Compression for Clinicians: A Compass for Hearing Aid Fittings - Third Edition

Details: 416 pages, Illustrated (B/W), Softcover, 152 x 229mm

Release Date: 15/03/2017

ISBN13: 978-1-59756-987-3

Compression for Clinicians: A Compass for Hearing Aid Fittings, Third Edition explains many developments that have taken place in the world of hearing aid compression, fitting methods, and real ear measurement. The text aims to make difficult concepts easier to understand and to explain in plain language many topics pertaining to compression. Directional microphones and digital features of noise reduction, feedback reduction, and expansion are also covered. The third edition recognizes two distinct clinical populations of sensorineural hearing loss: mild to moderate, on one hand, and more severe, on the other. These two clinical populations are well served by a corresponding pair of compression types: wide dynamic range compression and output limiting compression. Another double distinction held throughout the text is the two-part task for all hearing aids: providing gain and also increasing the signal-to-noise ratio. Gain is addressed by compression, while listening in noise is addressed by directional microphones and digital noise reduction.

The Third Edition:

• Includes new chapters on common clinical encounters (Chapter 1), real ear measurement (Chapter 5), and adaptive dynamic range optimization (Chapter 10)
• Distinguishes between "sensory" and "neural" hearing loss and devotes a separate chapter to each of these types of sensorineural hearing loss
• Contains updated coverage of digital hearing aids, directional microphones, and digital noise reduction
• Retains a strong focus on the historical development of compression from yesterday's analog hearing aids to digital hearing aids of today

Compression for Clinicians is intended for those studying to become hearing health care professionals, including audiologists and hearing instrument practitioners. It is also intended for practicing clinicians who simply want to refresh their knowledge base concerning hearing loss and hearing aids. Clinically relevant and very thorough, it provides a compass in the world of compression hearing aids.

Douglas L. Beck, AuD, speaks with the author, Dr. Ted Venema about this new edition in The Hearing Review. Read the interview here

Reviews

• Lorienne M. Jenstad, School of Audiology & Speech Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, International Journal of Audiology (2017):
  "The chapters are easy to read, using very accessible language, light-hearted asides and humour, along with clear and memorable analogies. The author does an excellent job of briefly introducing later topics and referring back to earlier concepts, so that the reader always has a good roadmap of the overall picture. . . . I particularly recommend it for students who need an accessible and clear introduction to complex topics, as a way to ease them into a mind frame of being ready to delve deeper into the topic. The book is also potentially useful for instructors of amplification, providing ideas for classroom teaching. Finally, I can recommend this book for practicing clinicians who need a quick, easy-to-read reminder of topics related to hearing aid processing and verification, or who are looking for examples of how to explain difficult concepts to their clients."

• Jeffrey DiGiovanni, PhD, Ohio University, . (REVIEW OF PREVIOUS EDITION):
  "This type of book could easily find a niche with Audiologists or hearing-aid dispensers...with some refocusing, it could easily become a classroom text or clinical reference guide to hearing aid fittings."

• Rebecca Henning, PhD, University of Wisconsin, . (REVIEW OF PREVIOUS EDITION):
  "Venema's text covers compression in more depth than Dillon's text, and Venema covers the topic in a format that is easy to understand. Venema presents a difficult topic in a user-friendly format."

• Roger Green, British Journal of Audiology (REVIEW OF PREVIOUS EDITION):
  ""Everything you wanted to know about compression but were afraid to ask.""