Hearing aids for Ménière's syndrome: implications of hearing fluctuation.
BACKGROUND
Hearing fluctuation imposes the biggest challenge in the fitting of hearing aids for patients with Ménière's syndrome.


OBJECTIVE
This study shows that the problem maybe be overcome by allowing the patients to test their own hearing and to program their own hearing aids to adjust for hearing fluctuation. RESEARCH DESIGN AND STUDY SAMPLE: A group of 40 participants diagnosed with Ménère's syndrome were fitted with Widex Senso Diva hearing aids and were provided with a portable Senso Programmer 3 (SP3) that allowed them to measure their own hearing thresholds at up to 14 different frequencies and to program their own devices.


METHODS
The participants were instructed to test their hearing three times a day for 8 weeks and to program their hearing aids according to the measured thresholds.


METHODS
All participants recorded some degree of hearing fluctuation during the 8-week trial.


CONCLUSIONS
Among participants, 70 percent continued to program their hearing aids on a regular basis and reported great satisfaction with amplification because they are now able to adjust their own devices when their hearing fluctuates.
McNeill
Celene
C
Healthy Hearing and Balance Care, Bondi Junction, Sydney, Australia. cmcneill@tpg.com.au
McMahon
Catherine M
CM
Newall
Philip
P
Kalantzis
Mary
M
D000328:Adult; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012648:Self Care; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D012984:Software