PURPOSE: The current study examined measured and perceived occlusion for a receiver-in-the-canal (RIC) hearing aid with different-sized receivers. The relationship between these measures and ear canal volume was also investigated. METHOD: Thirty adult participants were fitted with an RIC hearing aid and tested with 5 receiver size conditions. Measured occlusion effect was calculated from aided and unaided real-ear responses obtained while subjects vocalized /i/. Perceived occlusion measures were acquired using an occlusion effect scale. RESULTS: Measured occlusion was greatest for the largest receiver. The most common perceived occlusion ratings were none to mild occlusion for all receiver sizes. Perceived ratings were weakly correlated to acoustic measures. There was little to no correlation between receiver size and estimated ear canal volume. CONCLUSIONS: Measured and perceived occlusion was minor in all receiver conditions. Occlusion was not correlated to ear canal volume, suggesting that RIC hearing aids most often result in negligible amounts of measured and perceived occlusion effect, regardless of ear canal size. Because no significant relationship existed between the occlusion measures, clinicians may need to consider that self-rating of occlusion may not match measured occlusion results.
PURPOSE: The current study examined measured and perceived occlusion for a receiver-in-the-canal (RIC) hearing aid with different-sized receivers. The relationship between these measures and ear canal volume was also investigated. METHOD: Thirty adult participants were fitted with an RIC hearing aid and tested with 5 receiver size conditions. Measured occlusion effect was calculated from aided and unaided real-ear responses obtained while subjects vocalized /i/. Perceived occlusion measures were acquired using an occlusion effect scale. RESULTS: Measured occlusion was greatest for the largest receiver. The most common perceived occlusion ratings were none to mild occlusion for all receiver sizes. Perceived ratings were weakly correlated to acoustic measures. There was little to no correlation between receiver size and estimated ear canal volume. CONCLUSIONS: Measured and perceived occlusion was minor in all receiver conditions. Occlusion was not correlated to ear canal volume, suggesting that RIC hearing aids most often result in negligible amounts of measured and perceived occlusion effect, regardless of ear canal size. Because no significant relationship existed between the occlusion measures, clinicians may need to consider that self-rating of occlusion may not match measured occlusion results.
Authors: Rosemary A Lester-Smith; Jason H Kim; Allison Hilger; Chun-Liang Chan; Charles R Larson Journal: J Voice Date: 2021-01-16 Impact factor: 2.300