Everything you need to know - Hidden Hearing 2018 ESSENTIAL GUIDE Everything you need to know And much ... † Widex Hearing Aids The Essential Guide to Hearing Aids ... programming

Britain’s 1st dedicated consumer guide to Hearing Aids£4.99

THE 2018 ESSENTIAL GUIDE

Everything youneed to know

Andmuchmore...

• Avoiding hearing loss• Hearing aid styles • The hearing test• How we hear

PLUS: All your questions answered and productinformation on the very latest hearing aid technology

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2 The Essential Guide to Hearing Aids

Introduction

Better hearingstarts here

Use the form below to make a note of the date and time of yourhearing test. It will be provided FREE and without obligation.

Day: ............................Date: ..................................Time: ....................

At:..........................................................................................................

Town: ....................................................................................................

Telephone: ............................................................................................

Hearing Test Details

Welcome to The Essential Guide to Hearing Aids 2018 - one of Britain’s bestguides to hearing loss and hearing aids. In this issue you will find all theessential information you need to know when considering how to go aboutimproving your hearing.

Are you aware of just how common hearing loss is across all age groups? With 10million people in the UK currently experiencing hearing loss and as many as 4 million of them still undiagnosed and reluctant to seek help, it is a hugely neglected conditioncrying out for attention.

Early detection with single, quick diagnostic testing and huge advances in sophisticated,almost invisible modern hearing aid technology means that remedies for all severities ofhearing loss are readily available, cosmetically acceptable and perhaps most importantlyof all, dramatically effective.

We therefore recommend that everybody over the age of fifty has theirhearing checked each year, as is common with having a sight test, or indeedvisiting the dentist.

We hope you enjoy reading the Essential Guide to Hearing Aids.

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Contents

ContentsHearing Loss - The Facts• People Urged to Get Their Hearing Checked

- Hearing Facts & Figures- Signs of Hearing Loss

• Your Hearing Assessment• How We Hear• Types of Hearing Loss

A Background to Hearing• Preventing Hearing Loss

- Tinnitus - The Facts - Wax Information

The Benefit of Hearing Aids• Binaural Hearing• Styles of Hearing Aids

Product UpdateTechnical information on the latest hearing aids• Oticon Opn Hearing Aid• Spectacle Aids• Oticon Alta 2 Pro Hearing Aid• Connectivity• Starkey Hearing Aids• Widex Hearing Aids

The Essential Guide to Hearing Aids

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Hearing Loss - The Facts

Recognising a hearing loss is the first step to

improving your life. The Essential Guidehelps you do just that.

People urged to get their

hearingchecked

Hearing loss canlead to feelingsof frustration,isolation and

even depression, but notknowing where to go forhelp can be daunting andmight leave you feeling even more confused and overwhelmed.

Losing your hearing orwitnessing it in a loved oneis stressful enough - findingthe best solution for youshouldn't be. Don't let thisdaunting task standbetween you and enjoying aricher, fuller life. Very quickly,you can start enjoying all ofthe wonderful sounds lifehas to offer.

The first step inrediscovering clearer

hearing is to get yourhearing tested. There aretwo routes you can take toseek help. You could visityour local GP who will referyou to your local Audiologydepartment, or, seek privatehelp from your local privatehearing healthcare provider.

A hearing test with theNHS or a Private healthcareprovider should be free andwhichever route you chooseto take, you will be seen bya regulated professional.You can be confident ifchoosing either route thatthe professional conductingthe hearing test will have thenecessary training,qualification and expertiseto carry out the hearing testand provide the assistance

you require. What is the best route to

take? The main differencesbetween going private andthe NHS are choice,waiting times, time forservice and cost. NHSwaiting times vary acrossthe UK with some peoplereporting having to waitmonths before being seen,whereas with privatehearing healthcareproviders you could beseen and fitted with ahearing instrument on the same day, as manyretailers accept walk-in appointments.

When you’ve had yourhearing test you will be toldstraight away whether youhave a hearing loss or not.

“Hearing aidshave a

significantlypositive

impact on relationshipsat home and

effective communication”

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5The Essential Guide to Hearing Aids


With the NHS a hearing aidwould be provided free ofcharge, although onceagain, there will be a waitingtime before this gets fittedand the hearing aid willremain the property of theNHS, given to you on loan.The NHS will be responsiblefor ear moulds,maintenance and batteriesfor your hearing aid. Nearlyall of the hearing aidsavailable on the NHS areworn behind the ear, whichis not most people’spreferred solution becausethey can quite easily beseen by others, but thisvaries dependant on whereyou are in the UK.

One of the mainadvantages of seeking helpthrough a private hearinghealthcare provider is thatthey offer a broader range ofmakes and models ofhearing aids, includingpopular in the ear styles thatare difficult to see whenworn. With hundreds ofhearing aids available youcan be confident that thereis a solution out there to fityour needs, style preferenceand lifestyle. From in the earhearing aids, to hearing aidsworn on your spectacles,large or small, coloured ornot, the selection is vast.With the new style ‘open fit’hearing aids, it is possible towalk away with your newaids programmed to yourneeds the same day.

Prices of private hearingaids start at £300. If youchoose to go private you areadvised to shop around,and check to see if they

The Signs of Hearing Loss

• You have the radio & TV volume turned up loud• You ask people to repeat what they have said• You have problems understanding speech when

there is background noise• You think people seem to mumble• Entertaining has become difficult and you avoid

going out• You have difficulty following conversations • You find it hard to tell where sounds are coming from

Hearing facts & figures

• 9 million people in the UK (1 in 7) are deaf or have ahearing loss. This rises to 1 in 2 over the age of 60.

• 90 per cent of young people have experienced ringing intheir ears after a night out – this is a sign of hearing damage!

• There are currently 2 million people who wear hearing aids and 4 million who could benefit from one but do not have them.

• 840 babies are born each year in UK with significant deafness.

(www.rnid.gov.uk)

• 51% of MP3 users are listening to their MP3 players atdangerously high volume levels (above 89 decibels (db))for up to two hours a day.

• 1 in 5 people are blasting their ears with sound levels of100db or more – the equivalent of hearing a pneumaticdrill 10 feet away.

• 35% of people attending gigs and concerts say they haveexperienced ringing in their ears or dull hearing, signalingthat damage to their hearing may have begun.

(Survey results for Hearing Awareness Week 2009)

include free after careservice, including finetuning, programming andannual hearing tests for thelife of your aids.

Is this you?

A recent groundbreakingstudy held among UKconsumers has revealed astaggering 3.4 million do notuse a hearing aid but couldbenefit from doing so.

The study – Euro Trak UK2010 – is the mostcomprehensive undertakenin this field and asked nearly15,000 consumers toanswer questions not onlyabout their personalhearing, but also about theirattitudes to and knowledgeabout hearing aids.

It also found that the UKhad the lowest rate ofhearing tests in Europe.

If you think you have ahearing problem it isimportant to have yourhearing checked as soon aspossible and then regularlyeach year. Untreatedhearing impairment canhave serious consequencesincluding isolation,depression, withdrawal,relationship problems, andlow self-esteem. Allowingyour hearing to deterioratefurther could reduce thepossibilities for improvementas you will be asking yourhearing aid system to domore to compensate.

If left untreated, your brainloses its ability to identifysounds that are no longerbeing received – see page 7for ‘How we hear’. High

frequency sounds areusually lost first, which iswhy people with hearingloss often have problemshearing soft high pitchedvoices of women andchildren. Words that soundalike that contain F, S, CH,SH, H or soft C sounds areespecially difficult tounderstand. And even moreso if you cannot see theperson speaking e.g. theother person is talking toyou on the telephone, in adifferent room or has theirback turned to you. EG




Rest assured thathaving a hearingtest is painless.You should allow

an hour to be assessed asyour Hearing Aid Audiologistwill start by asking aboutyour background – yourgeneral health, medicalhistory, employment,interests and examples ofchanges you’ve noticed inyour hearing. Some of thismay seem strange but ifyou’ve worked in a noisyworkplace with heavymachinery you’ll appreciatewhy they want to know.

They are likely to ask youabout any past problemsthat you have had with yourears, and disease orillnesses you have sufferedfrom that might haveeffected your ears and alsoabout any trauma or suddenchanges in your ability tohear well. All questionsshould be answered astruthfully as possible.

You’ll also have a physicalexamination of the ears –both the outer ear and inner

ear. They will use aninstrument called anotoscope which is a coneshape magnifier with a lightattached. During this part ofthe exam, the Audiologistwill be checking for anyabnormalities in the innerand outer ear. They will alsobe checking that theeardrum is fully intact andthat there is no excess waxpresent inside the ear.

If your Hearing AidAudiologist is using a videootoscope then you too maybe able to see what theyare seeing on a computeror TV screen.

Your hearing response willbe tested with a Pure-Toneaudiology test. Here youwear a set of headphonesand need to indicate whichtones you hear as a series oftones are played at varyingpitches and volumesthrough the headphones.Each ear is tested separatelyand the tones are repeatedlyplayed at lower volumes untilyou can no longer detectthem. This may be

conducted in a 'soundbooth', a specificallydesigned soundproof boothor room in which theAudiologist can get a trueidea of your hearingcapabilities without theinterference of outside noise.

The results are plottedonto an audiogram chartshowing the extent of anyhearing loss or the capacityyou have. Hearing ismeasured in units ofloudness called decibels(dB). The audiogram is avisual representation of howwell you hear and revealsthe degree and type ofhearing loss.

There are other testingprocedures which may becarried out such as aspeech clarity test, whichdetermines how well youcan understandconversations and speech.For this, it is recommendedthat you have a familiarvoice read a specific list ofwords to you i.e. yourpartner, or friend whosevoice you are familiar with. EG

Below: A woman having herears examined by a qualifiedHearing Aid Dispenser.

Your HearingAssessment

The Guidetells youwhat it’s liketo have yourhearingtested.

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In learning linguistics orculture, it is veryimportant as humanbeings to use our

sense of hearing. Losingthe sense of hearing cancompletely change aperson's way of living.People should be properlyeducated how to care fortheir sense of hearing by

knowing how it works andby preventing commoncauses of hearing loss.

The ear consists of three main parts and eachperforms a vital function inreceiving and interpretingsound. These parts are theOuter Ear, Middle Ear andInner Ear.

Anything that disturbs this

delicate balance will result inhearing loss, as it is veryimportant that they functiontogether perfectly.

In conclusion, thenumber one thing a personneeds to do right now is tohave their ears checkedand also try to prevent thethings that may causedamage to their hearing. EG

4

5

6

3

How We Hear

1

• The Outer Ear collects sound vibrations

in the concha (1) and passes them

along the ear canal (2).

• The sounds vibrate the ear drum (3)

which in turn moves the tiny bones (4)

in the Middle Ear.

• This movement transmits vibrations to the cochlea (5) in the Inner Ear where they

are received by fragile microscopic hair cells that convert vibration into nerve impulses

for onward transmission by the auditory nerve (6) to the brain for recognition.

The Essential Guide takes a look at the amazingscience we have behind our sense of hearing

2

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Broadly speaking,there are fourdifferent types ofhearing loss. So

until your hearing is tested,we can’t say what’s causedthe problem or even knowthe consequences.

If your hearing is poor, it’sprobably been brought onby one of these conditions:

1. Age-RelatedHearing Loss

By the age of 65, one inthree of us will have somehearing loss - and by 75,that figure rises again to onein two.

It’s just part of the ageingprocess. Over time, we loseour ability to hear softer,high pitched sounds.However, the process isgradual and often goesunnoticed. So for now, you

could be suffering withoutknowing it.

There’s no way to preventage-related loss. But hearingcan still be improved withthe help of a hearing aid -especially if the problem istackled early on.

2. Noise-InducedHearing LossThe human ear can onlywithstand so much. Andwhen it’s pushed to the limit,some degree of hearingloss is likely.

A common problem isknown as ‘gradual andincreasing loss’. It comesfrom repeated exposure toabnormally loud noises,through MP3 players, livemusic or nightclubs...orsometimes through theworking hazards of heavy industry.

Less often, problems canbe caused by ‘acoustictrauma’. When someone isclose to an explosion orother exceptional noise,there’s a high risk ofimmediate hearing loss.

In either case, it’s vital that

the ears have time torecover - so loudenvironments andequipment should beavoided. Otherwise, theresult is permanent andirreversible loss.

3. ConductiveHearing LossEvery sound has to find itsway through to the inner ear.But the way can be blockedby problems in the outer ormiddle ear.

The problem could be adamaged ear bone orperforated eardrum, or justa build-up of wax or fluid.

What type ofhearing loss?The Essential Guide looks at the four different typesof hearing loss that can effect you or a loved one.




4. SensorineuralHearing LossWhen the inner ear’s sensorycells or nerve fibres aredamaged, they become less

adept at channelling soundsto the brain. Damage canoccur through ageing orexposure to noise - and inmost cases, the hearing losswill be permanent.

Have you seen a hearing aidlately?Modern hearing deviceslook nothing like theirpredecessors. The large andcumbersome instrumentsthat many grew up with have

been replaced by tiny, highlyefficient digital pieces.

They can fit inside the ear,behind it or even inspectacle frames. So no-one has to know you have ahearing problem.

Better still, audio qualityhas improved beyondrecognition. Every deviceoffers clear, sharp soundand a choice of personalsettings. There’s an answerout there to suit almost anyproblem or lifestyle. EG

Our Hearing Range

Quiet

Loud

Low High



A Background to Hearing

Let’s face it: theworld is pretty noisy.Most people wholive in urban areas

report being disturbed to thepoint of having disruptedsleep schedules by thesounds of traffic and citybustle, and more than everbefore, certain types ofheadphones have beenlinked to a growing rate ofhearing-related problems.Loud volumes on MP3players in public spacescoupled with in-earheadphones like ear budsare causing higher levels of

hearing loss in younger andyounger people.

While an inevitable part ofaging means a certaindegree of hearing loss, thereare a lot of steps that can betaken to ensure that one’shearing stays relatively sharplong into the golden years,and doesn’t start to go forthose who are as young ascollege-age.

1. Pay attention to thevolume levels on yourvarious electronic devices,especially those that areused daily. If there is a

setting on your headphonesor MP3 player that reducesnoise and sets a limit onhow high the volume cango, select it.

2. If you’re prone toblasting the television athigh volumes because youstrain to hear it at regularlevels, you’re alreadycontributing to your ownhearing problems. Considerfinding a volume level thatworks for you, and don’t gobeyond that. Instead ofcranking up the volume, tryto find other ways to cancelout the noise.

Quiet room, refrigerator humming

Quiet & Comfortable

Approximatedecibels levels

40 dB

Conversation, dishwasher,sewing machineComfortable

60 dB

Lawnmower, truck traffic, average city traffic,

Risk of hearing damage in 8hrs

90 dB

Motorcycle,power saw,


95 dB

Chain saw,stereo headphones,


100 dB

Jackhammer,helicopter,

Risk of hearing damage in 1hr

105 dB

Baby’s cry,vehicle horn,

Risk of hearing damage in 15mins

115 dB

Rock concert,sandblasting,

Risk of hearing damage in 7mins

120 dB

Air raid siren,firecracker,

Pain Threshold

125 dB

Gunshot, jet engine at take-offImmediate danger of

hearing damage

140 dB

Busy traffic, vacuum cleaner,hair dryer

Beginning of HSE Regulations

80 dB

*dB SPL is a measurement ofsound pressure level in decibels

PreventingHearing

Loss

Loss of hearing is almost inevitable asthe years go by, but

here the EssentialGuide helps you

to minimise it.

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A Background to Hearing

3. Don’t try to watchtelevision over another loudsound or the sound of awashing machine completingits cycle, for example.

4. Leave ear wax alone, ithelps to keep your earshealthy. Cleaning your earswith cotton buds or using eardrops can damage your ears.

5. Work and leisureenvironments contribute agreat deal of trouble tomaintaining one’s hearing.Using any sort of ear plugs,even just simple decibel-canceling ones from thelocal pharmacy, can do aworld of good towardspreserving your hearing.Likewise, anyone who worksin an environment withconsistently loud noisesshould take care to wearsome sort of protectiveequipment to preventhearing loss. Whether it is asimple pair of ear plugs or

Tinnitus - The Facts

What is Tinnitus?

Tinnitus is the name given to the

condition of noises 'in the ears' and/or 'in

the head' with no external source. Tinnitus

noises are described variously as ringing,

whistling, buzzing and humming. The

noises may be heard in one ear, both ears

or in the middle of the head or it may be

difficult to pinpoint its exact location. The

noise may be low, medium or high-

pitched. There may be a single noise or

two or more components. The noise may

be continuous or it may come and go.

What causes tinnitus?

Tinnitus is not a disease or an illness, it

is a symptom generated within a

person's own auditory pathways.

Although it is often assumed that tinnitus

occurs as a result of disease of the ears,

this is often not the cause. The precise

cause of tinnitus is still not fully

understood but is usually associated

with some hearing deficits.

Who gets tinnitus?

Experiences of tinnitus are very common

in all age groups, especially following

exposure to loud noise; however, it is

unusual for it to be a major problem.

There is a widely held misconception

that tinnitus is confined to the elderly,

but various studies have shown that it

can occur at any age, even quite young

children. Mild tinnitus is common - about

10 per cent of the population has it all the

time and, in up to one per cent of adults,

this may affect the quality of their life.

headphones, investing insomething that will allow fora significant blockage ofunnecessary decibels is ahuge step towardspreserving the hearing youhave left while preventingany more loss.

6. Taking breaks fromloud, crowded environmentswith higher levels of noise isone of the most, if not themost, important move thatsomeone concerned aboutpreserving their hearing can make.

If your hearing loss isgiving you cause forconcern, consider gettingyour hearing tested. There is no need to bedespondant if your hearingtest determines that youcould benefit from ahearing aid. You can havebetter hearing and a betterquality of life. EG


Going Deaf? Is it Ear Wax?

Ear wax (or Cerumen) is a naturally occurringsubstance found in the outer third of the ear canal.The process of migration allows the wax to travelround the ear canal taking dead skin and bacteria with it. Using cotton buds only serves to push it backin again!

Very few people suffer with sufficient levels of wax tocause hearing loss and they may have to have theirears syringed to remove the excess material. Otherforms of wax removal are available including oilysprays which can help to break it down.

A Hearing Aid Dispenser can check your ears to see if the levels of wax in your ears can be regarded asexcessive.

To get your ears syringed to clear the wax contactyour GP surgery, or try your local hearing aid provider.

Cerumen

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The Benefits of Hearing Aids

Hearing with twoears (binauralhearing) allowsus to hear

sounds accurately, givingperception of both spaceand depth as well asbalance. It also gives usa sense of direction. When there is a hearing lossin both ears, even if one earis worse than the other,binaural amplificationprovides the most benefit.Wearing two hearing devicesallows your ears to work aswell as possible – together. It means that you can hearvoices from further away, tellwhere they are coming from,and even listen andunderstand more clearly in noisier situations.

Two ears workbetter than oneThe most importantbenefits of wearing twohearing aids are:• Your ability to localise

sounds will improve• It will be easier to

understand speech in noisy environments

• You will experience a fuller, more comfortablesound picture

• The risk of auditorydeprivation isconsiderably reduced

Sensing sounddirectionThe brain needs input fromboth ears in order todetermine which directionsounds are coming from.

For example; think about acar honking its horn at youas you cross the road. Yourears immediately alert youto the danger by sendingsound signals to your brain.Within a split second, yourbrain compares the intensityof the sound wave and howlong it took to reach the ear.This process tells youinstantly which direction thecar is coming from and howfar away it is; this is calledsound localisation.

Understandingpeople in noiseBackground noise makes itdifficult to follow whatpeople are saying. If youare unable to hear equallywell with both ears, you

Nature gave ustwo ears for a

reason; it gave us two eyes,

two arms and two legs.

Just as you useboth eyes to seeclearly, you needtwo ears to hear

clearly as well.

Better hearingwith both ears




can’t tell which sounds arecoming from far away andwhich are in thebackground. You’ll probablyfeel as though the soundsare merging together andyou may ask people to talkmore clearly, or to speakup. This is because thebrain needs input from bothears in order to separatesounds effectively.

Imagine an everydaysituation, like a conversationat a pub restaurant or thefamily sat around the tablefor Christmas dinner. You aretrying to talk with the personnext to you, others are alsotalking, and there’s somebackground music playing.This situation makes itdifficult for you not only tohear, but to understand whatis being said.

A fuller soundpictureIf you hear equally well withboth ears you get more outof the sounds around youbecause sounds are morecomfortable to listen to. Youdon’t have to strain to hear,and sounds are clearer andricher in detail.

Imagine listening to yourfavourite radio show. Your hi-fi has two amplifiers and twospeakers which give musicand speech a natural depthand gloss. However, if onlyone amplifier and speakerare working, the soundsbecome shallow, flat anddull. Similarly, if you onlywear one hearing aid, butshould be wearing two, youmay also perceive soundand voices to be quite dull

and difficult to interpret.

AuditorydeprivationThis is when the braingradually loses some of itsability to processinformation due to acontinued lack ofstimulation. Have younotice loved ones no-longer participating inconversations like theyused to? If they’re nothearing and understandingall of the conversation,they’re unlikely to be

participating. Trying toconcentrate on followingconversations can be tiring,and can lead to irritations.

Auditory deprivation mostfrequently occurs when theear goes unaided over along period of time. So theearlier you considerwearing hearing aids, thebetter your chances ofminimizing this risk. Whenonly one hearing aid isused, the risk of auditorydeprivation is increased. If you don’t use it, you lose it! EG

Did you knowthat you hear

twice as muchwith two

hearing aids -but understand

four times as much? So, if two hearing

aids are recommended

to you thendon’t just

settle for one.

It’s Your Brain That Hears - Not Your Ears

Spatial SoundYoumatic

Sound Sound

Orient

Focus

Recognise Separate

Free Focus Speech Guard

The ears receive sounds and send them to the brain that translates the sounds intomeaning. You don’t hear with the ears, you hear with the brain. To provide the brainwith the input it needs to make sense of sound, BrainHearing™ technology mustfulfil a number of demands.

There are four functions the brain needs to carry out to make sense of the sound it receives:

• Orient the different sounds, using both ears• Separate the sounds• Focus on what’s important, using both ears• Recognise what each sound is and make sense of it


The Essential Guide to Hearing Aids14


CIC

Completelyin the Canal

IIC

Invisible inthe Canal

Styles ofHearing Aids

Essential Guide gives an overview of the range of products available to improve your hearing

When first thinking about thisyou might think ‘They’re thoseugly beige things old peoplewear behind the ear’. This

common perception of hearing aids is, andhas been, outdated for many years now.Look at some of the examples shown onthese pages and you’ll see that moderndigital hearing aids look completely differentto those of days gone by, with many nowbeing virtually invisible when worn.

Technically, a Hearing Aid is a smallelectronic device that sits in or on the ear thatcan selectively process and amplify sounds,thereby improving the user’s ability to hearmore and understand speech better. In fact

you can think of it as a mini supercomputer because many hearingaids have more processing powerthan home computers.

Essentially though, all hearingaids feature four corecomponents; at least onemicrophone to pick up sound, an amplifier that amplifies andprocesses sound, a speaker (or receiver) that transmits theamplified signal into your ear, and a battery to power it.

Regardless of the style and size ofhearing aids you choose, these fourparts are always contained inside. EG

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HalfConchaITC

Concha

BTE

RITE

SpectacleAids

HalfConcha

In TheCanal

Concha

Behind the Ear

Receiver inthe Ear

Bone Conduction Aid

The different types of hearing aids available to suit your hearing needs



Product Update

BrainHearing™

Oticon’s BrainHearing haschanged the way hearingaids are thought of.

When you experiencehearing loss, your brain canstruggle. When sounds aremissing from your soundenvironment, your brain triesto fill in the gaps.

This can tire the brain outmore quickly compared tosomeone who can hearclearly; even inenvironments where youdidn’t used to struggle(such as conversations innoisier environments).

If left ignored, the effectsof hearing loss can have aneffect of your social life;

including social withdrawal. This increased social

isolation is linked to theonset and development ofdementia, according torecent studies.

Traditional hearing aidtechnologies amplifies all the sounds around you –including background noise– making everything louder.

Oticon’s BrainHearingtechnology with OticonOpn focuses on thesupporting the brain as well as the ears.

BrainHearing technologyis able to assess whatsounds are important to thewearer and amplify thembased on their importance

whilst minimising thetroublesome backgroundnoise that can makehearing difficult.

This means your braingets a more natural hearingexperience which meansyour brain doesn’t have towork overtime.

Environmentscanning

Oticon Opn is poweredby the innovative Velox™

platform which providesultra-fast processing – 50 times faster than its predecessor.

The Velox technologywithin Oticon Opn lets you can hear better and

Oticon Opn (pronounced ‘open’) is the ground-breaking hearing aid fromDanish hearing aid manufacturer Oticon. The remarkable hearingtechnology within Oticon Opn is leading the hearing care market andhas become an award-winning sensation within the hearing industry. But what makes Oticon Opn one of the most revolutionary hearingaids in the market?

Oticon Opn™

What is Opn?

NEWWORLD’S

BEST


Product Update


remember more with less effort.

The OpenSoundNavigator™ is a key part of the Velox platform . The OpenSound Navigatorhas the capacity to managemultiple speech and soundsources simultaneously.

What does that mean?That means you can stayfocussed on the conversationwhilst also being attentive tothe people and environmentaround you – similar to howyou would with a normal levelof hearing.

The OpenSound Navigatorscans your environment 100times per second; constantlyanalysing and balancingeach and every sound itpicks up individually. Thismeans you can stayattentive whilst backgroundnoises are suppressed soyou can enjoy a fuller, morenatural soundscape.

Internet Connectivity

Oticon Opn hearing aidsuse built-in, low powerBluetooth to connect toyour smart phone or tablet.

Whether you want youremail read to you,notifications from your home security system or low battery alerts, the ultra-connected Oticon Opn cankeep you in the loopwherever you are.

It works using the If ThisThen That network(IFTTT.com), keeping youconnected to your smartdevices around your homeand on the go.

With the incredible Oticon Opn, you can openup to a world of endlessconnectivity possibilities.

The Award-WinningOticon Opn

The ground-breaking, andnow Award-Winning, OticonOpn picked up awardsthroughout 2017.

Edison Awards 2017

Oticon Opn wins Gold in thehearing technology categoryat the 2017 Edison Awards.

Red Dot Awards 2017

Oticon Opn also picked upthe prestigious 2017 RedDot Design Award for itsdesign aesthetic; whichtakes into account OticonOpn’s “raft of technical,performance andfunctionality innovations”.

20% Less listening

effort*

20% More of yourconversation remembered**

30% Better speechunderstanding

50x Faster soundprocessing*

*Compared to Oticon Alta2 Pro

**Individual benefit may varydepending on prescription

EG


Product Update


Oticon Opn & Oticon ON

Oticon Opn has the ability toconnect directly to youriPhone ®. With help fromthe Oticon ON app, yourOticon Opn hearing device,you can talk on the phone orstream music directly to yourhearing aids. You can alsocontrol the volume of yourhearing aids using the app.

Oticon Opn, the world’s firstinternet connected hearingaid, can also connect to otherinternet devices.

It all works by beingconnected to the If ThisThen That network(IFTTT.COM).

Oticon Opn can connect to

Hearing aids have come a long way in recent years. With the latesttechnology available from the world’s best hearing aid manufacturers,the hearing aid industry has changed drastically. Some of the newestdevelopments include connectivity to your smart phone and devices.

other devices within thenetwork and communicatewith each other. Want thelights to turn on automaticallywhen you switch yourhearing aids on? It’s allpossible with Oticon Opn.

Connectline

Oticon’s Connectlineincludes a series of devicesthat help you stayconnected to the worldaround you. WithConnectline, making calls,having video chats, listeningto music or watching TV hasnever been easier. Connectline enhances theworld around you, makingface-to-face conversations

clearer and easier to control.You can also stream music, TV audio and phone callsdirectly to your hearingdevices – transforming yourhearing aids into a personalwireless headset.

Starkey TruLink

From Americanmanufacturer, Starkey,comes TruLink, an easy-to-use hearing control appwhich works with StarkeyHalo 2.

With Starkey TruLink youcan directly stream phonecalls, music and videos withclear sound quality withminimal distractingbackground sounds.

Connectivity

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Product Update


NNot only isOticon Alta 2available in arange of styles

and designs, all its familymembers allow fordifferences in yourloudness perceptions andmake the most of softsounds to enhance your listening experience.

Styles

The Oticon Alta 2 family isavailable in a range ofdifferent styles, ranging fromthe traditional, but discreetBehind-The-Ear design tothe virtually invisible*Invisible-In-Canal style.

Each model is a high-performance device and,due to the variety of designs,can be suitable for mostdegrees of hearing loss.

As well as coming in arange of styles, Oticon Alta2 is also available in aspectrum of colours –whether to match your hairor skin colour or if you wantto make a statement with abolder colour.

Features

What allows OticonAlta 2 Pro to providea premium listeningexperience to its users?

Soft Speech Booster

This feature of the OticonAlta 2 products focuses onthe details of soft speech in your sound environmentand can be adapted to your needs andpreferences by a hearing aid audiologist.

From Danish hearing aid manufacturer, Oticon, comes the Alta 2hearing device family. Oticon Alta 2 provides its users with a premiumlistening experience that has the ability to adjust to your individuallistening preferences and needs.

Oticon Alta 2 Pro

YouMatic Premium

YouMatic Premium is anautomatic system that canbe programmed to yourpersonal preferences andhearing needs.

Hearing aid settings aregrouped into profiles thatare adapted to suit differentusers. These settings canbe changed to enhanceyour listening experienceboth when you startwearing the device and when your hearingpreferences change as thedevices are worn overtime.

Speech Guard E

This technology allows forthe speech that is picked upby your Oticon Alta 2 deviceis distinct and clear.

That means when there aremultiple people are talking,

your Oticon Alta 2 hearingaids can help you distinguishbetween who is speaking.

This allows you to be able to follow groupconversations in a morenatural way with less effort.

Inium Sensefeedback shield

Hearing aid feedback is athing of the past with theInium Sense feedbackshield within the Oticon Alta 2 devices.

The feedback shieldsignificantly reducesfeedback whilst keepingoptimum sound quality as well as ensure yourcomfort whilst wearing the devices.

*dependent on anatomy

of your ear

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Product Update


For many, thetraditional hearingaid types, such asBehind-The-Ear, or

Receiver-In-The-Ear, will notbe appropriate because theymay find a traditional hearingaid uncomfortable to wear.

Spectacle hearing aidscan be of help to thoseexperiencing both sight andhearing loss.

How Spectaclehearing aids work

With Spectacle hearing aids,it is possible to have yourhearing aids and glassescombined so that bothvision loss and hearing losscan be helped.

In some cases, newframes can be provided or

you can use your originalframes and have themadapted to hold the hearingtechnology within them.

Discreet andcomfortable

As well as being able to helpwith both hearing and visionloss, Spectacle hearing aidsare also very discreet. Thehearing devices arediscreetly attached to theframes so that they arebarely noticeable to others.

Types of hearingloss

Spectacle hearing aids oftendon’t need to have any partof the device resting in theear* and so are generallysuitable to those whoexperience Conductive

hearing loss (where aproblem lies in the middleear which is sometimescaused by a blockage suchas abnormal bone growth, aruptured ear drum or a build-up of wax).

Spectacle hearing aidscan work by having a boneconductor on one of thearms of the frames that putspressure on the mastoidbone directly behind the ear.This transfers soundsstraight to the cochlea in theinner ear which sends thesound signals to the brain.

If you want to have clearvision whilst also improvingyour hearing, Spectaclehearing aids could be asuitable fit for you.

*dependent on hearing loss type

For those who experience hearing loss, one of the recommendedsolutions will be assistive hearing devices, such as hearing aids.

Spec Aids

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Product Update


TThe Americanhearing aidmanufacturer hashelped millions of

people globally with state-of-the-art hearingaid technology

Through both their work inthe hearing aid technologyindustry and their charitablework around the world, they continuously worktowards their goal helpthose with hearing lossaround the world.

Starkey SoundLens

From Americanmanufacturer comes theSoundLens, also known asthe world’s first invisiblehearing aid. It offers threecore elements that resonatewith those who wear it – it’scustom, digital and invisible.

A custom fit hearing aid tomeet the exact needs of

your unique ear canalshape, they rest within theear comfortably. As well asbeing virtually invisible(dependent on the shape ofyour ear canal) they are alsopacked with state-of-the-artStarkey technology.

Starkey SoundLens offersa range of features andbenefits that mean they aregreat fit to many.

Some of SoundLensfeatures that make this hearing aid sopopular include:

•Easily adaptable tosounds – this feature allowsyour brain to get used tonew sounds by graduallyadjusting the hearing aidsettings to allow a smoothtransition to the newdevices. That means there’sno controls or settings toworry about and you can

start enjoying life withclearer hearing

•Help hearing higherfrequency sounds – theStarkey SoundLensreplicates high-frequencyspeech cues in lowerfrequencies, where they’reeasier for you to hear.

•Reducedbuzzing/whistling –technology within StarkeySoundLens reduces feed-back which means there is a reduced buzzing and whistling in your hearing devices.

• Invisible in the canal –the world’s first hearing aidthat is invisible-in-the-canal.They fit deep within the earcanal where they are virtuallyundetectable to others(depending on the anatomyof your ear).

Starkey SoundLensFounded in 1967, Starkey Hearing Technologies has been producinghearing aids and being a voice of hearing care for 50 years.

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Product Update


WWidexspecialise in arange ofhearing aid

technology. Some of thehearing aid technology theyoffer includes the CROSand BiCROS systems.

Widex CROS and BiCROS Systems

The CROS Systems byWidex are designed to helpthose who have severehearing loss/deafness inone ear but have a normallevel of hearing in the other.

Widex

Widex is a Danish hearing aid manufacturer that was founded in1956 and is now one of the largest manufacturers of hearing aidtechnology in the world.

The BiCROS systems aredesigned for those whohave a severe hearingloss/deafness in one earand a degree of hearingloss in the other.

These systems aredesigned like an ordinarybehind-the-ear hearing aid.It works by picking upsound from your currentsound environment andtransmitting it to thehearing aid that is on yourother ear.

Having a good level ofhearing in both ears isimportant for many reasons.One of those reasonsincludes being able tolocate sounds; essentialwhen crossing a busy street

and needing to be able tohear the traffic and soundssurrounding you.

The CROS and BiCROSsystems pick up sounds forwhichever side you havehearing loss which meansyou can hear and locatethe sounds around youwithout having to look around.

The Widex CROS andBiCROS systems provide apremium sound quality withno echo which means theyare particular good forhearing speech. With thesesystems, you canseamlessly re-join andenjoy conversations again;no matter which side of youthe speaker is. EG


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