Widex BV-38 User Manual

USER INSTRUCTIONS

THE BRAVISSIMO™SERIES

BV-38 model

Behind-the-ear

YOUR WIDEX BRAVISSIMO™
HEARING AID

(To be filled out by the hearing care professional)

Date: ______________________________________

Battery size: 675

Programs:

M (microphone)

T (telecoil)

M+T (microphone + telecoil)

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CONTENTS

DESCRIPTIONOFTHEHEARINGAID ................

Rightleftidentification ............................

Thebattery.......................................

Insertingthebattery.............................

Lowbatteryindication ..........................

Turningthehearingaidonandoff..................

Positioningthehearingaid ........................

Removingthehearingaid.........................

Volumeadjustment...............................

Listeningprograms...............................

Switchingbetweenthelisteningprograms ........

Usingatelephone ................................

CLEANING...................................... 

Thehearingaid ..................................

ACCESSORIES...................................

INCASEOFMALFUNCTION .......................

CARINGFORYOURHEARINGAID.................. 

WARNINGS.....................................

ADVICE ........................................

SYMBOLS.......................................

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DESCRIPTION OF THE HEARING AID

Your hearing aid is used with an ear-set which consists
of a tube and an earmould.

The illustration below shows the hearing aid without
the ear-set. The choice of ear-set solution depends on
your specific needs. Please refer to the separate ear-set
user manual.

1: Microphone opening
2: Volume control
3: Program switch
4: On/off switch
5: Battery drawer

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

If you need help to identify the serial number (usually six or seven
digits) on the product, please contact your hearing care profes­sional.

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WARNING

This hearing aid is capable of producing a sound pressure level
exceeding 132 dB SPL. There may be a risk of damaging your
residual hearing.

NOTE
In addition to these user instructions, a separate user manual is

provided describing the various ear-set solutions available for
your hearing aid: “Ear-sets for Widex BTE hearing aids”.

WARNING

This booklet and the manual “Ear-sets for Widex BTE hearing
aids” contain important information and instructions. Read
these booklets carefully before you start using the hearing aid.

NOTE
Your hearing aid, ear-set and accessories may not look exactly

as illustrated in this booklet. We also reserve the right to make
any changes considered necessary.

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Intended use

The hearing aids are intended as air conduction ampli­fication devices to be used in everyday listening envi­ronments.

Indications for use

The devices are indicated for individuals with a range
of hearing loss severity from moderate (40 dB HL) to
profound (120 dB HL) and all hearing loss configura­tions.

They are to be programmed by licensed hearing care
professionals (audiologists, hearing aid specialists, oto­laryngologists) who are trained in hearing (re)habilita­tion.

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Right/left identification

If you wear hearing aids on both ears, the right-ear
hearing aid can be provided with a red mark.

7

The battery

We recommend zinc-air batteries. Use a size 675 bat­tery for the hearing aid.

To obtain replacement batteries, please consult your
hearing care professional. It is important to take note
of the expiry date and the recommendations on the
battery pack regarding disposal of used batteries.
Otherwise there is a risk that the battery life may be re­duced.

Inserting the battery

Before inserting a new battery into the
hearing aid, remember to remove the ad­hesive tab. Once the tab has been removed,
the battery will start functioning after a few
seconds.

CAUTION

Do not use batteries if there is a sticky residue from the tab or
other unwanted substance, as this can cause the hearing aid to
malfunction.

8

Use the nail grip to gently swing the
battery drawer open.

Place the battery in the drawer, so
that the plus (+) sign on the battery
faces upward. You can use the bat­tery magnet provided to steer the
battery into place.

If the battery drawer does not close easily, the battery
is incorrectly inserted.

When changing battery, it is a good idea to hold the
hearing aid over a table.

9

Low battery indication

Beep tones will sound when the battery is nearly ex­hausted. If the battery drains suddenly there may how­ever be no warning. We recommend that you always
have a spare battery with you.

WARNING

Never leave an exhausted battery in the hearing aid. Exhausted

batteries may leak, damaging the hearing aid.

WARNING

Your hearing aid may stop functioning, for instance if the
battery is exhausted. You should be aware of this possibility, in
particular when you are in traffic or are otherwise dependent
on warning signals.

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Turning the hearing aid on and off

The battery drawer of the hear­ing aid also functions as the on/
off switch.

Push the switch upwards to turn
on the hearing aid.

Push the switch downwards to
turn off the hearing aid.

The word “OFF” is clearly visible
on the switch when the hearing
aid is turned off.

Please remember to turn off the hearing aid when it is
not in use. Remove the battery if the hearing aid will not
be used for several days.

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Positioning the hearing aid

Insert the earmould in the ear canal while holding the
lower part of the tube. It may help to pull the outer ear
backwards and upwards with the opposite hand.

Place the hearing aid behind the ear, so that the hear­ing aid and tube rest comfortably on the ear, close to
your head.

For further information on the earmould and proce­dures, see the separate ear-set user manual provided.

12

If the ear-set does not fit or sit properly, causing dis­comfort, irritation, redness or the like, contact your
hearing care professional.

13

Removing the hearing aid

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 tube.

14

Volume adjustment

The hearing aid volume is adjusted automatically in ac­cordance with your sound environment.

Your hearing aid may furthermore be provided with a
volume control, shaped like a small lever.

Push the lever upward to gradual­ly raise the volume.

Push the lever downwards to
gradually lower the volume.

Each time you operate the volume control, you will hear
a beep-tone. When the maximum or minimum adjust­ment level is reached, a steady tone will sound.

WARNING

If the volume in the hearing aid is generally too loud or too
weak, or the reproduced sounds are distorted, or if you would
like any further information, consult your hearing care profes­sional.

15

Listening programs

M All the automatic functions work to ensure

T In this program you listen via the telecoil (T)

M+T In this program you listen via the hearing aid

comfort in all listening situations

and not via the hearing aid microphones (M).
The telecoil is used where a loop system is
installed. If you activate the telecoil program,
you listen to a specific sound source and
shut out surrounding sounds.

microphones (M) and the telecoil (T).

If your needs change over time, the combination of lis­tening programs can be altered.

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Switching between the listening
programs

To change programs, use the
program switch.

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Using a telephone

When using a telephone, we rec­ommend that you hold the tele­phone against your head at an
angle above your ear, rather than
directly against the ear. If the
sound is not optimal, try mov­ing the telephone earpiece to a
slightly different position.

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CLEANING

The following cleaning accessories are available for the
hearing aid and ear-set. For cleaning the ear-set, see
the user manual “Ear-sets for Widex BTE hearing aids”.

1: Wax removing tool
2: Cloth

1.

2.

Contact your hearing care professional if you need ad­ditional supplies of cleaning accessories.

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The hearing aid

Clean the hearing aid with
the soft cloth after use.

WARNING

Never use water or cleaning solutions to clean the hearing aid,

as this may cause it to malfunction.

When the hearing aid is not in use,
keep it in a warm, dry place with the
battery drawer open, to ventilate the
hearing aid and allow it to dry.

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ACCESSORIES

T-DE X

A device for connecting hearing aids to mobile phones
using a telecoil.

Audio input

The hearing aid can be furnished with an audio shoe.
This allows direct connection to different kinds of ac­cessories, as well as external audio equipment (radio,
TV, etc.).

For more information on the use of audio input consult
your hearing care professional.

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WARNING

If the hearing aid is connected to equipment which is connected
to the electrical mains, this equipment must comply with IEC
60065, IEC 60950-1, IEC 60601-1 or equivalent safety stan­dards.
Do not connect the hearing aid to sockets that are labelled with
one or more of the following symbols:

22

FM systems

The Widex FM system, SCOLA, consists of a wireless
microphone and a receiver clicked onto the hearing aid
via an FM shoe.

The system can be set according to your needs.

For more information on the SCOLA FM system, consult
the SCOLA user manual.

For help in determining whether you could benefit from
a remote control or other accessories, please consult
your hearing care professional.

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IN CASE OF MALFUNCTION

Problem Possible cause Solution

The hearing
aid is com­pletely silent

The hearing
aid volume is
not powerful
enough

The hearing
aid whistles
continuously

The hearing
aid func tions
intermit tently

Note: This information covers only the hearing aid. See
the “Ear-sets for Widex BTE hearing aids” user manual
for information specific to your ear-set.

The hearing aid is
not turned on

The battery does not
work

The battery is nearly
exhausted

Your ear is blocked
by earwax

Your hearing may
have changed

The microphone
openings are
blocked or partially
blocked by dirt

Your ear is blocked
by earwax

The on/off switch is
dirty

Make sure the battery
drawer is pushed all the
way upwards

Insert a new battery in
the hearing aid

Insert a new battery in
the hearing aid

Contact your ENT doc­tor/physician

Contact your hearing
care professional

Contact your hearing
care professional for
advice

Contact your ENT doc­tor/physician

Push the switch back
and forth a couple of
times

If the problems persist, contact your hearing care pro­fessional for assistance.

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CARING FOR YOUR HEARING AID

The hearing aid is a valuable object and should be treat­ed with care. Here are some things you can do to pro­long the life of your hearing aid:

CAUTION

• Turn off your hearing aid when it is not in use. Remove the
battery if the hearing aid will not be used for several days.

• When the hearing aid is not in use, keep it in its case in a dry
location out of reach of children and pets.

• Do not expose the hearing aid to extreme temperatures or
high humidity. Make sure to dry the hearing aid thoroughly af­ter heavy perspiration such as that which may occur during in­tense physical activity, e.g. playing sports.

• Avoid dropping your hearing aid – perform cleaning and bat­tery changes while holding the hearing aid above a soft sur­face.

• Do not wear your hearing aid while in the shower or swim­ming, or when using a hair dryer, and avoid let ting the hearing
aid come into contact with sticky or greasy substances, such
as hair spray or sunscreen.

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WARNINGS

WARNING

Hearing aids and batteries can be dangerous if swal lowed or
used improperly. Swallowing or improper use can result in
severe injury or even fatalities. In case of ingestion, contact a
physician immediately.

• Keep hearing aids and their parts, accessories and batter­ies out of reach of children and anyone else who might swal­low such items or otherwise cause injury to themselves. Do
not change batteries in front of them and do not let them see
where you keep your battery supply. Discard used batteries
carefully.

• Batteries are very small and can easily be mistaken for pills or
the like. Never put a battery or hearing aid in your mouth for
any reason as you may risk swallowing it.

• Clean and inspect your hearing aid after use to check that it is
intact. If the hearing aid or the ear-set breaks while in the ear
canal, contact your hearing care professional immediately. Do
not try to remove the parts yourself.

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WARNING

• Risk of explosion if battery is replaced by an incorrect type

or recharged. Dispose of used batteries according to the in­structions.

• Never allow others to wear your hearing aid, as this could

cause permanent damage to their hear ing.

• When selecting a listening program, please remember that

there are situations in which it is particularly important to be
able to hear the surrounding sounds (e.g. traffic, warning sig­na ls).

• The hearing aid is made of modern non-allergenic materials.

Nonetheless, in rare cases skin irritation may occur. If you no­tice skin irritation in or around your ear or ear canal, contact
your hearing care professional.

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WARNING

• Please note that when using any type of hearing aid, you must
allow regular ventilation of the ear. If the ear is not adequate­ly ventilated, there may be a slightly increased risk of infection
or disease in the ear canal. We therefore recommend that you
remove the hearing aid and ear-set from your ear when you
go to bed, to allow the ear canal to be ventilated. If possible,
you should also remove your hearing aid and ear-set during
the day if there are any periods when you do not need them.
Make sure that you clean and inspect your hearing aid and
ear-set as required. If an ear infection or disease occurs, you
should seek medical attention and contact your hearing care
professional for advice on how to disinfect the various hearing
aid parts. Do not under any circumstances use alcohol, chlo­rine or similar substances for this purpose.

• Regular use of a de-humidifier is recommended to help avoid
malfunction of the hearing aid.

• Do not use Widex hearing aids in mines or other areas with
explosive gases.

• Do not wear your hearing aid during radiation, X-rays, MRIs,
CT or other medical treatments and scans. The emissions from
these procedures as well as from other types of radiation, such
as that in a microwave oven, can damage your hearing aid and
the hearing aid can become very hot. Radiation from, for ex­ample, room surveillance equipment, burglar alarms and mo­bile phones is weaker and will not damage the hearing aid, but
may create audible interference.

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CAUTION

• Your hearing aid has been tested for interference according to

international standards. Nevertheless, it is possible that unfore­seen interference may occur in the hearing aid due to electro­magnetic radiation from other products such as alarm systems,
room surveillance equipment and mobile phones.

• Although your hearing aid has been designed to comply with

the most stringent international electromagnetic compatibility
standards, the possibility cannot be excluded that it may cause
interference with other equipment, such as medical devices.

• Never try to open or repair the hearing aid yourself.

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ADVICE

NOTE

• The hearing aid will not restore normal hearing and will not
prevent or improve a hearing loss resulting from organic
conditions. However, the hearing aid can help you to make
the best possible use of your remaining hearing ability. You
should also bear in mind that it can take time to get used to a
new hearing aid and new sounds.

• In most cases, using the hearing aid infrequently will not per­mit you to gain full benefit from it.

• The use of a hearing aid is only part of hearing habilitation
and may need to be supplemented by auditory training and
instruction in lipreading.

• The use of hearing aids increases the risk of accumulation of
earwax. Contact your physician/ENT doctor if you suspect
that a plug of earwax has accumulated in your ear. Earwax
may not only reduce your own hearing 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.

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Electrical and electronic equipment (EEE)
contains materials, components and sub­stances that can be hazardous and present
a risk to human health and the environment
when waste electrical and electronic equip­ment (WEEE) is not handled correctly.

Do not dispose of hearing aids, hearing aid accessories
and batteries with ordinary household waste.

Hearing aids, batteries and hearing aid accessories
should be disposed of at sites intended for waste elec­trical and electronic equipment, or given to your hear­ing care professional for safe disposal. Proper dispos­al helps to protect human health and the environment.

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SYMBOLS

SYMBOLS

Symbols commonly used by Widex A/S in medical device
labelling (labels/IFU/etc.)

Symbol Title/Description

Manufacturer

The product is produced by the manufacturer whose
name and address are stated next to the symbol. If ap­propriate, the date of manufacture may also be stated.

Date of manufacture

The date when the product was manufactured.

Use-by date

The date after which the product is not to be used.

Batch code

The product’s batch code (lot or batch identification).

Catalogue number

The product’s catalogue (item) number.

Serial number

The product’s serial number.*

Keep away from sunlight

The product must be protected from light sources and/or
The product must be kept away from heat

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Symbol Title/Description

Keep dry

The product must be protected from moisture and/or
The product must be kept away from rain

Lower limit of temperature

The lowest temperature to which the product can be
safely exposed.

Upper limit of temperature

The highest temperature to which the product can be
safely exposed.

Temperature limits

The highest and lowest temperatures to which the prod­uct can be safely exposed.

Consult instructions for use

The user instructions contain important cautionary infor­mation (warnings/precautions) and must be read before
using the product.

Caution/Warning

Text marked with a caution/warning symbol must be
read before using the product.

WEEE mark
“Not for general waste”

When the product is to be discarded, it must be sent to
a designated collection point for recycling and recovery.

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Symbol Title/Description

CE mark

The product is in conformity with the requirements set
out in European CE marking directives.

Alert

The product is identified by R&TTE Directive 1999/5/EC
as an equipment Class 2 product with some restrictions
on use in some CE member states.

C-Tick mark

The product complies with EMC and radio spectrum
regulatory requirements for products supplied to the
Australian or New Zealand market.

Interference

Electromagnetic interference may occur in the vicinity of
the product.

*The six- or seven-digit number on the product is the serial num­ber. Serial numbers may not always be preceded by

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WIDEX A/S Nymoellevej 6, DK-3540 Lynge, Denmark
www.widex.com

Manual no.:

9 514 0062 001 #04
Issue:
2014-10

WIDEX and BRAVISSIMO are trademarks of Widex A/S

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