Beltone TO1715 User manual

Beltone Touch
Instructions for use
Digital In-the-Ear hearing instrument
and sound generator
TO1715, TO915 and TO615
TO1715 SPG, TO915 SPG and TO615 SPG
TO1735 and TO935
TO1735 SPG and TO935 SPG
TO1735 UPG, TO935 UPG and TO635 UPG

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A new Beltone hearing instrument
Congratulations on your choice of a Beltone hearing instrument!
This is an important step towards clearer hearing and better under-
standing. We have used all our experience with hearing instruments to
help you communicate, lead an enjoyable social life and listen to the
world around you.
Your hearing instrument is a very advanced device. Your hearing care
practitioner has tuned it to your individual needs. With a little devotion
and patience you will become familiar with it.
Your instrument may also include the Tinnitus Breaker function
(TO17xx models only), a tool for generating sounds to be used in
tinnitus management programs to relieve suffering from tinnitus.
The Tinnitus Breaker can generate frequency and amplitude shaped
white noise. Noise signal level and frequency characteristics can be
adjusted to the specific therapeutic needs as determined by your
doctor, audiologist, or hearing care practitioner. Generated noise can
be modulated with the purpose of making it more pleasant. The noise
can then resemble, for example, crushing waves on a shore.
This booklet is a short guide to assist you in getting acquainted with
your hearing instrument. Read it carefully and use it as a guideline.
We wish you happiness and pleasant listening with your new instru-
ment.
Beltone
Caution to Tinnitus Breaker users
Should you develop any side effects from using the Tinnitus Breaker
feature, such as dizziness, nausea, headaches, perceived decrease
in auditory function or increase in tinnitus perception, you should
discontinue use of the device and seek medical evaluation.

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This booklet & your instrument
In this booklet you will find instructions for inserting and controlling
your new hearing instrument. You will find explanations on control-
ling your instrument, on daily handling and on its use. Furthermore,
you can read what to do if things do not live up to your expecta-
tions. We will give a few practical steps towards better hearing.
Contents
Warning to hearing care professional 4
Notice to prospective users 4
Prescription use for sound generator users 5
Switching on and off 7
Changing batteries 8
Inserting and removing the instrument 10
Recognising left and right instrument 12
Program button 13
Using the telephone 14
Autophone 14
T-program - optional 16
Hearing through an induction loop 17
Maintenance and cleaning 18
Eight steps towards better hearing 23
General warnings 26
General precautions 27
Technical specifications 28
Solving small problems 30
International warranty 32
Your selected model 33

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Warning to hearing care professional
A hearing care professional should advise a prospective user to
consult promptly with a licensed physician (preferably an ear spe-
cialist) before setting the instrument if the hearing care professional
determines through inquiry, actual observation, or review of any
other available information concerning the prospective user that the
prospective user has any of the following conditions:
(i) visible congenital or traumatic deformity of the ear;
(ii) history of active drainage from the ear within the previous 90
days;
(iii) history of sudden or rapidly progressive hearing loss within the
previous 90 days;
(iv) acute or chronic dizziness;
(v) unilateral hearing loss of sudden or recent onset within the
previous 90 days;
(vi) audiometric air-bone gap equal to or greater than 15dB at 500
Hz (hertz), 1000 Hz, and 2000 Hz;
(vii) visible evidence of significant cerumen accumulation or a
foreign body in the ear canal;
(viii) pain or discomfort in the ear.
Important notice to prospective users
Good health practice requires that a person with a hearing loss
and/or a tinnitus condition have a medical evaluation by a licensed
physician (preferably a physician who specializes in diseases of the
ear) before using a hearing aid and/or a sound generator. Licensed
physicians who specialize in diseases of the ear are often referred
to as otolaryngologists, otologists, or otorhinolaryngologists.

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The purpose of a medical evaluation is to assure that all medically
treatable conditions that may affect hearing and/or tinnitus are
identified and treated before the hearing instrument and/or sound
generator is used.
The sound generator instrument is a tool to generate sounds to be
used with appropriate counselling and/or in a tinnitus management
program to relieve patients suffering from tinnitus.
Prescription use for sound generator users
If your instrument has been enabled with the Tinnitus Breaker
sound generator function for tinnitus management, please use
the device as prescribed by your doctor, audiologist, or hearing
care practitioner. In order to avoid the possibility of damaging your
hearing, the maximum daily usage depends on the level of the
generated sound.
Should you develop any side effects from using the instrument,
such as dizziness, nausea, headaches, perceived decrease in audi-
tory function or increase in tinnitus perception, you should disconti-
nue use of the device and seek medical evaluation.
The target population is primarily the adult population over 18 years
of age. This product may also be used with children 5 years of age
or older. However, children and physically or mentally challenged
users will require training by a doctor, audiologist, hearing care
practitioner or the guardian for the insertion and removal of the
device.

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TO1715/TO915/TO615 Hearing Instrument
TO1715/TO915/TO615 SPG Hearing Instrument
battery door
wax guard
pull out cord (optional)
microphone opening
vent (optional)
battery door
wax guard
pull out cord (optional)
microphone opening
program button (optional)
program button (optional)
vent (optional)

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TO1735/TO935/TO635 (SPG or UPG) Hearing instrument
battery door
wax guard
pull out cord (optional)
microphone opening
vent (optional)
program button
(optional)
Switching on and off
Your hearing instrument is switched off by
opening the battery door.
Switch your instrument on by closing the
battery door.
After your instrument is switched on,
the volume will always be as set by your
hearing care practitioner.
Your instrument can have a push button to switch programs.
However, if you close the battery door your instrument will always
start in program number 1. Read more on this subject on page 13.
• Atnight,leavethebatterydooropen.Itincreasesbatterylifeand
allows moisture in your instrument to evaporate and increases
the instrument’s life span.
On-close
Off-open

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Changing batteries
When the battery voltage/power decreases to a certain level, the
instrument will emit a soft beeping signal. This signal will continue
for about one minute, and the sequence will continue every five
minutes until the instrument will be automatically switched off. It is
therefore advisable to keep an extra battery at hand.
Open the battery door by placing
your fingernail or a pencil under the
edge of the battery door and gently
push it backwards.
When opened, remove the dead
battery. The end of the cleaning
brush is magnetic. It allows for
easy battery removal/insertion.
The replacement battery has to be
a zinc-air battery or an appropriate
Nickel Metal Hydride rechargeable
battery. Battery size for your Touch
instrument is 10A.

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Remove the protective seal from the
fresh battery and insert it in the bat-
tery door, with the plus side facing
up. You will recognize the plus side
of the battery because marked with
a +. Check whether the + symbols
on the battery and on the battery
door are on the same side.
Always insert a battery in the
opened door, never directly into the instrument.
Close the battery door. This should go smoothly, so never force it as
this could damage your instrument.
Warnings
• Keepbatteriesawayfromchildrenandmentallychallenged
persons.
• Batteriescanbeharmfulifswallowed.Ifyoudo,seekmedical
attention immediately.
• Donotattempttorechargethebatteries,astheycouldexplode.
• Donotburnthebatteries,astheycouldexplode.
• Replacespentbatteriesanddonotleavethemintheinstrument
for a prolonged period.
• Usedbatteriesareharmfultotheenvironment.Pleasedispose
of them according to local regulations or return them to your
hearing care practitioner.
• Donotattempttorechargebatterieswhicharenotspecically
designated rechargeable as they may leak or explode.

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Inserting and removing the instrument
Inserting the instrument
• Theinsertionprocessvarieswith
the shape of your ear canal.
A fairly straight ear canal allows
easy insertion. However, some
ear canals have sharper curves
and may require more care.
• Takethehearinginstrument
between thumb and index finger
and position its ‘point’ in your ear
canal. If available the colour dot
must point upwards.
• Nowslidetheinstrumentallthe
way into your ear canal with a
gentle, twisting motion. Insertion
can be easier if you gently pull
your auricle backward with your other hand.
• Movetheinstrumentupanddownwithyourindexngerand
press gently to ensure it is positioned correctly. Opening and
closing your mouth can aid insertion. You will feel when the
instrument is inserted correctly.
• Afterthehearinginstrumenthasbeenproperlyseatedintheear
canal, locate the microphone and tubing.
• Gentlypushthemicrophoneintothecreasedareaoftheearthat
is located above the ear canal entrance.
• Afterthemicrophoneisinplace,pushthetubingintoplace.
It is important that the microphone tube fits correctly in your ear.
If the microphone tube irritates your ear, please contact your
hearing care professional.

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Removing your instrument
• Locatethemicrophoneandtubing
in the crease of the ear (above your
ear canal entrance). GENTLY grasp
and pull the tubing, so that the
hearing instrument comes out of
your ear.
• Removalmaybeeasierifyou
open and close your mouth while
simultaneously pulling your auricle
backward with your other hand.
Take some time at home to practice
how to insert and remove your instru-
ment. Work conveniently positioning
your elbows on a table and maybe
using a mirror.

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Recognising left and right instrument
Your hearing instrument is custom-made to fit your ear. Therefore,
right and left instruments differ in shape.
Your hearing instrument is marked with either a left or right indication:
• Aleftinstrumenthasabluewaxguardorbluedot;
• Arightinstrumenthasaredwaxguardorreddot.
This is easy to remember: Red = Right.
The colour dot must point upwards on your instruments.
Do not swap your hearing instruments. Please pay attention to this
during cleaning, storing, and inserting.

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Program button - optional
Your hearing instrument can be equipped with four different listen-
ing programs. Each program will have the most suitable settings for
certain situations.
After pressing the program button,
the instrument will switch program.
If it was in program 1 it will switch
to program 2, if it was in program 2
it will switch to program 3 etc.
If programs 2, 3 or 4 are not
activated, nothing will happen.
Your instrument will give an audible
signal after pressing the program
button.
A little later, the instrument will give:
• onesinglebeepifsetinprogram1
• twobeepsifsetinprogram2
• threebeepsifsetinprogram3
• fourbeepsifsetinprogram4
When you close the battery door and switch the instrument on it will
start in program 1, confirmed by one single beep.
Press the program button if you want to move to a different listening
program.
Let your hearing care practitioner fill out the following table:

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Using the telephone
• Holdyourtelephonehandsetclosetothe
lower part of the ear, and firmly push it
towards the outside of the ear canal.
• Listentothedialingtoneandmove
the handset a little to find the position that
give the best reception.
• Thebestpositiontoholdatelephonemay
be determined by the shape of telephone you are using
Do not hold the handset too tightly against the microphone since
this might cause ‘whistling’.
Autophone
The Autophone function enables your hearing instrument to auto-
matically switch to your telephone program when the telephone
handset is held close to your ear. An acoustic signal confirms the
switch. When the telephone handset is removed from your ear,
your hearing instrument will automatically return to the previous
hearing program.
Program
number
1
2
3
4
Type of program Intended for

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Some telephones produce a magnetic field strong enough to
activate your Autophone function. Other types of telephones require
an additional magnet placed on the phone receiver to activate this
function.
Placement of the Autophone magnet
Clean the telephone handset thorougly. Hold
the handset nearly vertically, similar to making a
phone call. Then place the magnet right below
the telephone receiver.
If necessary, move the magnet to another
position on the handset to increase ease of use
and comfort while speaking on the phone
Use of Autophone
Use the telephone in a normal manner. An acoustic signal will
indicate the activation of the Autophone program. At the beginning,
you may need to move the handset slightly to find the best position
for a reliable switch and good hearing on the telephone.
Precaution:
•Keepmagnetsoutofreachofchildrenandpets.Ifamagnetis
swallowed, please seek advice of a medical practitioner
•Themagnetusedtostrengthenthemagneticeldofyourhand-
set telephone may affect some medical devices or electronic
systems. Always keep the magnet (or the telphone equipped with
the magnet) at least 30cm (12’’) away from pacemakers, credit
cards and other magnetically sensitive devices.
•Highdistortionduringdialingorphoningmaymeanthatthephone
receiver is stressed by the magnet. To avoid any damage, please
move the magnet to another place on the telephone receiver.

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T-program - optional
Your hearing instrument may have a built in function, the telecoil,
enabling in many cases an improved use of the telephone and
better hearing in those churches or halls where an induction loop
system is installed. In order to activate this function, the telecoil pro-
gram has to be selected. In this program you will hear no sounds
from the microphone, therefore most environmental sounds will
be lost. If you wish, your hearing care practitioner can change the
setting in such a way that you hear the microphone and the telecoil
simultaneously.

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Hearing through an induction loop
More and more public places, churches, theatres and cinemas,
have induction loop systems. In these particular rooms, they trans-
mit, wirelessly, the sound of the presenter or show. At home, radio
or television can be connected to an induction loop. Sound quality
through an induction loop is often better because noises from the
environment are not transmitted.
• SwitchyourinstrumenttotheT-program,usingtheprogram
button.
• Chooseagoodspot.Receptionisnotclearatalllocations;
it depends on the position of the induction loop.
Watch for signs or try a different seat yourself.
• Ifneeded,adjustthevolumeupordown.
• Afterserviceorshow,switchyourinstrumentbacktoamicro-
phone program. You will now hear through the microphone
again.
• IfthesoundofyourhearinginstrumentintheT-programisvery
soft all the time, ask your hearing care practitioner to make an
adjustment.
• Yourhearingcarepractitionerwillgladlyprovideyouwithadvice
regarding an induction loop system at home. Ask for it.

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Maintenance and cleaning
Earwax (cerumen) will accumulate on your hearing instrument
during use. If earwax enters the instrument it can damage it.
The instrument has a protection system, the wax guard. Clean the
instrument and replace the wax guard filter regularly. Failure to do
so can lead to an accumulation of earwax impairing sound quality.
Cleaning is easier when accumulated
earwax is dry; e.g., in the morning,
before you insert the instrument
into your ear.
Cleaning the instrument
• Cleanyourinstrumentwithasoft,
dry cloth and the small brush. Do
this above a soft surface or table
to avoid damage if the instrument
falls.
• Donotusewateroruids.

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Cleaning the vent
Your hearing instrument may have a
vent, a small canal through the entire
instrument. If so, clean it regularly.
• Insertthevent-cleaningtool–pla-
sticlinewithhandle–intothevent.
Push the cleaning line completely
through the vent.
• Wipeoffanycollectedearwax.
• Pullthelineoutandwipeoffagain.
• Repeatthisuntilalltheearwaxhasbeenremoved.
Wax guard
Your hearing instrument is usually equipped with a wax guard
system. This prevents earwax entering the instrument. Replace
the wax guard every two weeks or sooner, depending on earwax
accumulation.
• Workatatable.Itiseasierandavoidsyourinstrumentfalling
ontotheoororitemsgettinglost.

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Replace wax guard ‘Sentry II’
Your hearing instrument is usually equipped with a wax guard called
”Sentry II”. Please verify this with your hearing care practitioner.
Sentry II wax guards are available in a set, containing red guards,
blue guards, and a dedicated tool for changing them.
Use red wax guards for right instruments and blue guards for left
instruments.
• Toremovethewaxguardfrom
your hearing instrument, slide the
forked side of the tool under the
wax guard and pull it upwards.
• Pickupanewwaxguardfromthe
front side of the card by using the
other ’nub’ end of the tool. The
large red and blue arrows on the
card indicate the front side. Slide
the wax guard to the side, through
the card.