Question
What should I do if a patient complains that their Destiny hearing aids are 'fading', 'cutting out' or 'shutting down'?
Answer
Destiny hearing aids are designed to reduce gain automatically in many situations using the advanced algorithms and/or Output Compression Limiting (OCL). The terms 'fading', 'cutting out' and 'shutting down' have all been used to describe brief periods of unexpected gain reduction. Very rarely are these complaints related to hardware failure. More often than not, the hearing aid is behaving as designed, but the patient may simply prefer different settings. Fading issues are typically addressed by systematically making adjustments to Maximum Output, Compression, Directionality, or one of the Acoustic Signatures. Please download the quick reference sheet for detailed instructions on resolving specific patient complaints.
For more information about addressing 'fading', click here to view our recorded course.
Click here for a quick reference sheet addressing 'fading' (pdf)
For additional information visit the Starkey Web Channel at Audiology Online, or you can visit the Starkey Website at https://www.starkey.com
Debra Cowley is the Education and Training Audiology at Starkey Laboratories World Headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.