Training your brain to hear better in noise

Happy New Year!

Welcome back to the blog! I hope you all had a peaceful Christmas and send my best wishes for 2021. January is often a time of special give-aways and discounts so I wanted to offer something slightly different this month and into February.

Everything we do here at Peter Byrom Audiology is about hearing; whether that’s tinnitus, hearing aids, wax removal or anything at all ear related. When it comes to hearing loss though, we often think that hearing aids are the simple fix. In most cases, they are. The technology available these days is truly astounding but what other options are there if you are still struggling?

Next month I will be talking about additional devices (such as remote microphones) that can help, but this month I want to discuss the idea of brain training.

What do you mean, ‘brain training’?

As we get older, we find hearing in noise more challenging. The interesting thing is though, this affects everyone, not just those with hearing loss.

If people with normal hearing struggle in very noisy situations then it makes sense that there is something going on other than the hearing loss itself.

Hearing aids do a fantastic job but as we age, changes in the brain present us with other challenges, these include:

• How we cope with sound distractions
• Our processing speed which typically slows as we age
• And our working memory

How does brain training work?

Research shows that people with a greater working memory capacity are able to understand more in background noise. What we need to do then, is improve working memory which is also linked to our processing speed. When processing speed improves, so does understanding.

To do this, I use a specially designed piece of software, called LACE, which focuses on improving processing speed, working memory and your ability to understand speech in noise. Take a look at this video to find out more:

In these sessions we discuss the particular challenges you are facing and I use the software to give you targeted working memory exercises. You can then practice these at home and they are all designed to support you along with your hearing aids.

Throughout January and February, I will be offering this brain training free of charge.

How do I get free brain training?

All you need to do to access your free sessions is to purchase hearing aids in January or February and to have read the blog – simple!

This is a great way to use the technology in your hearing aids alongside an approach that tackles the natural ageing process. Many people find that this additional training unlocks a part of hearing that, with your hearing aids, gives noticeable results.

I will be offering this throughout my clinics in January but as always, if you have questions you can get in touch via phone, email or the website.

I’m looking forward to seeing you all again soon and once again, my very best wishes for 2021.

Peter