Tips for bilateral hearing

 

Bilateral microphone for use with a single cochlear implant

For those of us who have just one cochlear implant but would like to pick up sound on both sides, Phonak has introduced CROSLink.   CROSLink consists of a bilateral microphone that is worn on the ear opposite the cochlear implant processor (or hearing aid).   CROSLink is compatible with the ESPrit 3G processor and couples to the 3G via the MicroLink adapter.  The microphone picks up the sound and uses radio frequency signals to send the sound wirelessly to the implant.  Imagine being able to hear conversation on both sides without having to constantly turn your head!    Phonak products are sold through hearing professionals, so if you are interested in learning more about Phonak CROSLink, ask your audiologist to contact their Phonak representative for more details.

Bilateral hearing: bilateral cochlear implants OR cochlear implant + hearing aid

If you use a hearing aid in the opposite ear, you may be able to connect a patch cable directly to both the hearing aid and your Nucleus sound processor. If your hearing aid offers the option of direct audio input (DAI) you will need two audio cables and a non-powered splitter.  A splitter is used to “split” the signal from the audio component to two hearing devices.  Radio Shack has two split plug adapter options (and a less expensive version) online 

Non-powered splitters, as described above, can weaken the signal and the output might not be satisfactory. However they tend to cost less and may be an option for some individuals.  Another option is a battery-powered splitter. This allows you to connect at least two headphones or patch cables to one audio component without any signal degradation. For more information about powered splitters are available from Radio Shack and boostaroo.com

An audio patch cable routes the sound from an audio player directly into the sound processor.  You can control the level of background noise by adjusting the processor microphone sensitivity.  Unlike telecoils, patch cables are not affected by electromagnetic signals that cause buzzing noises when you are too close to devices like computer monitors or TV screens.  With the direct-connect option, you will connect the audio cable to both hearing devices and then plug the cables into the "signal splitter."  The cable on the splitter is then connected to the audio component’s headphone jack

If your sound processor and/or hearing aid have the telecoil feature, there are several good options for “surround sound.”   Products that work by magnetic induction deliver the sound to the hearing device by way of the telecoil.  One product that delivers sound through magnetic induction is a silhouette.  Hatis® is one company that offers several models of silhouette for use with audio components and telephones.  Visit our support center for more information. 

For more information about available silhouettes visit: hatis.com and harc.com

Another option for telecoil users is an audio neckloop.  Neckloops are great for use with two hearing devices because if you switch them to the T setting, the telecoil will deliver the signal through the neckloop to both of your hearing devices. The plug on the end of the audio neckloop connects to the audio player’s headphone jack.   A versatile product recently introduced by Clear Sounds is a powered neckloop that works with both cell/cordless phones and also has an adapter for use with audio players.   For more details about this product, please see the Clear Sounds Website.

Closed headphones work very well for many cochlear implant users.  The term "closed headphone" means that the earpiece has a hollow area with a soft cushion around the earpiece.  The hollow earpiece allows the headphone to sit comfortably over the hearing device.  Headphones may cause feedback when placed over some hearing aids but reducing the volume on the hearing aid may help. 

I get great results listening through my processor microphone but some headphones are also telecoil compatible.  The cushioned earpiece keeps a lot of background noise out but if it's really noisy, I can switch to the T setting and eliminate all of the background noise.  In most cases, you will need to test the headphones yourself to determine whether they are telecoil compatible.   Here is an example of a closed headphones.