Welche Hörgeräte-Typen gibt es?

Über die Jahre haben sich zwei Hörgeräte-Typen etabliert: Hörgeräte, die im Ohr (kurz IdO oder IO) und Hörgeräte, die hinter dem Ohr (HdO) getragen werden. • Hörgerät-Typen I: Hinter-dem-Ohr-Hörgeräte: Sie liegen hinter der Ohrmuschel. Meist sieht man nur einen transparenten Schlauch, der ins Ohr reicht. Dieser transportiert den Schall zu einer Otoplastik, einem maßgefertigten Ohrpassstück, das in der Ohrmuschel sitzt. Sie eignen sich für fast jeden Hörverlust und auch für besonders kleine Ohren. • Hörgeräte-Typen II: Im-Ohr-Hörgeräte: Die Hörtechnik befindet sich in einem kleinen Gehäuse im Gehörgang. Im-Ohr-Hörgeräte fangen den durch die Ohrmuschel kanalisierten Schall mittels kleiner Mikrofone auf, modifizieren ihn und leiten ihn im Ohr auf kürzestem Weg direkt ans Trommelfell weiter. Ob ein IdO-Hörgerät in Frage kommt, hängt von der Größe und Beschaffenheit des Gehörgangs ab. Sie eignen sich vor allem bei leichten und mittleren Hörverlusten.

Was sind praktische Hörgeräte-Extras für Motorradfahrer?

• Achten Sie unbedingt darauf, dass der Helm um die Ohrmuschel herum genügend Platz bietet. Er darf nicht auf die Ohren und die Hörgeräte drücken. Auch Brillenträger müssen eine Sitzprobe machen und ausprobieren, wie ihre Brillenbügel unter den Helm passen. Nicht nur für Im-Ohr-Hörgeräte, sondern auch für Hinter-dem-Ohr-Hörgeräte gibt es passende Helme. • Eine Windgeräuschunterdrückung blendet unangenehme Windgeräusche weitestgehend aus, wenn Motorradfahrer Hörgeräte unter dem Motorradhelm tragen. Diese praktischen Extras kann der Hörakustiker individuell einstellen. • Dank Bluetooth ist das Motorradfahren mit Hörgeräten jetzt noch praktischer: Mittlerweile gibt es viele Hörgeräte, die sich über Bluetooth mit dem Smartphone koppeln. Motorradfahrer mit Schwerhörigkeit können so während der Fahrt Anrufe wie mit einer Freisprecheinrichtung entgegennehmen sowie Musik oder Ansagen des Navigationsgeräts hören – direkt im Ohr.

Safe Riding Fun: Riding a Motorcycle with Hearing Aids

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How to Use Hearing Aids Under a Motorcycle Helmet

If you’ve got a brain, protect it: This is especially true when riding a motorcycle. But riding a motorcycle with hearing aids isn’t always easy: they can slip out of place or amplify loud noises inside the helmet. Instead of going without them while riding, tips from a hearing care professional can help motorcyclists find the right solution.

The warm, sunny temperatures of spring draw about 11 million motorcyclists onto the roads (Source: Statista). The average German motorcyclist is male and between the ages of 50 and 59—and is therefore comparatively likely to be affected by hearing loss. This is because hearing naturally begins to decline around the age of 50. This makes it all the more important for hearing aid users to wear their hearing aids even under their motorcycle helmets.

Helmets and hearing aids go hand in hand

But wearing hearing aids under a motorcycle helmet can often be difficult. They can slip out of place as soon as you put the helmet on, no longer fit properly, and are out of reach because the helmet fits snugly against your head. In addition, the helmet’s padding rubs against the hearing aids’ microphones, which can create an uncomfortably loud background noise. On top of that, the sound-isolating helmet often causes whistling feedback.

Many motorcyclists therefore wonder whether they should wear their hearing aids at all while riding. However, this poses a high risk: motorcyclists with hearing loss cannot adequatelyperceive traffic without their hearing aids. Not only do motorcyclists fail to hear police or emergency vehicle sirens in time under a padded helmet—without hearing aids, they also miss sounds such as car horns or shouts from other road users, which increases the risk of an accident. If an accident occurs, they may even lose their insurance coverage.

What types of hearing aids are available?

Over the years, two types of hearing aids have become standard: hearing aids worn in the ear (In-the-Ear, or ITE) and hearing aids worn behind the ear (Behind-the-Ear, or BTE).

Hearing Aid Type I: Behind-the-Ear (BTE) Hearing Aids:They sit behind the outer ear. Usually, only a transparent tube extending into the ear is visible. This tube transmits sound to an earmold, a custom-made earpiece that sits inside the outer ear. They are suitable for almost any type of hearing loss, including those with particularly small ears.
Hearing Aid Type II: In-the-Ear (ITE) Hearing Aids: The hearing technology is housed in a small casing inside the ear canal. In-the-ear hearing aids capture sound channeled through the outer ear using small microphones, modify it, and transmit it directly to the eardrum via the shortest path within the ear. Whether an ITE hearing aid is a suitable option depends on the size and shape of the ear canal. They are particularly suitable for mild to moderate hearing loss.

How to Ride a Motorcycle with Hearing Aids

Different types of hearing aids are suited to motorcycle riding to varying degrees. Behind-the-ear hearing aids are less practical under a motorcycle helmet. Since they’re worn outside the ear, they inevitably get in the way under a tight-fitting helmet. An ear mold shaped as optimally as possible helps prevent them from slipping. In-the-ear devices, on the other hand, are discreetly hidden in the ear canal as small capsules—and thus do not come into contact with the helmet.

When it comes to the helmet’s fit, it’s best to buy it directly in a store rather than ordering it online. This is because, in person, motorcyclists with hearing loss can try on different helmets for several minutes and take their time to determine whether they leave enough space around the ears or shift the position of the hearing aids. Some helmet retailers even allow motorcyclists with hearing loss who want to wear hearing aids under their motorcycle helmets to take the helmet to their hearing care professional before purchasing it. The hearing care professional can then adjust the hearing aids to the new helmet to minimize feedback.

What are some practical hearing aid features for motorcyclists?

Be sure to check that your helmet provides enough space around your ears. It must not press against your ears or your hearing aids. People who wear glasses should also try on the helmet to see how the temples of their glasses fit under it. There are helmets designed to accommodate not only in-the-ear hearing aids but also behind-the-ear hearing aids.
Wind noise reduction largely blocks out unpleasant wind noise when motorcyclists wear hearing aids under their helmets. Your hearing care professional can customize these practical features.
Thanks to Bluetooth, riding a motorcycle with hearing aids is now even more convenient: There are now many hearing aids that pair with a smartphone via Bluetooth. This allows motorcyclists with hearing loss to answer calls while riding—just like with a hands-free system—and to listen to music or navigation prompts—right in their ears.

Staying Active with Hearing Aids

From an audiological perspective, you should always wear your hearing aids, even when riding a motorcycle. And hearing loss and hearing aids are by no means an obstacle to other sports either. It all comes down to the right fit: sports clips can help secure behind-the-ear hearing aids in place. Modern hearing aids are also splash-proof, so jogging, hiking, or biking with hearing aids is no problem. Even more high-impact sports like ice skating or aerobics won’t damage conventional hearing aids.

Hearing care professionals in your area will work with you to select the model that best suits your personal preferences, hobbies, and everyday needs. They will recommend the appropriate style, create custom ear molds, and make the necessary adjustments to the software and features.

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