Widex Bravissimo Series User manual

User’s instructions
The Bravissimo Series
BV-18
Behind-the-ear

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Contents
YournewBravissimoBV-18........................................... 4
A world of new sounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Havingsomethinginyourear .................................... 6
Practicemakesperfect............................................ 7
The road to better hearing and a more active everyday life. . . . . . . . 7
Helptohelpyourself ............................................. 8
BravissimoBV-18....................................................10
Thebattery .........................................................11
Batterytype.....................................................11
Insertingthebattery.............................................11
Changingthebattery............................................13
Turning the hearing aid onandoff ..................................15
Left/rightidentification..............................................16
Placing Bravissimo BV-18 on/in the ear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
RemovingBravissimoBV-18.........................................19
Automaticadjustmentofloudness..................................20
Finetuningloudness................................................21
Listeningprograms .................................................22
Listeningprograms: .............................................22
Switching between the listening programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
KeepingBravissimoBV-18clean.....................................25
Cleaningaccessories.............................................25
Thehearingaid..................................................26
Theearmould...................................................27
Caringforyourhearingaid..........................................29
Goodadvice........................................................31
Accessories.........................................................33
Incaseofmalfunction...............................................36
Your hearing aid, earmould and accessories may not look
exactly the same as in these user’s instructions. We fur-
thermore reserve the right to make any changes consid-
ered necessary.
Hearing aids and their accessories should
not be disposed of with normal household
waste. Please consult your national Widex
distributor for advice on how to dispose of
your hearing aid.

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Your new Bravissimo BV-18
We hope you will be pleased with your new Widex hear-
ing aid. We have included these user’s instructions to in-
form you about the various aspects associated with wear-
ing hearing aids. The instructions are made up of two
parts: The first part is an introduction to life as a hearing
aid user, how to get used to new sounds, etc. The second
part contains facts about your hearing aid. How to ope-
rate and maintain it and what you can do if you experi-
ence problems. Both parts are equally important, so we
recommend that you read the entire booklet to get full
satisfaction from the quality and performance we have
built into your new Bravissimo BV-18 hearing aid.
A world of new sounds
Becoming a hearing aid user can be an exciting chal-
lenge. Your hearing aid does not restore normal hearing,
but it brings back sounds that you may not have heard or
thought about for years - everyday sounds such as a tick-
ing clock, dripping water, the television, the car, footsteps
on hard floors, children’s voices, music, doors banging,
laughter, tools, machinery, etc. All these sounds can be a
bit overwhelming. Try to identify and localise the sounds
you are not accustomed to hearing. Once you become
used to hearing these everyday sounds again, they will
become a part of your active world of sounds.

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Having something in your ear
Your ears need to become accustomed to your new hear-
ing aids. If you are wearing a hearing aid for the first time,
you also have to become used to having something in
your ear. It is not uncommon to feel a sensation of pres-
sure in the ear for the first few days and your ear canal
may feel warm and a bit sore. But if wearing the hearing
aid causes you outright discomfort, you should consult
your hearing healthcare professional.
Practice makes perfect
It is a good idea to start slowly and wear your hearing
aids for just short intermittent periods of time, for exam-
ple one or two hours, and first try them in situations with
few people and not too much noise. Gradually you can
use them for longer periods of time and in noisier envi-
ronments. It is important that you allow yourself the time
needed to become used to the new sounds and the new
sensation in your ears.
The road to better hearing and a more active
everyday life
Your hearing aids may help you regain the pleasure of
communicating with other people and increase your
quality of life. So, although it may feel like a big challenge
in the beginning, it will be worth the effort.

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Help to help yourself
Most modern hearing aids are designed with a multitude
of options, settings and features to benefit most hearing
aid users. Your Bravissimo BV-18 hearing aid is set individ-
ually to your hearing loss and hearing to ensure the best
and most comfortable sound reproduction.
After a period of use, your hearing aid may have to be fine
tuned by your hearing healthcare professional. Maybe
you have discovered new needs or maybe there are situ-
ations where the loudness level or sound reproduction is
not satisfactory. The more details you can provide for your
hearing healthcare professional about your initial experi-
ence with the hearing aids, the easier it is to find the right
solution. Before your next consultation with your hearing
healthcare professional, it is important that you notice
how your new hearing aids feel.
Make a note of the situations where you are not satisfied
and why. Is the problem related to low frequency, high
frequency, weak or loud sounds? Is it all the time or only
in specific situations? Try to describe your experiences as
detailed as possible so that you and your hearing health-
care professional have something to go on when you
meet again.

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Bravissimo BV-18
1. Microphone opening, where the sound enters the
hearing aid.
2. Volume control, which makes it possible to fine tune
the automatically adjusted loudness.
3. Program button, which allows you to choose
between different listening programs.
4. On/off switch.
5. Battery drawer with a nail grip for easy opening.
6. Earhook – non-detachable.
7. Plastic tubing.
8. Earmould.
9. Sound canal.
10. Relief vent.
The battery
Battery type
The recommended battery type for Bravissimo BV-18 is:
Zinc Air battery type 13
For acquisition of batteries, consult your hearing health-
care professional. Please note the expiry date and the rec-
ommendations regarding disposal of used batteries on
the battery pack. To ensure proper battery function, do
not use batteries past the expiry date. Because they are
Zinc Air type batteries, they need air to work. Therefore,
do not remove the adhesive tab until just before insert-
ing the battery in the hearing aid. Once the tab has been
removed, the battery will start functioning after a few sec-
onds. The lifetime of the battery depends on a number of
factors, such as the setting of your hearing aid, how many
hours you use it daily and the listening environments in
which you use it.
Inserting the battery
Before inserting a new battery in your
hearing aid, remember to remove the
adhesive tab. Do not use batteries on
which there is a sticky residue from the
tab or other unwanted substance.

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Push the nail grip downwards to
swing open the battery drawer. The
nail grip is located on the opposite
side of the on/off switch at the bot-
tom of the hearing aid.
The plus (+) sign of the battery must face upwards. If the
battery drawer does not close easily, the battery is incor-
rectly inserted.
Changing the battery
If you hear four rapid beep-tones while wearing your
hearing aid, it is an indication that the battery is nearly ex-
hausted. Once the battery is totally exhausted, the hear-
ing aid will be completely silent. Exactly how long the
hearing aid will function after the beep-tones varies from
one case to another. We recommend that you always
have a spare battery with you.
Never leave an exhausted battery in the hearing aid. Ex-
hausted batteries may leak, which could damage the
hearing aid. When changing batteries, it is a good idea to
hold the hearing aid over a table or a carpet, in case you
drop the hearing aid or battery.

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The hearing aid can be provided with
a battery drawer lock, if required. This
is a particularly good idea if the hear-
ing aid is worn by a child. A special
tool for opening the lock will be in-
cluded when ordering the lock (see
the drawing).
You open the lock by pushing
it to the right and then down-
ward with the tool in one
movement as illustrated.
Turning the hearing aid on and off
The battery drawer is placed at
the bottom of the hearing aid.
The battery drawer also functions
as the on/off switch.
The hearing aid is turned on
when the switch is pushed up-
wards, and off when the switch is
pushed downwards.
The word“OFF”is clearly visible on
the switch when the aid is turned
off.
Please remember to switch the
hearing aid off when it is not in
use. Remove the battery if the
hearing aid will not be used for
several days.

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Left/right identification
If you wear hearing aids on both
ears, your hearing healthcare
professional can put coloured
marks on your hearing aids so
you can easily see which is for
the left ear and which is for the
right ear (red mark = right and
blue mark = left).
Placing Bravissimo BV-18
on/in the ear
Insert a battery in your hearing aid. We recommend that
you turn off the hearing aid before placing it on the ear.
First insert the earmould in the ear canal while holding the
lower part of the tubing. It may also help to pull the outer
ear backwards and upwards with the opposite hand.

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Once the earmould has been inserted, you place the hear-
ing aid behind the ear, so that the hook rests comfortably
on the ear, close to your head. When the hearing aid is in
its correct position, turn on the hearing aid.
Removing Bravissimo BV-18
First remove the hearing aid from its position behind the
ear. Carefully pull the earmould out of the ear canal, while
holding the lower part of the tubing. If it is difficult, it may
help to try to move the earmould carefully from side to
side while pulling it out. It may also help to pull the outer
ear backwards and upwards with the opposite hand.

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Automatic adjustment of loudness
Bravissimo BV-18 adjusts loudness automatically in ac-
cordance with your sound environment. Several thou-
sand times per second, Bravissimo BV-18 analyses the sur-
roundings and tailors its sound accordingly. With Bravis-
simo BV-18 you do not have to think about adjusting the
volume – it happens quite automatically.
Important: If the volume in your hearing aid is too loud
or too weak, or if the reproduced sounds are distorted, or
you would like any further information, consult your hear-
ing healthcare professional.
Fine tuning loudness
Your hearing aid may be provid-
ed with a volume control, shaped
like a small lever. Push the lever
upwards to raise the automati-
cally set volume. Push the lever
downwards to lower the volume.
Use short touches for minor cor-
rections of the volume. Faster ad-
justments are obtained by keep-
ing the lever pressed for some
seconds.
When you raise the volume, you will hear a beep-tone for
each step the volume is raised. When you lower the vol-
ume, you will hear a deeper beep-tone for each step the
volume is lowered. When the maximum or minimum ad-
justment level is reached, a steady tone will sound until
you release the lever.
Any adjustment of the automatic volume setting will be
cancelled when your hearing aid is turned off.

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Listening programs
Your Bravissimo BV-18 behind-the-ear hearing aid may be
equipped with a number of listening programs optimised
for different listening situations. Your hearing healthcare
professional can help you select the programs that are
of use to you and make them available on the hearing
aid program button. If your needs change over time, the
combination of listening programs can be changed. In
these user’s instructions, the hearing healthcare profes-
sional can list the listening programs that are available in
your hearing aid (see page 25).
Listening programs:
M: (microphone). This is the standard program, which
means it is the listening program for ordinary listening sit-
uations.
T: (telecoil). This listening program can only be used
where a loop system or specially adapted telephone is
installed. By selecting this program you can listen to the
sound source and shut out surrounding sounds.
M+T. This listening program is a combination of the M
(microphone) and T(telecoil) programs. If you activate
“M+T”, you can listen to the source of sound and still hear
the surrounding sounds.
Switching between the
listening programs
You switch between the pro-
grams by using the program
button on the back of the
hearing aid.
To switch between programs
1 and 2, press the button
briefly once (approx. 1 second). To switch from program
1 to program 3 you also press the button once, but for a
longer time (approx. 3 seconds).
If your Bravissimo hearing aid is set to program 3 and you
press the program button, the hearing aid will always
switch to program 1 (whether you give it a short or long
press).
Each time you switch to another program, you will hear
beep-tones. They tell you which program you have cho-
sen; one brief beep-tone for program 1, one brief deeper
beep-tone for program 2 and two brief beeps for program
3. The number of different beeps depends on how many
programs you – together with your hearing healthcare
professional - have chosen to have in your hearing aid.

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If you – in consultation with your hearing healthcare pro-
fessional – decide on other combinations of programs lat-
er, these can be written on the blank form found at the
back of these instructions.
Listening program form
Program Chosen
programs:
Application:
1.
2.
3.
Keeping Bravissimo BV-18 clean
Cleaning accessories
The following accessories are available for your hearing aid:
1. Battery magnet to facilitate insertion of the battery
into the battery drawer.
2. Wax removing tool for cleaning the relief vent
opening.
3. Soft cloth for drying and cleaning the hearing aid.
Contact your hearing healthcare professional if you need
additional supplies of accessories.
1.
2.
3.

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The hearing aid
Never wash your hearing aid
with water, cleaning solutions
or other liquids. Instead, clean
your hearing aid with a dry
soft cloth after use.
When the hearing aid is not in
use, it is a good idea to leave the battery drawer open, so
as to ventilate the hearing aid and allow it to dry.
The earmould
Make sure that your ear-
mould is clean and free of
earwax and moisture. If it is
plugged, clear the opening
with a wax removing tool.
Disconnect the plastic tubing from
the hook of the hearing aid at least
once a week and wash the ear-
mould in lukewarm water. Rinse the
earmould thoroughly and allow it
to dry overnight.

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If there is still moisture in
the earmould the next time
you want to use the hearing
aid, use a small blower or
the like to blow it dry. Nev-
er use alcohol or other cleaning solutions to clean your
earmould.
If your earmould tubing becomes slack, stiff, yellow or
cracked, replace the tubing. Consult with your hearing
healthcare professional.
Caring for your hearing aid
With proper care, your hearing aid will give you years of
reliable service. Here are some things you can do to pro-
long the life of your hearing aid:
• Switch your hearing aid off when it is not in use. Should
you not use it for several days, take out the battery to
avoid battery leakage.
• Treat your hearing aid as the valuable object it is: with
care. When your hearing aid is not in use, keep it in its
case in a cool, dry location where it cannot be reached
by children or pets.
• When not in use, do not expose your hearing aid to ex-
treme temperatures or high humidity.
• In environments with high humidity, a Widex drying kit
may be used daily to reduce the amount of moisture
inside the hearing aid. See the instructions enclosed
with the Widex drying kit.
• Do not wear your hearing aid in the shower or swim-
ming, or when using a hair dryer, hair spray, or other
sprays.

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• Never try to open or repair the hearing aid yourself.
• Do not wear your hearing aid during x-ray, MR scans,
CT scans, short-wave diathermy, or similar radiation
treatments and never place your hearing aid in a mi-
crowave oven. These are some of the types of radia-
tion that can damage your hearing aid. Radiation from,
for example, room surveillance equipment, burglar
alarms, and cellular telephones is weaker and will not
damage your hearing aid.
• Widex hearing aids are not certified for use in mines or
other areas with explosive gases.
Good advice
• The use of hearing aids increases the risk of accumu-
lation of earwax. Contact your ENT doctor/physician if
you suspect that a plug of earwax has accumulated in
your ear. Earwax may not only reduce your own hear-
ing but also the effect of the hearing aid considerably.
It is a good idea to ask your physician to clean your ears
a couple of times a year.
• Please be sure to keep your hearing aid and its acces-
sories out of the reach of children, who might place
them in their mouths. Also keep batteries out of chil-
dren’s reach and discard used batteries carefully. Do
not change batteries in front of children and do not let
them see where you keep your supply.
• Never put a battery in your mouth for any reason as
you may risk swallowing it. In case of ingestion, con-
tact your physician immediately.
• The hearing aid is made of modern non-allergenic ma-
terials. Still, in rare cases skin irritation can occur. If you
notice skin irritation in or around your ear or ear canal,
contact the hearing healthcare professional where you
received your hearing aid.

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• Please be aware that the use of any type of hearing
aid/earmould may involve a slightly increased risk of
infection in the ear canal. An infection can arise as a re-
sult of inadequate ventilation of the ear. Therefore, we
recommend that you take out your hearing aid/ear-
mould at night to allow the ear canal to be ventilat-
ed. Make sure that you clean and inspect your hearing
aid/earmould as required. If an infection occurs, you
should disinfect your hearing aid/earmould and seek
medical advice. Contact your hearing healthcare pro-
fessional for further advice on methods of disinfection.
Do not use alcohol, chlorine or similar substances to
clean your hearing aid/earmould.
Accessories
Audio input
Your Bravissimo BV-18 hearing aid
can be furnished with an audio shoe.
This allows direct connection to dif-
ferent kinds of accessories (radio, TV,
FM systems, CROS and BiCROS).
If you set the program but-
ton to the M position, you
will hear both the sound
from the external audio
equipment and the sound
from the hearing aid mi-
crophone.
If the program button is
set to T, only sounds from the telecoil will be heard. If the
program button is set to MT, signals from the microphone,
telecoil and external audio equipment will be heard.

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Important: If the hearing aid is connected to equipment
which is connected to the electrical mains, this equip-
ment must meet the safety requirements stated in the in-
ternational standard IEC 60065.
Do not connect the hearing aid to sockets that are la-
belled with one or more of the following symbols:
For more information on the use of audio input consult
your hearing healthcare professional.
FM systems
The FM system from Widex can be
used as an accessory to Bravissimo
BV-18. The FM system makes it easier
to understand speech in difficult lis-
tening situations.
The system consists of a small radio
transmitter placed near the speaker and a small radio
receiver clicked onto Bravissimo BV-18 via an audio/FM
shoe. The operating range is approx. 15 metres depend-
ing on the surroundings. As the system is wireless, both
the listener and the speaker have full freedom of move-
ment within the specified range.
For more information on the FM system from Widex,
please consult your hearing healthcare professional.

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In case of malfunction
The following pages include some quick advice to follow
if you experience problems. Before contacting your hear-
ing healthcare professional, please follow the advice be-
low:
If the hearing aid is dead, it could be because:
• The instrument is not turned on. Make sure the battery
drawer, which functions as the on/off switch, is pushed
all the way upwards and that the word “OFF” is not vis-
ible on the switch.
• The battery is dead or does not work. Insert a new bat-
tery. Make sure the battery is placed correctly and that
the battery drawer is closed correctly.
• The sound outlet of the earmould is blocked. Blockage of
the sound outlet of an earmould is often caused by
earwax. Clean the blocked sound outlet.
If the hearing aid volume is not powerful enough, it
could be because:
• The battery is nearly exhausted. Insert a new battery.
Make sure the battery is placed correctly and that the
battery drawer is closed correctly.
• The sound outlet of the earmould is blocked. Blockage of
the sound outlet of an earmould is often caused by
earwax. Clean the blocked sound outlet.
• Your ear is blocked by earwax. Contact your ENT doctor/
physician.
• Your hearing may have changed. Contact your hearing
healthcare professional.

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If the hearing aid whistles continuously, it could be
because:
• Your ear is blocked by earwax. You should contact your
ENT doctor/physician.
• The tubing is broken. Replace the tubing.
• The tubing is yellow and stiff. Replace the tubing.
• The tubing often comes off the earmould or hearing aid
hook. Replace the tubing.
• The hook or elbow is cracked. Contact your hearing
healthcare professional.
• The earmould is not correctly placed in your ear canal.
Take the earmould out and reinsert it. It is important
that the earmould is placed correctly in your ear ca-
nal.
• The earmould fit is too loose. Contact your hearing
healthcare professional.
If the hearing aid performs intermittently, it could be
because:
• The on/off switch is dirty. Push the switch back and forth
a couple of times.
Listening program form
Program Chosen
programs:
Application:
1.
2.
3.