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So many things I DON'T want to hear!


Leblisa

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I really only want to be able to hear human speech.

If I can appreciate music, well that would be great.

But: road sounds? fans in the background? clanking utensils & clattering plates?

Do MedEl CI's do a good job of screening out undesirable sounds so I can focus on desired ones?

Lisa


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Hi Lisa, I just had my second mapping and was sure they were going to tune and tone it down so some of the high pitches would fade into the background. No such luck. When my audiologist did the hearing test, I had three areas that were below what I should be hearing so it got turned up. I'm still hearing the ambient (background) sounds. She told me they eventually will go away when my brain starts recognizing them. This just takes time and patience and perseverance and practice. The good news is that with this mapping today for the first time in 2 years I could actually hear on the telephone. I hope this helps.

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Hi Lisa,

I reckon the CI version of clanking is better than the hearing aid version - if that makes sense?

As Sandy said our brains (or melons as Adam calls them - Hi Adam) take a while to settle down after the shock of so much new stimulation. I was in the car after activation and heard this weird intermittent noise - turns out it was the indicators and now I hear them but it's not strange. As I mentioned in a thread a while ago the weirdest noises for me initially were birds. It was almost uncomfortable and when I walk the dog it happened a lot. It sounds like I remember a loooong time ago now and is not unpleasant at all.

So, just give it time and keep a list of things to tell us what is freaking you out.

Matt

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What you are describing is the "cocktail party effect" Our brains have a way of tuning out the sounds it does not want to hear to concentrate on those sounds it does. This is what gives you the ability to pick out the speech of a person in a noisy cocktail party.

Our brains have also filtered out the noises like the refrigerator, ultraviolet lights, your computer moniter.......It has deemed them unimportant so you dont even realize they are there. The problem is when activated, we do not have that filter because our brains really havent needed it. it will take a little time but you will get to the point where those ambient noises will fade away. i was totally overwhelmed at first but it really does settle down. Be patient.

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I agree - there are some sounds that aren't heard often enough that it is difficult to squelch them out when we do hear them. People with "normal" hearing are so accustomed to filtering out nuisance sounds that it is literally second nature for them.  A good CI mapping can certainly help with easing the process but bear in mind, a lot of those nuisance sounds have sound pitches that we need so you don't want to omit them from your map entirely - it's your brain that needs to make the adjustments.  That will come over time...  Except for crickets - 9 years now and I still can't stand the sound of crickets! lol

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I see.

I was curious because I was reading on Hearing Journey about the Advanced Bionics CI software program called Clear Voice and it sounds like that screens out any continuous background sound, making speech sounds clearer and easier to understand.  I'm a little disappointed MedEl doesn't have it.  Hopefully my brain is up to the job of screening stuff out as I strain to understand - it's going to be pretty tiring.

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Lisa,

Other processors require users to make frequent program or setting changes (like clear voice) in order to enjoy an optimal listening experience. Automatic Sound Management detects changing listening situations constantly adapting automatically so you don’t have to worry about having a program to switch to.

Below is some info about it from medels site. hope this helps

 

How Automatic Sound Management Works
For cochlear implant sound processing to be effective, it is critical to compress the large (120 dB) acoustical dynamic range of normal hearing into an acceptable range for electrical stimulation (30 dB). To meet this challenge, all MED‑EL audio processors make use of the front-end processing strategy known as Automatic Sound Management (ASM). ASM consists of a dual stage Automatic Gain Control (AGC) providing a wide Input Dynamic Range (IDR) and automatic volume control.

Input Dynamic Range is one of the most important features in audio processor technology. Studies show that only a wide IDR allows for adequate speech perception in noise.1,2 All MED-EL behind-the-ear (BTE) processors feature an Input Dynamic Range of 75 dB. Therefore, all signals within the range of 25 dB and 100 dB SPL are processed. This allows for detailed processing of a very wide range of sound inputs.

Automatic volume control deals with the wide range of input levels occurring in everyday life, including soft speech and loud speech. Automatic volume control assures that speech perception in background noise is largely immune to variations in speech level, meaning that users of MED‑EL audio processors can understand soft and loud speech equally well as normal speech. Varying-level speech can be understood equally well as constant-level speech.

3MED-EL audio processors also feature a dual stage Automatic Gain Control.4 This technology allows users to hear a very loud sound, such as an airplane, or even a very quiet sound, such as a whisper, at a comfortable volume level. Dual stage also ensures that a sudden increase in loudness does not result in an uncomfortable change in volume for the user. Similarly, dual stage also prevents overly muffled sounds following an initial loud signal. Therefore, sounds that users hear are always presented to maximise speech comprehension and to preserve the subtle differences in loudness from one sound to the next.

MED-EL audio processors also feature a dual stage Automatic Gain Control.4 This technology allows users to hear a very loud sound, such as an airplane, or even a very quiet sound, such as a whisper, at a comfortable volume level. Dual stage also ensures that a sudden increase in loudness does not result in an uncomfortable change in volume for the user. Similarly, dual stage also prevents overly muffled sounds following an initial loud signal. Therefore, sounds that users hear are always presented to maximise speech comprehension and to preserve the subtle differences in loudness from one sound to the next.

 

With Automatic Sound Management featuring a wide Input Dynamic Range and automatic volume control, users can experience the optimal hearing experience whether in an airport, a concert hall, a business meeting, a restaurant or simply at home.

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Adam,
This information really puts my mind at ease; thank you SO much!

Clearly I need to be readingthe info on their website more closely.

Lisa

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Adam,

A thank you from me too. I had my second mapping done on Tuesday and was getting frustrated. My audiologist increased my volume and all the tweeting noises came back in full force and some voices started to sound loud, including my own. She explained that my voice is closest to me and would sound loud. Your explanation to Lisa helps. By the way, I still haven't heard crickets.

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By the way, I still haven't heard crickets.

What about penguins?

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Nah, where I come from think bears and moose and deer.

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 By the way, I still haven't heard crickets.

What about penguins?

Sandy, Do penguins live in Ontario? I did not know that. Do they speak in slang and drink Molson or Labatt?

Lisa, on a more serious note, you will be thrilled to hear those noises, at first. Hearing the refrigerator compressor cycle on and off or the hiss of the air from your aaudi's office HVAC is not to be missed. MedEl's sound management will lessen those sounds and turn them into background noise after you get used to hearing with your implant. Tose sounds are also verbal cues that your implants are working as designed. Call it positive reinforcement. I was like a kid and kept learning "new" household sounds at first.

You do need to let us know if you hear the cicadas!

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Whoops. FSP, MedEl's music programming overlay will help with your music appreciation. Ask your Audi for more information. You could also got to the MedEL web site and search for FSP, nudge, nudge!

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There is so much to learn, I have been implanted for 2 years now and still feel like a newbie. it's an awful lot of information to grasp on top of oh i don't know, LEARNING TO HEAR. Medel has an excellent website with a lot of great tools to help you learn. They are also just a phone call away as well which is pretty neat.

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John, yes penguins live in Ontario - at the zoo! Labatts or Molson, I will ask next time I see one! And Lisa, like John I want to experience all those annoying noises that I have missed over my lifetime. It does show that the implant is working. It can be frustrating too. The absolute worst noise is cellophane and plastic bags; they are so piercing!

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  • 2 months later...

Hi I'm a newbie to this group, but not a newbie to CIs.  I have a Cochlear America's implant on my right side.  Due to limited real estate on my left side,  I've asked my surgeon to seriously consider Med El due to its smaller size and the Rondo processor which could facilitate a different placement of the internal device.  After two years with a CI and excellent hearing results, I can say that at least with Cochlear's implant background noise does not disappear or fade for me even using the noise program.  I could never shut out noise even as a young child ... I'm very easily distracted for example Hearing naturally I could not read in an area where people are talking or watching TV.  With a CI this hasn't changed.  I can lower my settings so that it is better but I am always aware of what is in the background - so, for me it is a "it depends" situation.  I don't wear my processor at the airport after I check in because like Lisa there are many things I prefer not to hear at least in that setting.

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Sunny,

 

Welcome to hearpeers!! Medel has a sound coding program called FSP (fine structure processing). this particular strategy does very well with in particular music appreciation as well as picking out voices in really crowded loud environments. I think it would help you quite a bit with dealing with noise. There are a great group of folks hear and some have the Rondo that should be able to answer a lot of questions about that. John should be adding his advice here soon as he uses a Rondo and really likes it. Looking forward to getting to know you.

 

Adam

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Hello Sunny.... welcome!

 

Secondly, is it even possible to repress so efficiently background noises as it is possible naturally?

Hmmm....

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Grrrr - I had a long post and then accidentally hit 'cancel' instead of 'submit'.

 

Anyway, yesterday my audi gave me 4 new programs:

 

#1: comfortable volume/wide 'catchment area' (my words).

#2:       "                "    /tight 'catchment area'

 

#3: same program but louder volume/wide 'catchment area'.

#4:   "          "         "     "          "      /tight 'catchment area'.

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Sunny,

 

Part of what Ivana is talking about is called the "cocktail party effect" Each one of our brains developes the ability to decide what is important information and information it can ignore. Some of those sounds would be your refrigerator humming, ulttraviolet lights, your computer monitor humming. These are not important so the brain basically ignores them. This is how you are able to pick out a specific voice in a crowded room of people talking. The problem is that hearing impaired people either dont develop this "filter" or lose it after a long period of not needing it. when our CI's are activated or we get new hearing aids, it is almost sensory overload as your brain does not know what to do with all the input it is recieving.

 

It can take some time to regain this ability usually the CI helps with this.

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Lisa, It looks like you have enough to keep you busy for a while. wow.

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100% excellent explained, Adam.

 

Our brain knows what to do with it natural peripheral parts as cochlear nerve which is its integral part. But what exactly it can do with (stupid) artificial device as HA? Hmmm....

So overload is unavoidable at least if we do not shut down system for a little bit.

For instance, I usually did this all the time - when I needed to focus at something I just turned off my HA, or if I need some rest.

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Hi Sunny,

Welcome to HearPeers. Cochlear and medEl both have different

coding strategies to deal with "extraneous" noises, be they environmental or not. I have found that MedEl's software programming does not require an additional program such as you descibe. FSP is a software overlay which works with the base program or mappping to help you understand sound, particularly music. In addition, the MedEl coding strategy allows you to adjust the sensitivity area through the FineTuner remote plus your audi can also adjust the sensitivity as a "hard coding". This can be undine with a simple reprogramming in their office in less than 2 minutes. This is separate from volume control!

the RONDO is great and can also be a fashion statement is you are so inclined.It is lightweight and has alll the benefits of a standard BTE device. If you get implanted with a MedEl device between now and the end of the year, you can get a free RONDO. If you go to a 2 processor clinic, you could get 1 BTE OPUS 2 and 2 RONDOS or vice versa.

There are several bilateral users in the DC area with whom you can communicate or meet in person. If interestred, please let me know and I can send you email addresses.

we do play well with our peers here, however, you do need a sense of humor!

looking forward to your next posts.

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