The Lyric is a hearing aid that is housed inside the ear canal for extended periods of time. You do not change a battery or put the hearing aid in a recharging device at night. All you need to do is go to your audiologist and ask to try a pair of them!
Discreet Amplification
The most amazing consequence of wearing the Lyric is that you are a “normal” person. You do not have to be careful with your hearing aids around the house so the dog or cat does not eat them when you take them off. You can remove your glasses without catching the hearing aid and have it fly across the room. You can step into the shower without fear of destroying the hearing aid. You can put on your motorcycle helmet or bicycle helmet without fear of losing the hearing aid. You can even swim, on top of the water, while wearing Lyric. You can wear ear plugs to protect the Lyric from excessive water while lap swimming or kayaking. No one will politely remind you to put your hearing aids in every morning while you are simply trying to enjoy your coffee and newspaper. People enjoy the fact that they wake up hearing normally and are able to hear house noise at night similar to the other family members.
Lyric Sound is Clear
The sound of speech is clear and distinct. You are able to understand your friends and family under most circumstances. Extremely loud environments will present a challenge, as with most hearing aids but my patients report that 95 percent of the time they are very happy with the sound quality.
The Lyric Difference
The sound of these aids is different from other in-the-ear hearing aids because of the location in the ear canal. The canal wall has different composition as it extends to the ear drum. The Lyric sits deeper in the canal than any other hearing aid. The depth is one of the biggest secrets to the successful sound transmission. The Lyric sits a quarter of an inch from the eardrum in the boney portion of the canal. The composition of bone rather than cartilage and fat reduces the “echo” that many people hear with traditional hearing aids. The Lyric takes advantage of the outer ear, or pinna, in its ability to focus on the sound that the listener is facing. Lastly, the power needs are much less because it is so close to the eardrum thus less distortion of sound.
The Lyric Sound is Adjustable
The Lyric comes with a wand that is designed to change the volume or even mute the sound completely. It has a sleep mode if you prefer to hear at your pre-hearing aid level. There are many options so the sound that can be modified by the person wearing Lyric.
Fitting the Lyric
The Lyric is fit on a person after a hearing evaluation is completed. If the hearing loss is within the fitting range of the Lyric, the ear canal is checked for debris and any unusual landmarks that might interfere with placement of the Lyric. The canal must be large enough to house the device and must not have too many twists and turns. The audiologist measures the depth of the canal and places a sizer in the ear canal to make certain the actual Lyric is comfortable and fits properly. Next, the sizer is removed and an actual Lyric is programmed on the computer then placed in the ear canal using a special tool.
Removing the Lyric
The person using a Lyric is able to remove it at any time. A tool is provided that is placed in the ear canal and attaches to a loop on the outer edge of the device. I have had people attempt to replace their device but by not using the specialized tool, the ear canal was scratched. The Lyric must be reinserted by the audiologist. The fit is comfortable only if it is placed in the canal at the proper depth and at the proper angle.
Replacing the Lyric
The Lyric battery will last more than two months. Sometimes is lasts up to three months but it is safe to say that the Lyric is replaced every two months. The audiologist will remove the Lyric, clean the ear canal and place a new Lyric in the ear canal. Even if you wear traditional hearing aids, you should try out this new technology on a free trial. QCBN
By Karon Lyn, Au.D.
