A: Normally a hearing aid listens all around you — known as omni directional. This is good in many situations, such as being at home. You want to be aware of voices or sounds from another room.

In a noisy situation, such as a restaurant, this omni directional hearing is not desirable. You don’t want or need to hear any of the things going on behind you. Sounds of conversation, laughter, a fussy child or cell phone chatter can interfere significantly with what you do want to hear, namely the voices of the people at your table.

Hearing aids can be equipped with multiple microphones that are able to separate the sounds in front from the sound behind you.

push button, and the hearing aid changes from listening all around to reducing the sounds behind you and focusing on amplifying what’s in front.

The result is improved understanding in the presence of these other sounds. Other situations where this is helpful include meetings, at church and driving the car.

On the most advanced digital processing hearing aids, this directional function operated automatically. The aid is always monitoring voice and noise in all directions.

If it does not detect interfering sounds, it listens all around. When it detects noises from behind, it automatically decreases that and focuses on the front or directional listening for improved understanding.

By Veralyn Davee
http://www.spectrum.newmilford.com/story.php?id=653367