Wayne's World

Do Hearing Aids Cause Further Hearing Loss? The past couple of weeks the topic of whether hearing aids cause further hearing loss has been presented.  Last week’s post on this topic reviewed some of the case studies that have been published on this subject.  Although of significant interest, most are single case studies and often fall into the category of

Do Hearing Aids Cause Further Hearing Loss?   Last week’s post opened the discussion as to whether hearing aids cause further hearing loss.  The issue centers around the concept of threshold shift (or what might more commonly be called changes in hearing sensitivity).  More specifically, do powerful hearing aids, or any hearing aids for that matter, potentially lead to further

Does Using Hearing Aids Lead to Further Hearing Loss? – Part I I was asked recently by friend and colleague, Dr. David Preves, if I had any information about whether hearing aids caused further hearing loss.  I recall this was a topic in 1974-75 during comments by HAIC (Hearing Aid Industry Conference – now Hearing Industries Association) to an Advisory

New Information About Tympanostomy Tubes By Tom Parker Ear tubes – also known as tympanostomy tubes or grommets – have long been a common solution to chronic ear problems in children. In fact, myringotomy with tube insertion is the most commonly performed outpatient surgery on children in the United States (more than 670,000 undergo the procedure every year). The function

The Future – Marketing Factors The previous multi-part series on Wayne’s World looked at past and existing hearing aid distribution systems.  This presentation is intended to look forward into hearing aid distribution in the future, but not with specific directions or suggestions.  Instead, it is more of a “yellow light, ” cautioning that there are marketing factors that should be

Check and Double Check – Open Tube, Part 2 Dilemma – Gain vs. Acoustic Feedback A previous posting presented a hearing aid fitting dilemma – one that is not generally discussed.  One side presented information on a closed fit RIC showing that as the insertion depth increased, so did the high-frequency amplification – an expected advantage based on Boyle’s Law (Staab). 

Check and Double Check – Closed Fit, Part 1 In a previous blog I provided the graph in Figure 1 of an RIC (receiver-in-the-canal) hearing aid fitted with a closed coupler, showing that greater sound pressure resulted, especially in the high frequencies, as the fitting tip was inserted more deeply into the ear canal.  These were RIC IG (insertion gain) measurements.

PSAP, Assistive Listening Device, or Hearing Aid?  To many people, any differentiation between these terms is confusing. Some contend that if it amplifies and looks like a hearing aid, it is a hearing aid.  If that is the case, what is the difference between a Pocket Talker and a body hearing aid?  They both amplify and look like body hearing

Is There a Role for PSAPs?   The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Diseases estimates that approximately 36 million Americans have a hearing loss of sufficient magnitude to warrant hearing aid use.  But, only about 20% of them have purchased–but are not necessarily using–hearing aids. This disappointing market penetration rate has remained essentially stagnant for the past 30 years

Part V of this series on hearing aid distribution, or what might also be called service delivery paradigms, focuses on PSAPs.  We have already seen from previous articles in this series that much has been suggested beyond the traditional audiology/hearing aid specialist/otolaryngology office sales from various hearing aid manufacturers.  Major competition now comes from storefront hearing aid sales, networks, and