Do the new hearing aids mask out background noise?
It is important to understand that even those people with normal hearing experience difficulty understanding conversation in the presence of background noise. A hearing aid cannot eliminate background noise. However, there are hearing aid features that will reduce the undesirable impact of background noise. It is now possible to obtain a “directional” microphone, which focus on the sound in front of you, while reducing or eliminating amplification of side and back noise. Studies have proven (and users have happily reported) the effectiveness of the directional microphone in improving the ability to hear the desired sounds at movies, parties, in church, and in noisy restaurants. In addition, many new instruments offer several different listening programs, customized by the Audiologist for the needs of the user, which can easily be changed by the user by means of a remote control device or a simple button on the hearing aid. These features optimize the signal you want to hear, while mini
