THE ROLE OF EARMOLD VENTING AS PART OF THE HEARING-AID FITTING

In several investigations the authors tried to find a objective correlation to the subjective positive reactions after venting an earmold. There was no notable effect neither on insertion gain nor on speech intelligibility in different background noise situations. In this study the most comfortable hearing level has been used. This stimulus is influenced by the suprathreshold loudness growth. The measurement has been carried out with and without venting. Comparing the results there can be seen only a little effect of venting at all frequencies. Might be that patient's report about improvement after venting results from the direct input of low frequencies through the vent to the eardrum. These frequency region plays a special part of hearing comfort to reach a comfortable sound quality.