Interton A160-D User manual

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User Guide
Digital Receiver-in-the-Ear
instrument (RIE)
A160-D
A160-D Open
A160-D HPG

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Thank you for selecting an Interton hearing system. We are proud of our hearing products and are
confident you have chosen one of the best products available. Please familiarize yourself with the
information in this guide. It contains important instructions for proper use and care, technical perfor-
mance information, and other general information about your hearing system. Your hearing system
has been adjusted to your particular hearing loss. Your hearing healthcare professional will explain
these adjustments and the special features of your particular model.
Becoming Accustomed to Amplification
While purchasing a hearing system is a major step, it is only one step in a process toward more
comfortable hearing. Successfully adapting to the amplification your hearing system provides takes
time and consistent use.
You will enjoy more benefits from your Interton hearing system by taking the following actions:
• Wearthesystemregularlyinordertogetcomfortablewithusingit.
• Beginbywearingyoursystemforshortperiodsoftimeinquietenvironments.
• Asyougetmorecomfortablewiththesystem,increasethewearingtimeandwearyourhearing
system in multiple types of listening environments.
It may take as long as several months for your brain to get used to all the “new” sounds around you.
Following these suggestions will give your brain time to learn how to interpret amplification and
increase the benefits you get from using an Interton hearing system.
Contents
Your Hearing System 4
On/Off Function 6
Stand-ByMode 6
Volume Control 7
ChangingMemoryPrograms 8
DualMicrophoneSystem 9
Proper Placement in the Ear 10
Using the Telephone 14
Telecoil 14
Cellular Phone and
Hearing Instrument Compatibility 15
UsingAssistiveListeningSystems 16
Removing/InsertingtheBattery 17
LowBatteryWarning 18
BatterySafety 19
Cleaning the Instrument 20
CleaningtheMicrophoneSoundInlets 20
Cleaning the Receiver Dome and Tube 21
Cleaning the Earmould 22
Changing the Dome 23
EarwaxManagement 25
When the Hearing System Is Not in Use 25
Things that Can Damage
Your Hearing System 26
Moisture 26
Temperature Extremes 26
Rough Treatment 27
Corrosive Substances 27
GeneralWarnings 28
Solving Small Problems 30
General Precautions 34
Hearing Instrument Identification 35
Repairs 36
Technical Specifications 36
Notes 37

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Memory
Selector
Microphone 1
(Sound Inlet)
Volume Control
Battery Compartment and On/Off switch
AVIO 1 Receiver In-the-Ear (RIE)
Receiver Tube
(Tube)
Microphone 2
(Sound Inlet)
Receiver
(Sound Outlet))
Dome
Earmould
Manufacturer
Serial Number
Model
INTERTON A16 0 - D
XXXXXXXX
Battery Door and
On/Off switch

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On/Off Function
The door to the battery compartment serves as the
On/Off switch for your hearing instrument. When the
door is fully closed, the instrument is on. To turn the
instrument off, press the tab on the base of the
instrument with your fingertip until the battery door
snaps partly open, then put your fingernail under the
nail grip and pull gently to open it completely.
Tip: To reduce battery consumption,
turn the instrument off when it is not in use.
Stand-By Mode
Stand-by mode reduces battery consumption since only
a small amount of power is used. When in stand-by mode, the hearing instrument will
not deliver sound to the ear.
IfyourhearinginstrumenthasaMemorySelector,youcanputtheinstrumentintostand-
bymodebyholdingdowntheMemorySelectorforveseconds.Youwillhearaseries
of beeps, indicating that the instrument is now in stand-by mode.
Toreturntofunctionalmode,simplypresstheMemorySelectoronce.
Volume Control
Yourhearingsystemis equippedwith a toggle volumecontrol.
Simply press the toggle up to increase the volume, or down to
decrease the volume.
For each volume step, you will hear a beep signal indicating the
change. The loudness of the beeps will increase as you turn
the volume up and decrease as you turn it down. If you reach
the upper or lower limit of the volume control range, there will
be a different type of beep signal with a lower pitch.
volume control

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Changing Memory Programs
Hearing instrument memories are used to store settings optimal
in different listening situations. Your hearing healthcare professio-
nal may have programmed multiple memories into your hearing
instruments to accommodate your lifestyle needs.
For future reference, ask your hearing health professional to fill in
your memory program information on the notes page at the back
of this guide.
Wheneverthehearinginstrumentisturnedon,Memory1isautomaticallyactivated.Me-
moriescanthenbeselectedbypushingtheMemorySelectorbuttonontheinstrument.
Your hearing instrument may have up to 3 programs.
Special tones will indicate which memory has been activated. One tone will sound when
Memory1isactivated,twotoneswillsoundwhenMemory2isactivated,etc.Memories
arealwaysactivatedinsequence,forexample,withthreememories:1to2,2to3,3to4,
4 to 1.
Consult your hearing healthcare professional if the memory programs in your hearing
instruments need to be reconfigured.
memory selector
Dual microphone system
If you want to listen to a person in a noisy environment, the microphones in your hearing
instrument can help you to concentrate on the speech. If the microphones are in the di-
rectional mode the background noise will be attenuated. In this mode the sounds in front
of you will be enhanced, so you can hear better the speech of the person you look at.
Yourhearingcarepractitionercanprogramthedeviceintherequiredmodes.
Depending on your hearing instrument and the setting chosen by you and your hearing
care practitioner switching to and from directional mode can be done automatically.

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Proper Placement in the Ear
Inserting the Receiver Dome and RIE Instrument:
• Withthebatterydooropen(theoffposition),holdyourhearinginstrumentbythe
tube, right where it bends.
• Hangtheinstrumentoverthetopofyourearsothatthehousingportionisbehind
your ear and the dome is in front.
• Pushthereceiverdomeintoyourearuntilitsitscomfortablyandthetubeliesat
against the side of your head. Note: When the receiver dome is placed correctly,
you should not see the tube sticking out when looking directly into a mirror.
• Ifyouhavenotalreadyturnedonyourhearinginstrument,switchitonbyclosing
the battery door.
If you need further help, your hearing healthcare professional will be glad to show you
how to insert your hearing instrument correctly.
Note: If your hearing instrument irritates your ear in any way and prevents you from
wearing your hearing instrument, please contact your hearing healthcare professional.
Never attempt to modify the shape of your hearing instrument yourself.

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Inserting the Standard Earmould and RIE Instrument:
• Withthebatterydoorhalfopen(Offposition),putyourear-
mould between your thumb and index finger and position
its “point” in your ear canal. Now, slide the earmould all
the way into your ear with a gentle, twisting movement.
• Place the hearing instrument behind your ear. Move the
earmould up and down and press gently to ensure it is
positioned correctly in the ear. You will feel when the ear-
mould is positioned correctly.
• Switchonyourhearingaid.
Tip: Insertion of the earmould can be easier if you gently pull
your ear backward with your other hand. Opening and closing
your mouth while inserting may also be helpful.
Removal
To remove the hearing instrument from your ear, simply pull the tube outward with
your thumb and forefinger. Consult your hearing healthcare professional if you have
difficulty removing the hearing instrument.

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Using the Telephone While Wearing your Hearing System
Close proximity to a telephone can sometimes cause hearing in-
strumentstomakeasquealingsound,alsoknownasfeedback.
Toreducethepotentialforthisproblem,yoursystemisequipped
with feedback suppression, which greatly reduces the chance of
feedback. Further measures to avoid feedback include position-
ing the phone close to the hearing instrument, but not directly on
the instrument. If there is feedback, it may take a few seconds for
theinstrument’ssignalprocessingtoadapt.Thistechniquemay
requirepractice.
The Telecoil Feature
Your hearing system has a built-in telecoil, and your hearing healthcare professional may
have programmed one of your listening programs to take advantage of it. When a telecoil
is activated, the hearing instrument will only detect and process sounds coming from the
telephone.
To activate the telecoil you will need to use the memory selector to activate the appro-
priate memory.
To use the telephone while the telecoil is activated, position the telephone near, but not
directly on the instrument. You may need to re-position to find the best reception.
Cellular Phone and Hearing Instrument Compatibility
Hearing instrument performance with cellular phones may vary based on the individual
hearing system or the cell phone being used. If your hearing system and cell phone are
not compatible you may experience a buzzing or clicking noise while using the two in
conjunction. If this is the case with your current hearing system and cell phone, consult
with your hearing healthcare professional to see if there are options to improve the sound
quality.
Measures you can take to prevent this situation:
• When purchasing a hearing system, be sure to test it with your existing phone to
determine compatibility.
• When shopping for a new cell phone, be sure to test it with your hearing system
before purchasing.
For additional guidance, please consult your cell phone provider.

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Using Assistive Listening (Tele-Loop) Systems
Manygatheringplaces areequipped withassistivelistening(tele-loop)systems,for
example, in schools, theaters and houses of worship. To take advantage of a tele-loop
system, select the telecoil program. When the telecoil program has been selected,
you will be able to hear a clean sound signal via the tele-loop system. If the instru-
ment goes dead in the telecoil program, this may be because the loop system is not
operating.
If a school, theater or house of worship does not have a tele-loop system, try and sit
as close as possible to the front and use one of the microphone programs.
Removing/Inserting the Battery
Open the battery compartment completely by pressing the
tab on the base of the instrument with your fingertip until the
battery door snaps partly open, then put your fingernail under
the nail grip and pull gently to open it completely. Remove the
used battery from the battery compartment.
Tip: Hold the instrument over a table or a soft surface in case
the battery falls out.
Remove the film from a new battery and place the new bat-
teryintothebatterycompartment,matchingtheplus(+)sign
onatsideofthebatterytotheplussigninthebatterycompartment.Amagnifying
glass and good lighting may be helpful in seeing these small markings.
ThecorrectbatterysizeforyourRIEinstrumentsisa10A.Forfuturereference,enter
this information on the note page at the back of this guide.
Close the battery compartment tightly but do not use force - it should close very easily.
Your hearing system should now be on.

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Tip: Removing the battery when the instrument is not being worn will help prevent cor-
rosion of the battery contacts. Corrosion can decrease efficiency, causing excessive
battery consumption.
Note:Aweakbatterywillcausereducedsystemperformance.
Low Battery Warning
YourhearingsystemfeaturesaLowBatteryWarningfunctiontogiveyounoticewhen
your battery is getting low.
The instrument will signal when the battery power decreases to a certain level, and
will continue beeping until the instrument automatically switches off.
Tip: It is helpful to keep spare batteries with you in case you need them.
Battery Safety
• Disposeofusedbatteriesproperly.
• Keepbatteriesoutofreachofchildrenorpersonswithdiminishedmentalcapacity.
• Keepbatteriesawayfrompets.
• Donotplacebatteriesinyourmouth.Ifabatteryhasbeenswallowed,
consult a physician immediately.
To prevent batteries from leaking or exploding:
• Donotexposebatteriestotemperatureextremes.
• Donotdisposeofbatteriesinre.
• Donotattempttorechargebatterieswhicharenotspecicallydesignated
rechargeable, or reverse a battery’s polarity.

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Cleaning the Instrument
The surfaces of your instruments should be cleaned after
every use. Use a soft cloth to remove dirt, dust, earwax and
residuefromcosmeticsorcolognes.Keepingtheinstruments
as clean as possible will help avoid costly repairs.
Only use cleaning products recommended by your hearing
healthcare professional. Please refer to “Things that Can Da-
mage Your Hearing System” for more information.
Cleaning the Microphone Sound Inlets
Refer to the diagrams on page 4 to locate the
sound inlets on the hearing instrument.
Keepingthesoundinletscleanwillallowthemicrophonestofunctionproperly.Use
the soft brush provided with your hearing instruments to remove dust or other debris
from the sound inlets.
Cleaning the Receiver Dome and Tube
If you have a receiver dome and tube, they should be cleaned
regularly.
Use a damp cloth to clean the receiver dome and tube on the
outsides. If you notice excessive earwax build-up, please con-
tact your hearing healthcare professional. Improper cleaning
may result in damage to your hearing instrument.
Do not submerge or rinse the receiver dome and tube with wa-
ter, as this would be harmful to the instrument’s electronics.
Please contact your hearing healthcare professional to change the tube if it becomes
stiff or brittle.
Note:Yourhearinginstrumentshavebeenequippedwithlters.Formoreinformation,
pleaserefertothe“EarwaxManagement”section.

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Cleaning the Earmould (if applicable)
First, remove the earmould from the receiver unit. Use luke-
warmwatertocleantheearwaxofftheearmould(Neverclean
thereceiverunitwithwater!)Ifearwaxisstuckinthesound
canal of the earmould, the cleaning loop or a syringe with luke-
warm water can easily be used to “push” the earwax out.
Besuretothoroughlydrytheearmouldbeforereconnectingit
tothehearingaid.Blowgentlythroughittoremovemoisture
trapped inside.
The receiver unit should be changed by your hearing healthcare professional if the
tube becomes stiff or brittle.
Note:Yourhearinginstrumentshavebeenequippedwithlters.Formoreinformation,
pleaserefertothe“EarwaxManagement”section.
Changing the Dome
We recommend that you have your hearing healthcare professional change the dome
for you if it becomes stiff or brittle. If he or she instructs you to change the dome
yourself, make sure that it is securely fastened to the receiver before inserting it into
yourear.Afailuretochangethedomeinaccordancewiththeinstructionsthatfollow
could result in injury.
How to Mount a Dome (Open Dome or Tulip-Dome)
Adomeismountedbypushingitovertheendofthereceiver
tube. Be sure to push the dome down onto the receiver as
much as possible to ensure that it stays on the receiver.
Note: If you experience difficulties with mounting of
the Dome, consult your hearing healthcare professional.

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Preparing a Tulip-Dome for Insertion
The Tulip-Dome must be correctly configured before insertion. The Tulip-Dome con-
sists of two “leaves” and it is important that the largest “leaf” is the outermost “leaf”
(gure3).
This can easily be done by pushing the “leaves” away from the Tube with your finger
(gure1).Thiswillmakethelarge“leaf”bendforward.Thenyoupushitbackandit
willbeplacedontopofthesmaller“leaf”(gure2).NowtheTulip-Domeisreadyfor
insertion(gure3).
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3
Earwax Management
Hearing systems are susceptible to damage or poor performance from earwax. If
appropriate, your hearing health professional will have selected and installed an ear-
wax management system on your instruments.
You will need to discuss with your hearing healthcare professional how to use the
particular earwax management system selected. For future reference, enter this infor-
mation on the service page at the back of this guide.
Note: If the hearing system seems to have lost power because it is not loud enough
and changing the batteries does not help, the filters may be blocked and need to be
changed.
When the Hearing System Is Not in Use
To protect your hearing system when it is not in use, always store it inside its carrying
case. When storing the hearing system for a prolonged period of time, remove the
battery to prevent damage from corrosion.

26 27
Things that Can Damage Your Hearing System
Keep in mind that some of your day-to-day routines require that you remove your
hearing system.
Moisture
Avoidgetting moistureinthehearingsystem.Itshouldnotbe wornintheshower,
bath,orsauna.Donotsubmergetheinstrumentinwaterorotherliquids.
If perspiration or humidity is an issue, you may find it beneficial to use a drying kit
specially designed for hearing systems. To prevent damage, only use drying kits that
are approved by your hearing healthcare professional.
Temperature Extremes
Do not expose your hearing system to extremes of heat.
Some typical situations to avoid:
• Donotwearyourhearingsystemwhenusingahairdryer.
• Donotleaveyourhearingsysteminyourcarorindirectsunlight.
• Donotattempttodryyourhearingsysteminanydeviceotherthananapproved
drying kit.
Rough Treatment
Protect your hearing system from rough treatment by storing it in the provided carrying
case when it is not in use.
Corrosive Substances
• Non-Approved Cleaning Solutions - If you use cleaning products, only use those
recommended by your hearing healthcare professional, as housing can be damaged
by certain cleaning agents such as mineral acids, hydrocarbons (benzol), esters,
alcohols and ketones.
• Debrisfrom Daily HygieneRoutines - It issuggested you not wear your hearing
system while applying the following: hairspray, cosmetics, colognes, perfumes,
sunscreens, insect repellent, etc.

28 29
General Warnings
Hearing instruments can be dangerous if improperly used.
• Donotleaveyourinstrumentinthesun,nearanopenreorinahot,parkedcar.
• Do not wear your instrument while showering, swimming, in heavy rain or in a
moist atmosphere such as steam bath or sauna.
• Should your instrument become moist, put it in a dessicator. Your hearing care
professional will be happy to counsel on this.
• Removeyourinstrumentwhenapplyingcosmetics,e.g.perfume,aftershave,hair
spray, suntan lotion.
• Instrumentsshouldbeusedonlyasprescribedbyyourhearingcareprofessional.
Incorrect use may result in sudden and permanent hearing loss.
• Donotallowotherstouseyourinstrument.Itmaycausepermanentdamage.
• Instrumentusagebychildrenormentallychallengedpersonsshouldbesupervised
at any time.
• DonottakeyourinstrumentintoroomswhereyoureceivetreatmentwithX-raysor
MRI.
• Wearing an instrument might cause an increased production of earwax. In rare
cases, the anti-allergenic materials may cause skin irritation. If so, or if in doubt,
consult your physician or ENT.

30 31
Feedback,
’whistling’
No sound
•IstheDomeortheEarmouldinsertedcorrectly?
•Isthevolumeveryloud?
•Areyouholdingyourhandoranobject(e.g.ahat)too
 closetoaninstrument?
•Isyouearfullofwax?
•Istheinstrumentswitchedon?
•Istheinstrumentswitchedonthetelecoilprogram?
•Isthereabatteryintheinstrument?
•Isthebatterystillgood?
•Isyouearfullofwax?
SYMPTOM CAUSE POSSIBLE REMEDY
Solving small problems
Your Interton instrument is a reliable one. In case of minor problems or malfunctions, you may be able to solve them yourself.
• Putitinagain
• Reduceit
• Moveyourhandawayorcreatesomemorespacebetween
the instrument and the object
• Visityourphysician
• Switchiton
• Switchittothemicrophoneprogram
• Insertabattery
• Replaceitwithanewone
• Visityourphysician

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Sound is distorted,
spluttering or weak
Battery drains
very quickly
•Isthebatterydead?
•Isthebatterydirty?
•Didyourinstrumentgetmoist?
•Didyouleaveyourhearinginstrument
 switchedonatnight?
•Isthebatteryold?
SYMPTOM CAUSE POSSIBLE REMEDY
• Replaceitwithanewone
• Cleanitoruseanewone
• Useadissecator
• Alwaysswitchofftheinstrumentatnight
• Checkthedateonthebatterypackaging

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General Precautions
• Consultaphysicianifyoundaforeignobjectinyourearcanal,ifyouexperienceskin
irritation or if excessive ear wax accumulates with the use of the instrument.
• Differenttypesofradiation,e.g.fromNMRorCTscanners,maydamagetheinstru-
ment. Therefore, do not wear the instrument during these or other corresponding
scanning procedures. Other types of radiation (burglary alarms, room surveillance
systems,radioequipment,mobiletelephones,etc)willnotdamagetheinstrument.
Theycould,however,momentarilyaffectthesoundqualityorcreatestrangesounds
from the instruments.
• Warning:Donotweartheinstrumentinminesorotherexplosiveareas,unlessthose
areas are certified for hearing instrument use.
• Keeptheinstrumentawayfromchildrenundertheageof3asitcontainssmallparts
which may present a choking hazard.
Hearing instrument identification
Your hearing care professional place a check mark in the below table to identify the
model you have received.
Model received Type Hearing care professional
 A160-D RIE
 A160-DOpen RIE
 A160-DHPG RIE
Serial number Right:
SerialnumberLeft:

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Repairs
If your Interton hearing instrument malfunctions, it must be repaired by a qualied
technician. Do not attempt to open the case of the hearing instrument since this would
invalidatethewarranty.IfyourIntertonhearinginstrumentrequiresservice,pleasecon-
tact your hearing care professional for assistance.
Technical Specifications
Max.OutputdBSPLaccordingtoIEC-118-7
 A160-D(RIE) 116dBSPL
 A160-DOpen(RIEOpen) 114dBSPL
 A160-DHPG(RIEPower) 120dBSPL
Notes:

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Notes: Notes: