To BTE or not to BTE: That is the Question Question: Aside from cosmetics is the behind the ear aid as effective or more effective than an in-canal aid? N.D. Answer: Dear N.D.:  Most of what is priority in fitting style is based on patient needs and preferences. To me and a good number of my patients behind-the-ear (BTE) instruments…

In addition to our respective professional association codes of ethics, in an effort to "Change the way the world delivers hearing healthcare", we subscribe to the following: Mission #1 is consumer education. We believe that true auditory rehabilitation includes a thorough knowledge of one's problem and the best methodology to resolve it. Therefore, we make available for our patients a…

By Nancy L. Aarts Ph.D., University of South Alabama I. Introduction & Overview: Assistive devices for individuals with hearing impairment fall into two main categories. Assistive Listening Devices (ALD) are products that address problems associated with listening in noise, at a distance, and in high reverberation. Alerting Devices (AD), are products that alert one to the presence of sound in…

Question: What is an Assistive Listening Device? Answer: You may have certain communication needs that cannot be solved by the use of hearing aids alone. These situations may involve the use of the telephone, radio, television, and the inability to hear the door chime, telephone bell, and alarm clock. Special devices have been developed to solve these problems. Like hearing…

An historical overview of research and study projects performed at Aural Rehab Concepts and DigiCare Hearing Research & Rehabilitation 1981-2003. Since 1981, many important research and study projects have been conducted under the auspices of Aural Rehab Concepts and, later, DigiCare Hearing Research & Rehabilitation. These and others too numerous to list here have contributed significantly to the fields of…

By Dr. Max S. Chartrand Ph.D. A reader asks about wearing hearing aids while suffering from long-term Meniere's symptoms. Question: It's been 8 years since I was diagnosed with Meniere's disease. I was told that a hearing aid would not help my severe hearing loss, but it so hard on me and my relationships with family and friends that I…

By Dr. Rose L. Allen, Ph.D., CCC-SLP/A, Assistant Professor of Audiology, East Carolina University, Dept. of Communication Sciences & Disorders Editor's Note: This article was the winning submission for the Audiology Online (www.audiologyonline.com) contest sponsored by Rayovac Ultra Pro Line, for the best new article written for consumers and patients, titled "Hearing Aids: Reasonable Expectations for the Consumer." We offer…

DigiCare Fact Sheet: Information Regarding Hearing Aid Batteries All batteries are toxic and dangerous if swallowed. Keep all batteries (and hearing aids) away from children and pets. If anyone swallows a battery it is a medical emergency and the individual needs to see a physician immediately. One question often asked is "How long does the battery last?" Typically they last…

Dr. Max S. Chartrand Ph.D. ANALOG technology is the technology that has been around for many decades. Analog technology is basic technology and offers limited adjustment capability. It is the LEAST expensive. DIGITALLY PROGRAMMABLE technology is the "middle grade" technology. Digitally programmable units are analog units digitally controlled by the computer in the office to adjust the sounds of the…

A Letter from 1999 dealing with mail order hearing aids that remains relevant today with regard to internet sales of hearing instruments March 16, 1999 Dear Mrs. Smith: I am writing concerning your opinion on several issues as they pertain to hearing aid dispensers in the State of XXXXX, particularly the so-called "Lemon Law", S.B. 401, which came into effect during…

By Dr. Max S. Chartrand Ph.D. This article reveals a number of issues relative to the circumvention of professional diagnosis and care when one purchases hearing aids through internet or mail order. Fifteen years ago, I published an article titled "Mail Order Hearing Aids: Boon or Bane?" (Hearing Journal/1988). The conclusion at that time was, because of the enormous complexity…

Generally speaking, cochlear implants are for patients with severe-to-profound, sensorineural hearing loss. There are approximately 500,000 patients in the USA with severe-to-profound hearing loss. Cochlear implants are only recommended after the patient has tried the most powerful and most appropriately fit hearing aids, and has not shown sufficient benefit from hearing aids. Cochlear implants are devices that are "permanently" surgically…

By Max S. Chartrand Ph.D. DigiCare Founder Max Chartrand's enlightening personal account of receiving his cochlear implants Some years ago, a doctor friend of mine lost his eyesight while attending medical school. Undaunted, he took advantage of every available assistive device in the current armamentarium: Braille, big print computer, wearable binoculars at public events, and ... his hearing ability. He…

By Max Stanley Chartrand, Ph.D. One of the most persuasive arguments for the validity, indeed, the necessity, of binaural hearing aid fittings lies in how humans use the two hemispheres of the brain. Within this context we find process specialization in the various symbols of language to form whole communication. Many years ago this author attended a course on rehabilitative…

By Max S. Chartrand Ph.D. Binaural Hearing Aids: The Way Nature Intended.  An explanation of the cognitive advantages for hearing with both ears and both hemispheres of the brain. Human hearing, language perception, and hemispheric function share an intricately entwined relationship. Understanding this relationship is crucial to a properly developed aural rehabilitation program. From a perceptive standpoint, the 'learning process' of…

Dr. Max S. Chartrand Ph.D. Dr. Chartrand answers a reader's question about a "bargain" price for mail order / internet hearing aids. The Real Cost of Mail Order / Internet Hearing Aids Question: Dear Dr. Chartrand: I saw an ad for a mail order hearing aid that only cost $295. Why such a difference in price from my local (dispenser)?---Mr.…