Difficulty with hearing can have many long-term, adverse effects on various aspects of your life. One of the biggest problems for those who don’t hear well is that their ears are not receiving the proper simulation from their hearing aids. Without the correct stimulation, the brain forgets how to make words out of sounds. At Walnut Creek Hearing Aid Center, these specific problems are addressed and solved. Trained in neuroscience with a PhD in biophysics, Dr. Gil Magilen has created the technology to allow hearing aids to actually boost the intelligibility of speech.
A surprisingly large number of people with hearing impairment are not given the proper care, Dr. Magilen insists. Most hearing aids are either misfit or under-fit. Because of this, wearers experience hearing loss, even while their hearing aids are functioning. Additionally, with age comes slower brain processing, which affects the ability to quickly and easily process language. In a crowd, at a restaurant, or in nature, the differences in acoustics can create a significant amount of difficulty in hearing. Dr. Magilen specifically adjusts various elements of acoustic energy for each ear to allow patients to deal with the sounds in any environment.
Dr. Magilen explains the process of increasing client intelligibility. First, a client’s level of speech comprehension is tested. He then creates a sensory-cognitive profile to use when customizing the actual hearing aid fitting. Rather than simply focusing on general sound intensity, Dr. Magilen strives to enable his clients to understand speech in various environments. By custom-shaping each hearing aid’s output, intelligibility is made possible. With Walnut Creek hearing aid service, clients can gain an approximate 300% increase in intelligibility over normal hearing aids.
The brain, says Dr. Magilen, is behind the reasoning why speech is affected by hearing. The inability to hear correctly impairs one’s cognitive ability. After a period of time not hearing correctly, the brain forgets how to process language into an understandable form, Dr. Magilen explains. Through his practice, Dr. Magilen has often come across clients who claim that they can hear well in terms of volume, yet for some reason, cannot understand the words that people speak to them. The problem with most hearing aids, says Dr. Magilen, is that they focus on general amplification rather than precise stimulation in the areas needed for proper brain processing. Walnut Creek hearing aids are specifically customized for clients’ individualized fitting needs. When the brain receives the proper stimulation, it can then relearn how to make words from sounds.
With access to the only technology available to help clients with every aspect of hearing, Dr. Magilen provides unsurpassed care for anybody with hearing difficulties.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.