FDA Issues Landmark Proposal to Improve Access to Hearing Aid Technology for Millions of Americans

[Northeast Agent]

FDA Issues Landmark Proposal to Improve Access to Hearing Aid Technology for Millions of Americans

Proposed Rule Would Establish New Category of Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids

To ensure patient safety, the proposed rule also addresses a maximum output (volume) limit for OTC hearing aids that would prevent injuries from overamplification of sound. In addition, the proposed rule includes certain device performance and design requirements, such as distortion control limits, self-generated noise limits, latency limits (how quickly an OTC hearing aid processes, amplifies and relays a sound), the range of frequencies that the device can reproduce and how uniformly the OTC hearing aid amplifies different frequencies over its bandwidth, as well as a requirement to limit the insertion depth of the device. The proposed rule also includes labeling requirements for OTC hearing aids.

 

[somarco]

Ads for OTC hearing amplifiers have been around for a while. Some are priced as low as $50 and go on up. At least one is in the $1500 range which is higher than the "low end" hearing aids.

Some hearing problems can be helped with an amplification device but other conditions require more than just volume enhancement.

Audiology testing shows your range of hearing. Some folks can hear uncluttered conversation just fine but need help in tuning out background noise. Others have hearing loss at the high end of the spectrum.

One thing I can say with some certainty. A number of the devices will come from China.

 

[goillini52]

Ads for OTC hearing amplifiers have been around for a while. Some are priced as low as $50 and go on up. At least one is in the $1500 range which is higher than the "low end" hearing aids.

Some hearing problems can be helped with an amplification device but other conditions require more than just volume enhancement.

Audiology testing shows your range of hearing. Some folks can hear uncluttered conversation just fine but need help in tuning out background noise. Others have hearing loss at the high end of the spectrum.

One thing I can say with some certainty. A number of the devices will come from China.

 

[somarco]

View attachment 7445

Ferenge wannabe

 

[rousemark]

Ads for OTC hearing amplifiers have been around for a while. Some are priced as low as $50 and go on up. At least one is in the $1500 range which is higher than the "low end" hearing aids.

Some hearing problems can be helped with an amplification device but other conditions require more than just volume enhancement.

Audiology testing shows your range of hearing. Some folks can hear uncluttered conversation just fine but need help in tuning out background noise. Others have hearing loss at the high end of the spectrum.

One thing I can say with some certainty. A number of the devices will come from China.

Yeah, my hearing loss is not just volume related. I have problems with tones in the wooer pitch ranges and words with the th, sh sounds.

 

[Todd King]

Yeah, my hearing loss is not just volume related. I have problems with tones in the wooer pitch ranges and words with the th, sh sounds.

Something I learned a while back. Most people with hearing loss tend to lose the upper ranges first. While we don't speak in the upper ranges, but the upper ranges somehow help us interpet the sounds a bit better.
So, for people with hearing loss, you have to speak slower, not louder.
I myself have hearing aids. I can attest that it is true!

 

[rousemark]

Something I learned a while back. Most people with hearing loss tend to lose the upper ranges first. While we don't speak in the upper ranges, but the upper ranges somehow help us interpet the sounds a bit better.
So, for people with hearing loss, you have to speak slower, not louder.
I myself have hearing aids. I can attest that it is true!

And, reduce background noise! ...

 

[Todd King]

And, reduce background noise! ...

Absolutely! And not in an echoing hallway! That's a killer too.

 

[adjusterjack]

we don't speak in the upper ranges,

Actually, we do. Many consonants appear in the upper frequencies where loss of hearing is more likely.

Read the 4 pages of this Guide to Hearing Loss to see how that works.

The graph on the last page is similar to the graph of my own hearing deficit.

If you have the figures from your last hearing test you can graph them and see where you are missing consonants.

 

[Todd King]

Actually, we do. Many consonants appear in the upper frequencies where loss of hearing is more likely.

Read the 4 pages of this Guide to Hearing Loss to see how that works.

The graph on the last page is similar to the graph of my own hearing deficit.

If you have the figures from your last hearing test you can graph them and see where you are missing consonants.

This is correct, except that it does not address anything above the 8K range, other than it mentions children can hear up to the 20K range.

It is ranges above 8K that affect the understanding as well. I got this info straight from the military doctor who actually discovered this. He worked at Wright-Patterson AFB at the time. Wish I could remember his name.