement
therapy drugs]. I looked at a lot of web sites and it seemed
that black cohosh especially as the product Remifemin might
be a help to a lot of my problems.
After four days on Remifemin it seemed my tinnitus was a lot
louder. Today, I found a few web sites that say that black cohosh contains
salicylates and should not be used by people who need to
avoid aspirin. (I believe that aspirin worsened my tinnitus
several months ago when I took some for back pain. At that
time I took about six or seven 325 mg. pills over the course
of one day to try to fight a disk problem in my back. I had had
steady tinnitus for five years before this, then developed a
second noise in my left ear four days after taking the aspirin.
Since then both ears have become louder.) Do you think the
Remifemin is causing this increase? I sure thought I did my
homework on this one."
I think you are wise in getting of the HRT. HRT is pretty
harmful to your whole body from everything I've read. I'd
never consider it if I were a woman. It's just not worth the risk.
I think that Remifemin is a much safer alternative. And yes, I
think you did your homework very well.
Remifemin contains an extract of black cohosh (roots and
rhizomes) equivalent to 20mg that is standardized to contain 1
mg of the active ingredient—triterpene—so that leaves 19 mg
for anything else in the black cohosh.
There are a LOT of chemical compounds in black cohosh
apart from triterpene glycosides. These compounds include
phenolic acids, flavonoids, volatile oils and tannins. In
addition, there are several acids such as acetic, butyric,
formic, oleic, palmitic, and salicylic acids. Thus the
amount of salicylates in Remifemin must be a very small part
of the remaining 19 mg.
I don't think that Remifemin tablets even contain 1 mg of
salicylic acid. But even if they were ALL salicylic acid—the
dose would still be well below what is needed to cause
tinnitus in the typical person.
Let's compare the salicylate content in Remifemin to that of a
typical aspirin. Standard adult aspirin contain 325 mg of
acetylsalicylic acid. It is generally accepted that it takes about
6 aspirins a day to cause tinnitus in the typical person—that
would be about 1950 mg.
Since the normal dose of Remifemin is 2 tablets a day, the
most salicylic acid you would be getting is maybe 2 mg a
day—a far cry from the 1950 mg needed to cause tinnitus in
the typical person.
However, having said that, everyone is different, and for some
people maybe even small doses of salicylic acid can cause
tinnitus—but I wouldn't think it would be very common.
The good thing about tinnitus from aspirin (and related
salicylates) is that typically the tinnitus only occurs while you
are taking the drug. Once you have stopped, in 3 or 4 days the
tinnitus should disappear. (Unfortunately, for a few people this
is not true and they are left with permanent tinnitus, but this is not the norm.)
—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—
Some Tinnitus Linked to Touch-Sensitive Nerves in Head and Neck
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
New research reveals that for some people with hearing loss,
the tinnitus associated with hearing loss stems from over-active sensory nerves in the face and neck.(1) After hearing
loss occurs, for some reason, touch-sensing nerves in the
face and neck step up their activity in the brain. The result is
that some neurons in the cochlear nucleus become
hyperactive. This increased activity has been linked to tinnitus.
For these people, treatment for their tinnitus may be as simple
as acupuncture targeted at the nerves in the head and neck.
These findings may also reveal why many people with
temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ) also suffer from
tinnitus.
(1) The Hearing Review, Vol 15, No. 2, February 2008. p. 60.
===============================================
4. Answers to Your Questions
===============================================
If you have a question, or if something has been puzzling you
concerning your ears, email it to
mailto:neil@hearinglosshelp.com
and put "e-zine question" as the subject. Suitable questions will be answered here.
Assistive Devices and Pacemakers—What's the Score?
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
A man asked, "I am inquiring whether any of your home loop
(or similar) systems is reasonably OK for my mother who has
a modern pacemaker for her heart? I could place the loop
wires 8 feet from the floor. Any advice you can give me will be
appreciated."
As far as I know there has never been a problem with
assistive devices affecting pacemakers—although some
assistive devices carry warnings about not getting them too
close to a pacemaker. I've even asked assistive device
manufacturers, and they tell me they have never had a case
where their devices interfered with a pacemaker.
Thus I think it is highly unlikely that loop systems (or other
assistive devices) will cause a problem.
With room loop systems, the room loop is typically on the
floor or above the ceiling and far enough away to not cause
problems. Now, if the room loop wire ran right across her
chest and pacemaker, that might be different.
If I had a pacemaker, I sure wouldn't worry about a loop
system upsetting my pacemaker. The loop only puts out a
magnetic field—not a radio frequency signal.
I believe assistive devices to be perfectly safe for use near
pacemakers—but its possible under certain conditions, with
certain assistive devices and with certain people there could
be a problem—but like I said, I've never heard of one ever
occurring.
—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—
Hypothyroidism and Hearing Loss
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
A man wrote: "I recently was diagnosed with hypothyroidism
(underactive thyroid). I have also been noticing an increased
hearing loss. My doctor tells me that there is a connection
between hypothyroidism and hearing loss, but I haven't had
other symptoms associated with the problem such as fatigue,
lethargy and weight gain. I have also checked the Internet and
found similar references to hearing loss. My doctor has put
me on the lowest possible dose of Thyroxine and will be
monitoring me every six weeks until the proper dosage is established. My main question to you is whether or not
Thyroxine is considered an Ototoxic drug. Will stopping the
Hypothyroidism, which is assumed to be contributing to my
continued hearing loss, only cause more hearing loss
because of the medication?"
You can set your mind at rest. As far as I can tell neither
Thyroxine (a natural hormone) nor Levothyroxine (Synthroid) (a synthetic drug)
are ototoxic in any way.
Hypothyroidism is a condition in which there is too little thyroid
hormone in the bloodstream. Numerous medications can
affect thyroid production.
Hypothyroidism is commonly linked with hearing loss. In fact,
"about half of the people with low thyroid function have hearing
losses. Moreover, about 3% of the people with Meniere's
syndrome have hypothyroidism; and in some, control of the
thyroid disease eliminates the symptoms of Meniere's
syndrome." (1)
Both sensorineural and conductive hearing loss can result
from hypothyroidism. So can tinnitus and vertigo. Doctors
believe that things such as serous otitis media (middle ear
infections), edema and swelling of the nerves may contribute to hearing loss in hypothyroidism. (2) Hearing loss is also a
common symptom of Pendred's syndrome, another thyroid-related disease.
(1)
eHealth MD
(2)
Parkhurst Exchange year-month-#: 2004-09-20)
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5. Coping Strategies
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Hearing in Noise—There Is No Magic Device—But Used Correctly, Some Assistive Devices Work Surprisingly Well
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
A lady wrote: "My biggest wish right now is to be able to hear
better in a noisy place like a restaurant, or at a social gathering
where I am moving around. I know the PockeTalker works, but
that means carrying it, and I like to have my hands free. I was
wondering if I should trade my current hearing aids in for ones
that have t-coils and directional microphones.
I am looking for that magic device that I can carry with me and
set down and be able to have the person's voice come right
up to my ears. It does not have to have a very large range."
That is some magic device alright. Trouble is, it doesn't exist.
There are good assistive listening devices (ALDs)—some
work well in some situations, while others work well in different
situations. However, there is no single device that works well
in all situations.
The secret to better hearing is just this—the noisier the place,
the closer you need the microphone to be to the speaker's
mouth. It's that simple. This is why placing a microphone in
the center of a table doesn't work well. It picks up too much of
the noise in the room.
When it comes right down to it, you have two basic choices.
One is to get new hearing aids that cut out most background
sounds while zeroing in on the voice of the person to whom
you are speaking. The second is to use an ALD, either alone,
or in conjunction with your hearing aids.
Hearing aids with directional microphones can be wonderful.
About 5 years ago, Siemens came out with their BTE Triano.
It had three microphones on each aid—and when set in full
directional mode—boy was it great! I tried it in a crowded
exhibit hall, and it cut out all the racket except the voice of the
guy I was talking to. I was totally impressed!
However, most hearing aids do not have wonderful directional
microphones. For example, my current hearing aids have
directional microphones (2 mics on each aid), and in
directional mode they do cut down noise from the sides and
back by about one third, but that is not enough so that I can
have an easy conversation in noisy situations. I still have to try
to hear through the remaining racket.
The problem with full directional mics (as opposed to semi-directional mics) is that you have to be facing the person to
hear them. For example, a person could be yelling a warning
to you from behind and you'd not hear a thing; or in a group, if
you are looking at the person who is talking and another
person chimes in, you won't hear them—so you won't be able
to follow group conversations; nor will you be able to hear
questions at meetings because you never know which
direction to turn to before the question is half over, not to
mention getting whiplash from all that head spinning!
However, if you are only talking to one person, having full
directional microphones makes it possible to hear the person
with whom you are chatting without all the background racket.
Many modern hearing aids combine both noise cancellation and directional microphones to help you hear better in noisy
situations. Naturally, some work better than others, so you
have to try them out to see which works the best for you.
Your second basic option is to use an assistive device. In
noisy situations, my choice, because it is relatively cheap, yet
works with any hearing aids with t-coils (or without hearing aids
when wearing earbuds) is the PockeTalker with a super-directional microphone or lapel microphone—depending on
the situation.
For example, in noisy restaurants, I just put the PockeTalker
on the table and clip the lapel mic on the person I want to
hear—and wear either my hearing aids and neckloop or no
hearing aids and earbuds. This decimates the background
noise.
Just to give you one example. One time I was with my wife in
a steakhouse restaurant. We were seated near one end—but
at the other end was the bar and large-screen TV. As it
happened, a ball game was on. Every time the game got
exciting, there were loud yahoos from the bar patrons. This
made it most difficult for me to hear my wife. However, with
the PockeTalker and lapel mic, the background level dropped
dramatically. I could hear my wife's voice with ease.
I like using this combination when in restaurants or, in the car—places where you are seated and remain seated for a time.
If I am standing up and walking around—such as at receptions,
or wandering around in noisy exhibit halls, my choice is a
PockeTalker and handheld super-directional microphone.
Let me show you the difference. A few months ago I was in an
exhibit hall talking to the various salesmen at their booths.
When I started, I had my hearing aids on, but the racket was
not only making it very hard for me to understand much, it was
also giving me a headache. So I hauled out my trusty
PockeTalker, super-directional microphone and neckloop.
I just aimed the microphone at the salesperson's mouth and wow! It was just like he was talking right into both of my ears
at the same time. The background roar almost became a
whisper. That is what a properly used assistive device can do
for you!
If you are interested in the PockeTalker and/or the specific
microphones I use, here are the links to those wonderful
devices. (They are all on the same web page—so you can just
scroll down if you like.)
PockeTalker
Neckloop (NKL
001)
Lapel Microphone (MIC 054)
Super-directional microphone (MM400-S)
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6. Information on Hearing Aids, Cochlear Implants
and/or Assistive Devices
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Remote Captioning (CART)—Here's What You Need
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
A man asked, "Our HLAA [Hearing Loss Association of
America] chapter needs reliable information on how to access
remote real-time captioning (CART) for our meetings. Can
you help us with the specifics?"
Sure. Remote CART displays the same real-time captioning
you'd see if the captionist was present. The basic difference
is that with remote CART the captionist is elsewhere in the
world, not physically present in the same room with you. You
are connected with her (most captionists are women) via the
Internet.
Typically, remote CART is cheaper as there is no traveling time for the captionist, and there is no 2 hour minimum. You just schedule the amount of time you need.
In order to access remote CART you just need five things:
- An Internet connection (faster is better)
- A computer that can access this Internet connection
- A microphone hooked up to the computer to capture the speaker's voice
- A projector hooked up to the computer to project the captioning onto a big screen for all to read
- The appropriate software or web address used by the captionist. (Your
captionist will give you this, and your user name and password.)
Here's how it works out in practice.
First, you have to contact your remote CART provider and schedule your time slot. Do this well ahead of time. At our HLAA chapter, we do this a year at a time since we know when our meetings will be. That way we guarantee our time
slot won't get taken by someone else.
At the appointed time you hook up the above devices and log on to the web site.
Set up the projector so that whatever appears on the computer screen is projected to the big screen at the front. (Incidentally, you can ask to have the font size changed to something that is easy for your people to read. Also, you can request FULL CAPITALS or normal lower case letters—whatever you find the easiest to read. Personally, I like lower case.)
Next, do a microphone check to be sure your captionist can hear you well. (Remember, she can only caption what she hears and understands.) Now you're ready to go.
Where we have our HLAA meetings, they have their own "in house" sound system. We have our presenters wear the "house" wireless microphone that is hooked into their sound system. The output of the house system is plugged into the computer's microphone or line input jack, as well as feeding the public address system.
If you're curious, here's how it all works. The speaker's voice goes into the microphone to the computer. From there it travels via the Internet to the captionist's computer where she listens on her speakers or headphones. She types what she hears into her steno machine that is hooked up to her computer. Her computer converts the "gibberish" she types into proper English text which appears on her monitor.
This text is automatically sent to the web page you are connected to, and thus is displayed on your computer's monitor, and at the same time, projected on to the big screen where everyone can see it as fast as she types it—typically only 2 or 3 seconds after the speaker has spoken the words. Its just like magic!
Click here to find captionists that provide remote CART.
—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—
Implantable Hearing Aids—How Do You Set the Volume?
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
A lady asked: "One question about the implantable hearing aid...Is there any "volume control?" In checking Otologics' website, it does not appear to have one since it's all internal. I would be fearful that it could be turned up too loud and do damage to the hearing."
Actually, I was just looking at the Otologics' web site, and I find that there
is a remote that turns the device on and off and sets the volume. Go to
Otologics web
page . The last sentence beside the bottom picture tells you this.
—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—o—
Need Help To Hear Better—Hearing Aids and Bluetooth Assistive Devices
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
A man wrote, "I currently have an in-the-ear hearing aid that is not bluetooth compatible, and I need a replacement. I want a behind the ear hearing aid that is bluetooth compatible. I was hoping to find an aid that is around $900.00. The bluetooth attachment adds another $400.00. Could you help me with locating an aid that is adaptable to a bluetooth attachment."
You sure don't want much do you—a hearing aid for $900.00 with all the bells and whistles attached?
The first hearing aids with bluetooth attachments required a DAI (direct audio input) boot to attach a bluetooth gizmo called the ELI (which stood for "Ear Level Instrument"). Unfortunately, the ELI had a number of drawbacks. First, it was quite expensive. Second, it could only attach to certain makes and models of hearing aids thus limiting its usefulness. Third, it could only work with one hearing aid so you could never have binaural hearing via a bluetooth connection. This was because Bluetooth
pairs with the remote bluetooth device—thus one aid pairs with your bluetooth device (phone, etc) and the other aid is locked out. Fourth, it had limited battery life.
Current technology places the bluetooth circuitry in a remote control, not in/on the hearing aids themselves. The remote then "talks" to
both hearing aids at once. However, hearing aids that use this arrangement are high end aids and cost several thousand dollars each. At the same time, if you change your aids, you need a new bluetooth remote.
A much cheaper solution (which does my Scottish heart good) is a bluetooth neckloop that can be used with
any hearing aids that have t-coils. This way you don't have to throw out the bluetooth neckloop when you get new hearing aids.
Furthermore, you don't have a "pairing" problem as the neckloop couples to both aids via their t-coils.
What I'd do is keep my options open and get a bluetooth neckloop. That way you can hear with
both aids (via their t-coils). The bluetooth "dongle" at the end of the neckloop pairs with your cell phone, MP3 player, etc. This way you are not tied to any brand of hearing aid—just
that you need t-coils—which you should get in any case.
Personally, I like the
MaxIT bluetooth neckloop.
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HEARING LOSS HELP E-zine
Neil Bauman, Publisher
Center for Hearing Loss Help
49 Piston Court
Stewartstown, PA 17363 USA
Phone: (717) 993-8555
Fax (717) 993-6661
http://www.hearinglosshelp.com
neil@hearinglosshelp.com
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