In the Loop: Get the Most out of Your Hearing with Hearing Loop Technology   

In the Loop: Get the Most out of Your Hearing with Hearing Loop Technology   

If you’ve recently invested in your health with hearing aids, congrats! Hearing aids make hearing easier and curtail some of the negative health effects of untreated hearing loss. Your hearing aids are tiny high-tech wonders that offer many features to help you hear better in every situation.

With the dawn of digital sound processing, many new hearing aids have begun to offer streaming sound capability from smart phones and other digital devices. Streaming sound comes in clear and direct, straight to your ear canal, to make focus and comprehension easier. Digital streaming sound and smart phone compatibility are a great way to optimize your hearing and communication.

What you may not realize is that your hearing aids can also be outfitted to stream sound from a closed loop or “telecoil” system. Telecoil systems are widely in use, especially in public settings, to assist those with hearing loss, streaming sound directly to their hearing device.

What Is A Hearing Loop?

A hearing loop is also called an audio induction loop or telecoil system. The technology behind a hearing loop is simple and efficient: on a basic level it consists of a wire loop that broadcasts sound from a microphone source as a magnetic signal. This magnetic signal can be picked up within the loop by hearing aids equipped with Telecoil, and the sound or speech delivered directly to the ear. The loop can be as small as a bank teller window or as large as an airport terminal, so there are many places to take advantage of this technology.

Where Can You Find Hearing Loops?

Hearing loops exist as a resource in many different types of spaces. Many churches and schools have rooms and areas with hearing loops installed. Travel centers like train stations and airports will also often have telecoil service available. Hearing loops also make appearances in some stores, banks and other private services. Professionally, many meeting rooms and conference centers have hearing loops enabled to make hearing lectures and presentations easier.

Hearing loops can benefit your hearing experience in many different ways, from making sure you hear the sports score at the arena to notifying you of a gate change at the airport. Most places that have hearing loops available will post a sign with the telecoil symbol – the outline of an ear with a diagonal line and the letter “T”. If you don’t see a sign, simply ask if a hearing loop is available in the space.

How Do You Use Hearing Loops?

Using hearing aids with hearing loops is easy. To switch from your regular hearing aid settings to receiving streaming audio from a hearing loop, activate the “T” setting on your device (“T” is for “telecoil”). The “T” setting will usually be a small, physical switch on your device, but some hearing aids may have a remote control or app that allows you to change to your devices’ hearing loop settings.

While your hearing aid is on the hearing loop setting, you will hear the audio being wirelessly broadcast to your device via the hearing loop without intrusive background noise. Sound will stream directly from your hearing aid to your ear canal making comprehension easier. When you want to return to your normal hearing aid function, simply switch off the “T” setting. Hearing loops can help in all sorts of public and professional settings, so it is a great idea to take advantage of them.

Are My Hearing Aids Compatible with Hearing Loops?

When choosing a hearing aid, it is important to select the features and options that will benefit your lifestyle. Telecoil is a common feature and available on most modern hearing aids, so simply let your hearing specialist know you would like to use your device with hearing loops when you are selecting a new hearing aid.

Lifestyle Hearing Solutions

Looking around to see what your options are for telecoil hearing aids? Lifestyle Hearing Solutions can help. We offer hearing assistance personalized to your needs, with a wide selection of top-performing hearing aids and assistive devices. At Lifestyle Hearing Solutions, we are there for you at every step, from in-depth hearing exams to making sure your hearing solution is the best fit for your needs. Reach out to us today to learn more about your hearing health and options.