Signia announced that the Styletto X is now available for audiologists within the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to treat veterans.
Styletto X is also available through the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Indian Health Service (IHS) for active military personnel and American Indians.
Meeting Veterans’ Hearing Needs
Research shows that veterans are 30% more likely than non-veterans to have severe hearing loss.[1] Meanwhile, tinnitus—the phantom ringing, humming, or buzzing in the ears often resulting from loud noise exposure—is the most common disability among veterans.[2] Despite the prevalence of hearing loss and tinnitus, not all veterans with these conditions choose to seek treatment. For some, it is due to a stigma associated with hearing aids or the fear of seeming old or out of touch.
Related article: Tinnitus, CBT, iCBT, and Tinnitus Management: An Interview with Grant Searchfield, PhD
John Murray, Signia’s Vice President of Government Services, said, “We know that the average person waits about seven years between being diagnosed with hearing loss and getting treatment through hearing aids. By offering Styletto X at VA clinics, audiologists can present a new option to their patients that looks nothing like the traditional hearing aid. Based on consumer research, the Styletto form factor can assist audiologists in convincing veterans to treat their hearing loss sooner and help reduce the cognitive decline that may result from untreated hearing loss.”
As evidence of its appeal, a study of more than 500 participants found the Styletto form factor to be preferred by 7 out of 10 hearing aid consumers and that a significantly higher number of participants would choose to wear hearing aids if offered Styletto.[3]
Audiological technology
Styletto X helps empower hearing care professionals to address more patient needs and preferences than ever before, Signia says.
Said to build upon the Signia Xperience technology platform, Styletto X hearing aids reportedly “improve listening ability in any situation—including delivering better than normal hearing in difficult noise[4] and also when moving, thanks to their revolutionary acoustic-motion sensors.” Along with exchangeable receivers to treat a wide variety of hearing loss and Bluetooth connectivity, Styletto X features a portable charging case and wireless Qi charging technology.
The small, pocket-sized Styletto X charging case can be placed on a pad to charge wirelessly. Without having to change tiny batteries or plug cords into a charging port, Styletto X provides a new level of convenience, especially for veterans with limited dexterity.
Signia is “the first hearing aid brand to incorporate wireless Qi charging technology,” according to Signia, helping wearers place the Styletto X pocket-sized charging case on a charging pad. This feature can help veterans with dexterity issues, since they don’t have to replace tiny batteries or plug wires into a charging port, the company says.
Additionally, with three different tinnitus treatment options built in, Styletto X helps enable audiologists to help veterans suffering from tinnitus. In a recent clinical study of Signia’s tinnitus solutions and their ability to improve quality of life for those with distressing tinnitus, 75% of participants reported improvement in thoughts and emotions, with positive results in the areas of sleep and concentration as well.[5]
More Treatment Options During Covid-19 and Beyond
The Covid-19 pandemic has placed a new focus on telehealth solutions, and Styletto X helps empower audiologists to service veterans remotely. Signia’s TeleCare solution, available through the Signia app on patients’ smartphones, helps enable audiologists to connect with veterans via phone, video, or text-based chats to discuss their success or challenges and fine-tune their hearing aids in real time.
Styletto X wearers also have access to the Signia Assistant, a virtual assistant available through the Signia app providing 24/7 support to make automatic adjustments and address common issues in between check-ups with their audiologist.
And as face masks are shown to reduce speech understanding by 30%,[6] Signia’s Face Mask Mode, “the world’s first,” can help veterans better understand other speakers wearing masks.
More information about Styletto X can be found at: https://veterans.signiausa.com/styletto-x-pro/.
References
[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Severe Hearing Impairment Among Military Veterans. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6028a4.htm. Published July 22, 2011. Accessed October 28, 2020.
[2] US Department of Veterans Affairs. VA Research on Hearing Loss. https://www.research.va.gov/topics/hearing.cfm#research3. Accessed October 28, 2020.
[3] Hakvoort C, Burton P. Signia white paper. Increasing style, reducing stigma: The Styletto solution. https://www.signia-library.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/137/2018/08/styletto-backgrounder-1.pdf.
[4] Froehlich M, Freels K, Powers TA. Speech recognition benefit obtained from binaural beamforming hearing aids: Comparison to omnidirectional and individuals with normal hearing. AudiologyOnline. May 28, 2015.
[5] Tyler RS, Perreau A, Powers T, et al. Tinnitus sound therapy trial shows effectiveness for those with tinnitus. J Am Acad Audiol. 2020;31(01):006–016.
[6] Killion MC, Mueller HG. Twenty years later: A NEW count-the-dots method. The Hearing Journal. 2010;63(1):10-17.
Source: Signia
Images: Signia
