How do hearing devices perform in background noise?

Thanks to the use of directional (dual) microphone technology, digital hearing instruments can either allow the patient to manually shut off the back microphone or, in high end instruments, the microphone shuts off automatically when background noise is interfering with speech. However, background noise is present in everyone’s lives, not just the hearing impaired. We all unconsciously filter out most background noise. Someone who has hearing loss automatically has a problem processing the difference between speech and noise since all sounds have become reduced or inaudible. When an individual has been fitted with hearing devices, s/he must actively retrain the brain to be able to better process speech in the presence of background noise.

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