Challenges of Hearing Speech in Background Noise
Hearing aids can significantly improve a user’s communication challenges, however, it is important to remember that hearing aids aren’t perfect and many users continue to experience challenges in certain listening environments. A common complaint of hearing aid users is that even with their hearing aids they continue to have difficulty hearing speech in background noise. Despite the advances in hearing aid technology (noise reduction, directionality etc.), there are certain environments where these technologies cannot do enough to improve communication. When background noise cannot be effectively reduced, it can be extremely difficult to understand what someone is saying if the noise is louder than the signal you want to hear or even if the noise is quieter but distracting.
An individual’s performance in background noise also depends on their underlying processing abilities. There are some individuals that have great difficulty detecting and understanding speech in the presence of background noise. This underlying processing deficit impacts the success they will have with hearing aids in these noisy environments. For these individuals their hearing devices can only do so much and will not be able to overcome the brain’s inability to process speech in background noise.
So what can be done in these challenging listening environments?
- Wearing two hearing aids improves speech understanding for most individuals. There are some who perform better with just one hearing aid in either the right or the left ear, however, given the advantages of wearing two hearing aids (better ability to localize sound, increased loudness of sound etc.) these advantages contribute to improved listening in noise.
- Depending on the user’s underlying processing abilities and the environment, the processing within hearing aids can assist in noisy environments. Directional microphones on hearing aids can help to focus on the important signal coming from in front of the wearer and reduce noise from behind.
- For hearing aid users who continue to have significant challenges in background noise even with hearing aids, an FM system might be an appropriate solution. An FM transmitter picks up the voice of the talker and sends it to the hearing aid wearer’s receiver. This transmission of sound from transmitter to receiver helps to overcome issues of distance and background noise.
- For those who continue to have issues in background noise even with hearing aids, communication strategies are a must! Some strategies to assist in challenging listening environments include: select a table/area in the least noisy part of the room (e.g. away from a kitchen), seat yourself in a well-lit area to enhance visual cues, and don’t be afraid to ask for repetition or clarification and inform those you’re with of your hearing loss.
If listening to conversation in the presence of background noise is a challenge for you, a professional at Superior Hearing will be happy to determine an appropriate solution.
