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How Does A Hearing Loop Work?Information courtesy of Dr. Juliette Sterkens - AudiologistWisconsin Hearing Loop Advocate A hearing loop helps persons who use hearing aids that are equipped with T-coils hear sounds from a PA system directly and clearly in the hearing aids, because it reduces or cuts out background noise. A hearing loop provides a magnetic, wireless signal that is picked up by the hearing aid when it is set to ‘T’ (Telecoil) setting. The loop system consists of a microphone to pick up the spoken word; an amplifier which processes the signal which is then sent through the final piece; the loop cable, a wire placed around the perimeter of a room or sanctuary to act as an antenna that radiates the magnetic signal to the hearing aid. When a hearing aid user selects the ‘T’ setting; he or she can pick up the sounds spoken into the PA system’s microphone instead of the hearing aid’s internal microphone. This results in improved speech understanding because the listener receives a clear signal without any background noise. Digital hearing aids have significantly improved in the last decade, but they still do not restore hearing to normal. What most hearing aid users need is an improved signal to noise ratio (or SNR) of +10 or greater. This is difficult to attain in reverberant places, such as auditoriums or churches, resulting in the typical “I can hear but not understand!” complaint. Hearing aids equipped with T- coils can help reduce this problem. When a hearing aid is set to “T”-coil, the instrument becomes a personalized speaker in your ear for the sounds that are picked up by the microphone of the PA system. That way sounds are heard clearly, without distortion or background noise pick-up. Most behind the ear hearing aids, and all but the smallest of custom in-the-ear instruments, can be equipped with a T-coil. Some-times this T-coil is installed inside your instrument but not activated. Another option is the Mic plus T-coil setting or MT. This setting lets you hear a combination of sound all around you and the hearing
loop. The T-coil program is accessed by a push button on your hearing aid or via the use of a remote control. Audiologists often recommend this T-coil setting for listening on the telephone without whistling. Sometimes the T-coil is installed but not activated. Check the instruction booklet that came with your hearing instruments. If your instrument has a push button allowing you to access a so-called “telephone program” where the microphone is turned off and you were instructed can use it on the phone without whistling, you most probably have a t-coil. Ask your audiologist or your hearing instrument specialist or contact us via email. When you switch your hearing aid to “T” setting the hearing aid’s microphone is switched off. This allows you to only hear the signal from the hearing loop or listen on the phone, while reducing background noise and eliminating feedback (whistling). When your instrument is set to “MT” you will hear a combination of sounds around you (picked up by the microphone) and signal from the “T-coil”. This setting can be used while watching TV in your home (if equipped with a home loop) or in church as it allows you to hear the person sitting beside you and hear the signal from the hearing loop. The M (microphone) position is for "normal" listening, that is receiving airborne sound via the microphone built in to the hearing aid.
The T (T-coil) position is for receiving the sound via induction of the T-coil, which is built in to the hearing aid.
Eliminates hygienic concerns
The MT position, which is provided on some hearing aids, allows listening simultaneously both to airborne sound via the microphone and to inductively transmitted sound via the T-coil
The new lightin g and today’s flat screen monitors rarely have an influence on induction loops. Occasionally T-coils are susceptible to interference (low pitched buzzing) around malfunctioning or older fluorescent lights, conventional CRT (non-flat screen) computer monitors, electrical wires, dimmer switches and transformers. Let us know if this happens as reprogramming your instruments usually takes care of this.
A correctly installed induction loop system does not interfere with heart pacemakers. A hearing Loop is installed when you see the following logos:
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