Products

to help with hearing loss and tinnitus

“I have some excellent products that make life with hearing loss a lot easier. I bought a vibrating travel alarm clock after I stayed in a B&B and was woken by the red-faced owner – my traditional alarm clock had failed to wake me for an early ferry… but had woken up other guests! My new alarm clock wakes me with earthquake-like tremors, while other guests sleep on peacefully. Another asset is an amplified smartphone, which allows me to hear the caller’s voice clearly. I also bought an amplified home telephone for my mother. My father used to deal with phone calls, but after he passed away, she struggled. She can now make calls, and feels independent and confident. For the first time in years, we’re able to catch up over the phone – it’s wonderful.” Sheena Lee, Oxfordshire, pictured with her mother, Jane Lee

You’ll find this leaflet useful if you have hearing loss or tinnitus (or both) and want to find out what products can help – at home, at work and when out and about.

Contents • What products can help with my hearing loss? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 • What are assistive listening devices? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 • What can alert me to sounds at home? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 • What can help me use my home phone? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 • Which mobile phones are compatible with hearing aids? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 • How can a smartphone help? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 • How can Bluetooth technology help? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 • How can a textphone help? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 • What products can help with tinnitus? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 • Can I get help with paying for equipment? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 • Where can I get more information and support? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

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Products to help with hearing loss and tinnitus

What products can help with my hearing loss? There are lots of great products that can help you to manage your hearing loss, whatever its level. Your level of hearing loss is determined by the quietest sounds that you can hear (see table below), measured in decibels (dBHL). Ask your audiologist (hearing specialist) if you’re not sure what it is. Level of hearing loss

Quietest sounds you can hear, What this means measured for communication in decibels (dBHL)

Mild

20–40 (quiet background noise)

You may miss quieter speech, and speech when there’s noise.

Moderate

41–70 (average speech levels)

You are likely to mishear words and struggle in background noise and group conversations.

Severe

71–95 (car engine, train, doorbell, alarm clock and other alerting devices)

Hearing speech in most situations is difficult, even with hearing aids. You are more likely to need assistive devices and communication tactics to help you to communicate.

95+ (heavy machinery, music concerts)

It’s likely that hearing aids won’t help you to hear speech (they’ll only help you to identify which direction sounds come from). You will need to use assistive devices and communication tactics such as lipreading, and you may prefer to use sign language to communicate.

Profound

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It’s important to check that a product is suitable for your level of hearing loss before you buy it. If you are looking for a product to help you hear speech, also check that it can help with the particular difficulties you are having – hearing loss can affect people’s ability to hear speech in different ways, regardless of their level of hearing loss. To make sure a product can help you, always ask to try it before you buy it, and make sure the product has a 28-day money-back guarantee, so you can return it if you find that it’s not suitable for you.

What are assistive listening devices? Assistive listening devices can help you to hear speech, TV and other sounds more clearly. There are many different types.

Conversation listeners Conversation listeners improve the volume and clarity of speech and other sounds, reduce background noise, and allow you to adjust the high and low tones (treble and bass) to suit your particular type of hearing loss. Standard conversation listeners usually let you listen to sounds that are up to 1m away. You simply point the listener in the direction you want to listen and it will amplify the sound (make it louder) for you. If you use hearing aids, you can use the listener with either: • ear hooks, which fit over your ears, next to your hearing aids • a neckloop, which you wear around your neck, like a necklace. You plug the ear hooks or neckloop into the listener and the sound is transferred directly to your hearing aids when they are switched to the hearing loop setting (formerly the ‘T’ setting).

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Products to help with hearing loss and tinnitus

If you don’t use hearing aids, you can connect headphones, earphones or a stethoset to the conversation listener. Advanced conversation listeners are more expensive, but they have better sound quality and a wider range of features. All advanced listeners consist of a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter contains a microphone and you give this to, or place it near, the person or people speaking. You wear the small receiver, which wirelessly receives sound from the transmitter and amplifies it. Some receivers also contain a microphone, which lets you pick up sounds near you (when you want to). If you use hearing aids, a neckloop will transfer the sound from the receiver to your hearing aids (sometimes the receiver itself is a neckloop). If you don’t use hearing aids, you can connect headphones, earphones or a stethoset to the receiver. The features of advanced conversation listeners vary, according to the cost of the device, but you can usually: • switch between picking up sound from a distance (of up to 20m) or nearby (through a microphone in the receiver) • focus on one voice at a time • pick up sounds from all directions – for example, you can place the listener on a table and hear everyone around it clearly. Advanced listeners are ideal when you’re out and about and need to hear conversations at a distance – for example, at dinner parties, meetings, presentations and lectures. You can also use them at home for listening to the TV.

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Some venues provide advanced conversation listeners – for example, for use on guided tours; the guide wears the transmitter and you wear the receiver.

TV listeners TV listeners let you listen to the TV at a volume you are comfortable with, without disturbing anyone else. They also have many features to make the sound much clearer. They consist of: • a transmitter, which you place near your TV • a wireless listening aid – this is a neckloop if you use hearing aids and a stethoset if you don’t. Some TV listeners may stop the sound from coming out of your TV’s speakers. Ask the retailer for more information.

Neckloops and ear hooks Neckloops and ear hooks are designed for people who use hearing aids that have a hearing loop setting (speak to your audiologist if you don’t have this). You plug them into a specific sound source, such as your mobile phone or personal music player, and they send the sound directly to your hearing aids, helping you to hear the sound more clearly over background noise. Another benefit of using a neckloop or ear hooks is that you can listen hands-free, and hear sound, for example, a caller’s voice, through both of your hearing aids at the same time. To use a neckloop or ear hooks, you will need to switch your hearing aids to the loop setting.

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Products to help with hearing loss and tinnitus

You wear a neckloop around your neck, like a necklace, and ear hooks fit over your ears, next to your hearing aids. Both products do the same job – just choose which one you prefer. You can also get Bluetooth-compatible neckloops and ear hooks that connect wirelessly with Bluetooth-compatible mobile phones and other devices (see ‘How can Bluetooth technology help?’, page 15).

Headphones Headphones may be useful if you have a mild to moderate hearing loss. They allow you to listen to music or watch TV at a louder volume without disturbing others. Most TVs, radios and music players have a headphone socket. On some TVs, plugging in your headphones will cut out the sound from the TV’s speakers, which means others won’t be able to watch at the same time. Some TVs even have this problem with cordless headphones – check with the retailer before you buy.

Cordless headphones There are two types of cordless headphone: infrared and radio. Both types receive signals from a transmitter connected to a sound source, such as a TV set or music player. Walls block infrared signals, so infrared headphones can only receive signals in the same room as the transmitter. Radio signals are not blocked by walls, so radio cordless headphones can receive the signal anywhere in your home.

Hearing loop systems A hearing loop system (often just called a loop) can help you to hear sound more clearly over background noise if you use hearing aids switched to the loop setting or have a loop listener. Ask your audiologist about the loop setting if your hearing aids don’t already have it.

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You’ll find loops in public places such as theatres and cinemas. Banks and post offices often have small loop systems at their counters. You can also get loop systems for use at home and in the car. You can fit a loop system at home yourself, following the manufacturer’s instructions. If you think you could benefit from a loop in your car, speak to your car dealer or garage about having one fitted. Some loops can be powered from the vehicle’s cigarette-lighter socket, which makes installation easy.

How do loop systems work? Loop systems have an amplifier that plugs into a sound source such as a TV or a microphone, and a wire cable (loop) that runs around the edge of the room (or other listening area) and plugs into the amplifier. The electric current in the loop produces a magnetic field that sends sound from the source directly to your hearing aids (or loop-listening device). The loop

Sound source

Hearing loop amplifier

Hearing aid

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Products to help with hearing loss and tinnitus

Infrared systems Some venues, such as theatres, cinemas and lecture halls, have an infrared system instead of a hearing loop. These work in a similar way to TV listeners (see page 7). You can collect either a neckloop or a stethoset from the venue’s reception desk.

To find out more, see our Equipment range of factsheets.

What can alert me to sounds at home? There’s a wide range of equipment that is extra loud, uses flashing lights and/or vibrates to alert you to sounds at home, such as your doorbell, alarm clock or phone ringing. You can either buy individual equipment for each area you have problems with, or a system that connects to more than one device. Please note: a flashing light is unlikely to wake you.

Alarm clocks An extra-loud alarm clock may wake you if you have a mild to moderate hearing loss. An alarm clock with a vibrating pad that goes under your pillow or mattress will be more likely to wake you if you have a moderate, severe or profound hearing loss. It may also be worth considering a vibrating alarm if you share a room with a person with normal hearing, as an extra-loud alarm may be too loud for them. There are also vibrating wristwatches and travel alarm clocks.

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Baby monitors Baby monitors for people with hearing loss use a vibrating pad and/ or flashing light to let you know your baby is crying. You can also get baby monitors that let you see your baby on your TV screen.

Smoke alarms Ordinary smoke alarms make a piercing, high-pitched sound. If you have a moderate, severe or profound hearing loss (especially in the high pitches), or take your hearing aids out before you sleep, an ordinary smoke alarm may not be loud enough to alert you. To make sure you are alerted if there is a fire, choose a specialised smoke alarm designed for people who are deaf or have hearing loss. This has a vibrating pad that goes under your pillow or mattress and vibrates if the smoke alarm goes off. It also has flashing lights to alert you when you are awake. Your local fire service can carry out a free home-safety check and may be able to install a smoke alarm for you. Contact your local fire service to find out more. Please note: If you have a mild to moderate hearing loss, or use hearing aids, you may be able to hear a smoke alarm while awake, but you may not hear it when you are asleep or when you take out your hearing aids.

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Products to help with hearing loss and tinnitus

Doorbells If you have a mild hearing loss, you may only need a louder doorbell or one with a different sound that may be more suitable for your hearing loss. You may also be able to add an extension bell in one or more rooms, if you have a problem hearing the doorbell chime because it’s too far away. If you have a moderate, severe or profound hearing loss, a flashing-light wireless doorbell or a pager system may be more suitable.

You can find more information about these products in our Equipment range of factsheets.

What can help me use my home phone? Help to hear the phone ring If you can’t hear the phone ring, first check to see if you can turn up the volume of the ringer or change its pitch. Try placing your phone on a hard surface, as this may make the ring sound louder. If you still can’t hear your phone ring, you could use a telephone alerter, which uses a combination of a loud ringer, flashing light and vibrating pad to let you know that your phone is ringing.

Help to hear the caller’s voice If you have trouble hearing the caller’s voice, an amplified phone can make the sound louder. These phones also have an extra-loud ringer. Some have a built-in flashing light to attract your attention when the phone rings.

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Alternatively, if your existing phone is corded, you could try an amplifier, which either fits over the earpiece of the handset, or is connected between the base and handset of the phone.

Hearing aid-compatible phones Some phones are hearing-aid compatible, which means you should be able to hear more clearly if you switch your hearing aids to the hearing loop setting. Ask your audiologist about this setting if you don’t already have it. If you can, always try a phone before you buy it.

Find out more in our factsheet Telephones.

Which mobile phones are compatible with hearing aids? Most mobile phones and smartphones (see page 14) interfere with hearing aids, causing an annoying buzzing sound. However, you can buy phones that are specifically designed for use with hearing aids on the loop setting – these create less interference, and therefore no buzzing. You can identify these mobiles through the M and T ratings scheme. ‘M’ refers to how well the mobile works with hearing aids on the microphone setting and ‘T’ refers to how well it works with hearing aids on the hearing loop setting. Only phones with both M and T ratings of 3 or 4 are likely to work well with hearing aids and have less buzz or no buzz at all. Any combination is acceptable: M3/T3, M3/T4, M4/T3 and best of all, M4/T4.

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Products to help with hearing loss and tinnitus

Some manufacturers use the hearing loop symbol (right) to show that a mobile can be used with hearing aids on the loop setting. Always try out any mobile you’re thinking of buying. If your existing mobile phone, or one you’d like to buy, interferes with your hearing aids, then a neckloop or ear hooks (see page 7) can help you to hear the caller’s voice more clearly.

emergencySMS service If you can’t make voice calls, you can contact the 999 emergency services by SMS text from your mobile phone using the emergencySMS service. You’ll have to register your mobile phone with the service before an emergency happens. Visit emergencysms.org.uk to find out more.

How can a smartphone help? A smartphone is a mobile that typically has a touchscreen and internet access, and is capable of running downloaded software applications (apps). You can buy smartphones that are specifically designed for use with hearing aids, in the same way that other mobile phones are (see page 13). There are thousands of apps available to download onto your smartphone, including free instant-messaging apps that let you send text, picture and video messages, for free, to other app users, when connected to the internet. Some apps, such as NGT Lite (see page 16), are specifically designed to help people who are deaf or have hearing loss communicate.

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You can also download apps to help with tinnitus (noise in the ears or head) – they play soothing sounds to relax you and distract you from paying attention to your tinnitus.

Make your smartphone easier to use You can make your smartphone easier to use by using the accessibility features that you’ll find in the phone’s settings. There are different features, which include options for making text easier to read, having text read as speech, making the touchscreen easier to use, and adjusting the audio settings to suit your particular hearing loss and/or hearing aids. Always try a smartphone before you buy it, to make sure it’s suitable for you.

See our factsheet Communicating online to find out about other apps that can help with deafness, hearing loss and tinnitus.

How can Bluetooth technology help? Bluetooth technology connects Bluetooth-compatible electronic devices, wirelessly, when they are within 20m of each other. If your hearing aids are Bluetooth-compatible, you can use a Bluetooth ‘streaming device’, neckloop or ear hooks to link them with Bluetoothcompatible mobile phones and smartphones, personal music players, computers, tablets, TVs and other devices. This means you can turn your hearing aids into wireless ‘headsets’ and listen hands-free, through both hearing aids at the same time. There are also a few types of Bluetooth-compatible hearing aid that you can buy privately, which do not require a streaming device, neckloop or ear hooks. Ask your audiologist about your options.

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Products to help with hearing loss and tinnitus

How can a textphone help? A textphone has a keyboard and display screen. You type what you want to say rather than speaking into a mouthpiece. You can use a textphone to contact another textphone user, or use the Next Generation Text service (see below) to contact a telephone user.

For more information, see our factsheet Textphones.

Next Generation Text (NGT) service The NGT service has replaced Text Relay as the service that provides relay assistants to translate calls between textphone users and telephone users. During a call, a relay assistant speaks the words typed on a textphone and types the words that are spoken, so they appear on the textphone user’s screen. You no longer need a textphone to use a relay assistant, thanks to the free Next Generation Text (NGT) Lite app, which you can download onto your smartphone, tablet or computer. The app lets you connect to a relay assistant from your device, and you can have text-message conversations with others who have the app. To find out more, visit the NGT website: ngts.org.uk

What products can help with tinnitus? If you have tinnitus (noise in your ear(s) or head that doesn’t have an external source), your tinnitus specialist may recommend that you use a sound generator as part of a tinnitus management programme. These devices produce a range of soothing sounds, normally including the ‘shhh’ sound known as ‘white noise’. Some sound generators look like hearing aids and fit behind, and in, the ear – only professionals can provide them. Other types are known

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as ‘tinnitus relaxers’ – about the size of an alarm clock, they play recordings of sounds such as the sea, birdsong or rain. You may be able to get one on loan from your tinnitus clinic, or you can buy one. You can also get sound pillows or under-the-pillow speakers, which you can plug into your radio, music system or tinnitus relaxer to help you sleep at night.

See our leaflet Understanding tinnitus and contact our Information Line (see back page) to find out more.

Can I get help with paying for equipment? • Your local council’s sensory services team may be able to provide equipment or help to pay for it. You’ll need a referral from your audiologist, which should specify the type of equipment you may require, as well as a copy of your latest hearing test. To find out more, ask your audiologist or contact your local sensory services team. • The government’s Access to Work scheme may help to pay for equipment you need at work or for job interviews. Visit www.gov.uk/access-to-work (nidirect.gov.uk in Northern Ireland). • The Equality Act 2010 (Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in Northern Ireland) may require service providers – such as hospitals, GP surgeries and education providers – to provide equipment for people who are deaf or have hearing loss. See our Your rights range of factsheets to find out more. • If you’re in post-18 education, you may be eligible for Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) to help pay for any equipment and/or communication support you need. See our leaflet Understanding benefits for more information.

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Products to help with hearing loss and tinnitus

Where can I get more information and support? Action on Hearing Loss has a wide range of expert information on deafness, tinnitus and hearing loss, and what can help you take control: choosing hearing aids, learning to lipread, using communication support, understanding your rights, and getting the right support. You can find our leaflets and factsheets on our website at actiononhearingloss.org.uk/factsheets or order copies from our Information Line (see back page for contact details). Please let us know if you’d like our information in large print, Braille or audio. You can also contact our Information Line or visit actiononhearingloss.org.uk for free, reliable information, and to find out about: services in your area, becoming a member and receiving our award-winning magazine, the latest research developments, choosing the right products, and getting involved as a volunteer or supporter.

Information you can trust The Information Standard certifies us as producers of high-quality, evidence-based information. For a list of references for this leaflet, please email [email protected]

Did you find this information helpful? We’d love to have your feedback – please email us at [email protected] or write to Publications, Action on Hearing Loss, 19–23 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SL. If you’d like to join our Readers’ Panel, to help us create new publications and improve our existing ones, please let us know.

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Action on Hearing Loss (formerly RNID) is the largest UK charity helping people who are confronting deafness, tinnitus and hearing loss. We give support and care, develop technology and treatments, and campaign for equality. We rely on donations to continue our vital work. To find out more, visit actiononhearingloss.org.uk Questions about deafness, tinnitus or hearing loss? Contact our free, confidential Information Line: Telephone

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Publication date: January 2016. Review date: January 2017. Action on Hearing Loss is the trading name of The Royal National Institute for Deaf People. A registered charity in England and Wales (207720) and Scotland (SC038926). A1230/0216