Managing Patients with Normal Thresholds-Managing Patients with Normal Thresholds (Slides)

Managing Patients with Normal Thresholds (Slides)

Pdf Summary

The document is a presentation about managing patients with normal hearing thresholds but who have difficulty hearing and understanding speech in noise. The presenter emphasizes that the next frontier in audiology is not just about improving hearing, but improving listening skills, as listening involves the interaction of cognition, attention, memory, and hearing. The document discusses various etiologies that could contribute to the difficulty, such as auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder, hidden hearing loss, auditory processing disorders, and neurocognitive disorders.<br /><br />The presenter also emphasizes the importance of improving signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to improve speech understanding. They mention studies that show speech in quiet does not predict speech in noise, and as hearing loss increases, the required SNR increases. The document suggests that remote microphone systems (RMs) can help improve SNR, reduce reverberation, and minimize the effects of distance. Studies have shown that digital RM systems are superior to FM systems in improving speech recognition in noise.<br /><br />The document highlights the benefits of improved SNR, such as allowing users to approach speech-in-noise results obtained by people with relatively normal hearing ability. It also mentions successful use of FM systems and hearing aid fittings for individuals with blast exposure and normal or near-normal audiograms. The document includes references to studies and articles that support the use of RMs and mild gain amplification for individuals with hearing difficulty but normal hearing thresholds.<br /><br />Overall, the document emphasizes the importance of addressing listening difficulties in individuals with normal hearing thresholds and provides insights into potential solutions like RMs and improved SNR. It encourages audiologists to offer information, hearing aid trials, and SNR-enhancing technologies that may enhance the quality of life of patients with slight or mild hearing losses and/or speech-in-noise problems.

Keywords

normal hearing thresholds

speech in noise

improving listening skills

auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder

hidden hearing loss

auditory processing disorders

neurocognitive disorders

signal-to-noise ratio

remote microphone systems

improved SNR benefits