Ask the Audiologist

Q: I have trouble hearing clearly on the telephone. What can help?

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A: While difficulties with telephone use can be solved in most cases, it is important to remember that there is no single solution that is best for everyone. At Hearing Center of Long Island we help our patients enjoy telephone communication by choosing from using a variety of approaches depending on the individual’s needs. These include:
Caption phones: These phones allow the user to read what the other party is saying while listening. This caption service is free due to funding administered by the Federal Communications Commission.
Note: Currently, we are able to help many of our patients obtain these special phones at no charge. Call us for more information.

Speaker phone: Simply using the speaker feature found on many phones can be extremely helpful in some cases. This is because listening with both ears at the same time can make it easier to understand conversation compared to listening with only one ear.


Special telephone settings: In some cases hearing aid settings that are best for listening on the phone may be different from settings that are best for listening when not using the phone. In these cases, having a second hearing aid “program” just for the phone can be a significant advantage.


Binaural phone streaming: this recently introduced hearing aid feature that takes advantage of the improved clarity of listening with both ears compared to just one—but is more effective than simply using a speaker phone. With this feature, the user holds the phone to one ear and hears the sound from the phone in both ears. This is normally better than using a speaker phone because it eliminates the distance between the sound source and the ears. It also allows customization of the sound through hearing aid adjustments.


Telecoil: Many hearing aids can be equipped with this feature which allows the hearing aids to pick up only the sound from the telephone when it is activated. Although this does not work with all telephones, it can be very helpful for some hearing aid wearers.
Wireless connection to phones: Many hearing aids are now capable of receiving wireless transmission directly from a telephone. This allows a user to hear the phone conversation directly from his or her hearing aids in both ears for better clarity without holding the phone to the ear. Phones that do not have wireless capability can often be made compatible with this feature by using an adaptor.
Blue tooth phone: Another recently introduced option is a special cordless phone that can be used like a normal cordless phone but will transmit sound simultaneously to both ears through compatible hearing aids—even if those hearing aids do not have any special binaural phone streaming feature.


To learn the best approach for you to enjoy telephone conversation, call (516) 872-8485 today for a free consultation with a Hearing Center of Long Island audiologist.

Since 1989, Audiologist Dr. Lawrence Cardano has dedicated his professional life to helping individuals with hearing loss and their families improve their quality of life. He earned his Master’s degree in Audiology from Columbia University and his Doctorate in Audiology from the University of Florida.Dr. Cardano is Board Certified in Audiology and is author the quarterly newsletter Long Island Sound. He also writes on hearing related topics at www.hearingcenterofli.com/blog. His community service efforts include his work with the Lions Lend An Ear program to provide hearing aids and related services to those who cannot afford them.Dr. Cardano is director of Hearing Center of Long Island in Valley Stream, NY. Hearing Center of Long Island is dedicated to providing comprehensive care, state-of-the art capabilities and unsurpassed service to help hearing impaired individuals and their families cope with the challenges of hearing loss. (For more information see www.hearingcenterofli.com.)

Please send questions or comments to Dr. Cardano at DrCardano@HearingCenterofLI.com .