User’s instructions
Flash élan (Custom)
FL-9é
Behind-the-ear
The hearing aid, ear-piece and accessories shown in
these user’s instructions may not look the same as the
ones you have. We furthermore reserve the right to
make any changes considered 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.
2
Contents
Your new Flash élan (Custom) hearing aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Flash élan (Custom). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Custom élan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
The battery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Battery type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Inserting the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Changing the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Turning the hearing aid on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Right/left identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
On the ear-piece . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
On the élan ear-set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Placing Flash élan (Custom) on/in the ear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Possible settings when turning on your hearing aid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Removing Flash élan (Custom) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Automatic adjustment of loudness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Fine tuning loudness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Listening programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Switching between the listening programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Keeping Flash élan (Custom) clean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Cleaning accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Cleaning the hearing aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Cleaning the élan ear-set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Changing the élan ear-set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Trimming the élan ear-set. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Assembling a Custom élan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Caring for your hearing aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Good advice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Accessories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Audio input. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
FM systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
In case of malfunction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
3
Your new Flash élan (Custom) hearing
aid
Thank you for choosing a Widex hearing aid. Your Flash
élan (Custom) is a hearing aid that allows you to be part
of the process of tailoring the sound to your individual
hearing loss and lifestyle requirements.
4
We recommend that you read the entire booklet to get
full satisfaction from your new Flash élan (Custom)
hearing aid.
We hope you will be pleased with your new Widex
hearing aid.
5
Flash élan (Custom)
1. Microphone openings, where the sound enters
the hearing aid.
2. Volume control is available in some Flash models.
It 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. élan ear-set.
6
Custom élan
1. Trimmed élan ear-set
1a. Earhook
1b. Tubing
2. Custom ear-piece
(hereinafter referred to as “ear-piece”)
2a. Extraction cord
1.
1a.
1b.
2.
2a.
7
The battery
Battery type
The recommended battery type for Flash élan (Custom) is:
Zinc Air battery type 13
To obtain replacement batteries, please consult your
hearing care professional. Please note the expiry date
and the recommendations 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 inserting the battery in the hearing aid.
Once the tab has been removed, the battery will start
functioning after a few seconds. The battery life will
depend 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.
8
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.
Push the nail grip upwards to swing
open the battery drawer. The nail
grip is located on the opposite side
of the on/off switch at the bottom
of the hearing aid. The plus (+) sign
of the battery must face upwards.
If the battery drawer does not close
easily, the battery is incorrectly inserted.
9
Changing the battery
If you hear four rapid beep-tones while wearing your
hearing aid, it is an indication that the battery is nearly
exhausted. Once the battery is totally exhausted, the
hearing 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.
For adjustment of the beep-tone level or disabling of
the function, please consult your hearing care professional.
Never leave an exhausted battery in the hearing aid.
Exhausted 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.
10
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 upwards, and off when the switch
is pushed downwards.
The word “OFF” is clearly visible
on the switch when the hearing
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.
11
Right/left identification
If you wear hearing aids on
both ears, your hearing care
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).
On the ear-piece
The ear-piece has ”Widex”
printed on it. Red print indicates that it is for the right ear
and blue print that it is for the
left ear.
12
On the élan ear-set
The élan ear-set is available in
five different lengths for the
right and left ear, respectively.
The individual size is printed on
the trimmed ear-set, but is not
visible when the trimmed élan
ear-set is connected to the earpiece.
13
Placing Flash élan (Custom)
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 place the hearing aid behind the ear, so
that the earhook and tubing rest comfortably on the
ear, close to your head. Then insert the ear-piece in the
ear canal while holding the lower part of the tubing.
When everything is in the correct position, turn on the
hearing aid. Remember to check at regular intervals
that the hearing aid and the ear-piece are positioned
correctly.
14
Possible settings when turning on
your hearing aid
Your hearing aid can be set to start up in two different
ways: In the standard start-up setting your hearing aid
may whistle slightly while you insert the ear-piece in
the ear. An alternative is a setting where the hearing
aid actively suppresses whistling while the ear-piece is
being inserted in the ear. Together with your hearing
care professional you can choose the start-up setting
that suits your needs best.
15
Removing Flash élan (Custom)
First remove the hearing aid from its position behind
the ear. Then, carefully pull the ear-piece out of the ear
canal by means of the extraction cord.
16
Automatic adjustment of loudness
Flash élan (Custom) adjusts loudness automatically in
accordance with your sound environment. Several
thousand times per second, Flash élan (Custom) analyses the surroundings and tailors its sound accordingly. With Flash élan (Custom) 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
hearing care professional.
17
Fine tuning loudness
Your hearing aid may be provided with a volume control,
shaped like a small lever. Push
the lever upwards to raise the
automatically set volume.
Push the lever downwards to
lower the volume. Use short
touches for minor corrections of the volume. Faster
adjustments are obtained by
keeping the lever pressed for
some seconds.
Each time you operate the volume control, you will
hear a beep-tone. For modification of the beep-tones
or disabling of the beep-tone function or volume control, please consult your hearing care professional.
Any adjustment of the volume setting will be cancelled
when your hearing aid is turned off.
18
Listening programs
Your Flash élan (Custom) hearing aid may be provided
with up to four listening programs optimised for different listening situations. Your hearing care professional
can help you select the programs that are of use to you.
If your needs change over time, the combination of listening programs can be changed. In these user’s instructions, the hearing care professional can list the listening programs that are available in your hearing aid
(see page 23). You can choose from the following programs:
19
Flash Master: This listening program is Flash’s standard
program. In the Master program all the automatic functions of the hearing aid work to optimise audibility,
speech intelligibility and comfort in all listening situations.
Acclimatisation program: This listening program has
the same features as the Master program, but provides
slightly less amplification. The listening program is
i deal if this is your first hearing aid and you want to became used to all the new sounds gradually.
Music: This listening program is ideal for listening to
music.
TV: This listening program is ideal for listening to the
TV.
20
M+T: In this listening program you listen via the hearing aid microphone (M) and the telecoil (T). This listening program allows you to listen to a specific sound
source and still hear surrounding sounds.
T: In this listening program you listen via the telecoil (T)
and not via the microphone (M) in the hearing aid. The
telecoil can only be used where a loop system is installed. Activating this program allows you to listen to a
specific sound source and shut out surrounding
sounds.
21
Switching between the
listening programs
You can switch between the
programs by using the program button on the back of
the hearing aid. If you do not
want to use the program button, you can consult your
hearing care professional to
have it disabled.
Each time you switch to another program, you will hear
beep-tones. The beeps tell you which program you
have chosen:
• Program 1: One brief beep
• Program 2: Two brief beeps
• Program 3: Three brief beeps
• Program 4: One long and one brief beep
The number of different beeps depends on how many
programs you - together with your hearing care professional - have chosen to have in your hearing aid. The selected listening programs are numbered 1-4.
22
If you – in consultation with your hearing care professional – decide on other combinations of programs later, these can be written on the blank forms found at
the back of these instructions.
Listening programs
Program Chosen
programs:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Application:
23
Keeping Flash élan (Custom) 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 élan ear-set.
3. Soft cloth for drying and cleaning the hearing aid.
2.
3.
1.
Contact your hearing care professional if you need additional supplies of accessories.
24
Cleaning 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.
Cleaning the élan ear-set
Make sure that your élan ear-set is clean and free of earwax and moisture. Never use alcohol or other cleaning
solutions to clean the élan ear-set. If one of the elements of your trimmed élan ear-set becomes slack,
stiff, yellow or cracked, replace the élan ear-set. For further supplies of new élan ear-sets, consult your hearing
care professional.
25
If the é lan ear- set tub ing is plugged, it must be cleaned.
Hold the earhook with two fingers while holding the
hearing aid with the opposite hand. Lift off the plugged
trimmed élan ear-set in a slanting, backward movement. Then clear the opening with the wax removing
tool.
26
It is a good idea to disconnect
the ear-piece from the trimmed
élan ear-set and wash the earpiece in lukewarm water at suitable intervals. Rinse it thoroughly and allow it to dry overnight.
Consult your hearing care professional on how often you
should wash the ear-piece.
27
Changing the élan ear-set
The élan ear-set should
be changed on a regular
basis. The life of an élan
ear-set is individual and
depends on a number of
factors, such as how much
the hearing aid is used
and the type of earwax
produced in the ear. The élan ear-set can be removed
by holding the earhook with two fingers and the hearing aid with the opposite hand. Then lift the élan earset off in a slanting, backward movement. It is very im-
portant to do it in a backward movement as described.
A new trimmed élan ear-
set can then be snapped
into place by gently press-
ing it onto the hearing
aid. It is very important to
ensure that the trimmed
ear-set is firmly secured.
28
The élan ear-set is available in five different lengths for
the right and left ear, respectively.
In the below table, your hearing care professional can
circle the size selected for your trimmed élan ear-set for
your left ear and right ear, respectively.
Selected élan ear-set
Left ear Right ear
1L 1R
2L 2R
3L 3R
4L 4R
5L 5R
29
Trimming the élan ear-set
Before you can use the élan ear-set with Flash élan
(Custom), it must be trimmed in three places. This trimming can be complicated if you do not have the necessary experience or the correct tool. Therefore, we recommend that you and your hearing care professional
go through the following instructions together.
There are several élan ear-set versions. Before you start trimming
the ear-set, it is important to make
sure that you use the correct version. Check that the card inside the
compatible
élan ear-set box has “CAMISHA
compatible” printed on it. These
CAMISHA* compatible ear-sets
have two retention grips located
on the coupling at the end of the
tubing. If your élan ear-set does not
have two retention grips, it cannot
be used.
* CAMISHA means Computer Aided
Manufacturing of Individual Shells
for Hearing Aids.
30
Trimming the élan ear-set
There are three steps to trimming the élan ear-set:
1. Cut off the first retention grip.
To fit a Custom élan ear-piece, there should only remain one retention grip on the ear-set. Therefore, remove the first retention grip with a pair of sharp scissors, cutting nippers or other suitable tool. Be sure to
remove the first retention grip completely and leave
the second retention grip as it is. The second retention
grip will function as a coupling between the élan earset and the ear-piece.
31
2. Cut off the lock.
As the lock (i.e. the small loop) is not used for your Custom élan, you must cut it off. This must be done in such
a way that the lock is completely removed and the surface is smooth. You can use your finger to check for
rough edges.
32
3. Trim the anchor.
For your Custom élan you
only need a small piece of the
anchor. Trim the anchor with
a pair of sharp scissors, cutting nippers or other suitable
tool so that there is only approximately 2 mm left. The remaining 2 mm of the anchor helps to keep the élan ear-set firmly secured in the
ear-piece.
After having performed the three above-mentioned
steps, verify that the following alterations have been
made:
1. The first retention grip has
been completely
removed, leaving only the
second retention grip.
2. The lock has been
completely removed and
the surface feels smooth.
3. There is approximately 2
mm remaining of the
anchor.
33
Assembling a Custom élan
After the élan ear-set has been trimmed, you can connect the trimmed élan ear-set to the ear-piece. Make
sure that both the trimmed élan ear-set and the earpiece are for the same ear, e.g. for the left ear. There are
three steps to assembling the two parts.
1. Hold the ear-piece with one hand with the
extraction cord upwards. Hold the trimmed élan
ear-set with the other hand. Gently press the two
parts together.
34
2. Use your fingernail to press the trimmed élan earset into place in the ear-piece. The trimmed élan
ear-set is positioned correctly when a click has
been felt and it cannot be pushed in any further.
3. It is important to ensure that the two parts are
assembled correctly. You can test whether the
parts are firmly secured by pulling each part
gently in order to make sure that the parts do not
become detached.
35
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
prolong the life of your hearing aid:
• To ensure the proper shape of the élan ear-set, be
careful not to twist or squeeze it out of shape when
your Flash élan (Custom) hearing aid is placed in
the case.
36
• Treat your hearing aid as the valuable object it is:
with care. When it is not in use, keep it in its case in
a cool, dry location where it cannot be reached by
children or pets.
• Replace the trimmed élan ear-set, as required. So, if
it becomes slack, stiff, yellow, cracked or the like, it
must be replaced.
The trimmed élan ear-set must also be replaced if
the coupling between the ear-set and the hearing
aid or the ear-piece is not secure and stable. The
more times the trimmed élan ear-set is disconnected from the ear-piece, the more worn the coupling
becomes, making replacement necessary. For further supplies of new élan ear-sets, consult your
hearing care professional.
• Just as the trimmed élan ear-set must be replaced as
required, also the ear-piece must be replaced if it no
longer fits in your ear, for example if your ear canal
size has changed, or the ear-piece becomes broken.
• 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.
• When not in use, do not expose your hearing aid to
extreme temperatures or high humidity.
37
• In environments with high humidity, a Widex dry-
ing 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
swimming, or when using a hair dryer, hair spray,
or other sprays.
• Never try to open or repair the hearing aid your-
self.
• 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 microwave oven. These are some of the
types of radiation 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.
38
Good advice
• The use of hearing aids increases the risk of accu-
mulation 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.
• Please be sure to keep your hearing aid and its ac-
cessories out of the reach of children, who might
place them in their mouths. Also keep batteries out
of children’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,
contact your physician immediately.
39
• The hearing aid is made of modern non-allergenic
materials. Still, in rare cases skin irritation can occur. If you notice skin irritation in or around your
ear or ear canal, contact your hearing care professional.
• Please be aware that the use of any type of hearing
aid/ear-piece may involve a slightly increased risk
of infection in the ear canal. An infection can arise
as a result of inadequate ventilation of the ear.
Therefore, we recommend that you take out your
hearing aid/ear-piece at night to allow the ear canal to be ventilated. Make sure that you clean and
inspect your hearing aid/ear-piece as required. If
an infection occurs, you should disinfect your hearing aid/ear-piece and seek medical advice. Contact
your hearing care professional for further advice
on methods of disinfection. Do not under any circumstances use alcohol, chlorine or similar substances to clean your hearing aid/ear-piece.
40
Accessories
Audio input
Your Flash hearing aid can be furnished with an audio
shoe. This allows direct connection to different kinds of
accessories (FM and CROS/Bi-CROS systems), as well as
external audio equipment (radio, TV, etc.). In this way
the sound from, for example, a radio or a speaker provided with an FM microphone can be sent directly into
your hearing aid.
With an audio shoe connected to the hearing aid, one
or more of your standard listening programs are replaced by dedicated audio programs.
In the form on the next page, your hearing care professional can make a note of the audio programs you have
access to and where they are located. When you attach
the audio shoe, the hearing aid automatically switches
to an audio program. If you then wish to switch to one of
the other programs, you must use the program button
on the hearing aid. As soon as you remove the audio
shoe, the usual program order is re-established (see
page 23).
41
Program Program order with audio shoe
1.
2.
3.
4.
42
Important: If your hearing aid is connected to equipment which is connected to the electrical mains, this
equipment must meet the safety requirements stated
in the international standard IEC 60065.
Do not connect the hearing aid to sockets that are labelled with one or more of the following symbols:
For more information on the use of audio input consult
your hearing care professional.
43
FM systems
An FM system is an assistive listening device that can
be used as an accessory for Flash. The FM system makes
it easier to understand speech in difficult listening situations. The FM system from Widex is called SCOLA.
The FM system consists of a small radio transmitter
with a microphone placed near the speaker and a small
radio receiver clicked onto Flash via an FM shoe. The
operating range is approx. 15 metres depending on
the surroundings. As the SCOLA system is wireless,
both the listener and the speaker have full freedom of
movement within the specified range.
For help to determine whether you could benefit from
an FM system, please consult your hearing care professional.
44
In case of malfunction
Before contacting your hearing care professional,
please follow the advice below:
If the hearing aid is dead, it could be because:
• The hearing aid is not turned on. Make sure the bat-
tery drawer, which functions as the on/off switch, is
pushed all the way upwards and that the word
“OFF” is not visible on the switch.
• The battery is dead or does not work. Insert a new
battery. Make sure the battery is inserted correctly
and that the battery drawer is closed correctly.
• The sound outlet of the trimmed élan ear-set is
blocked. Earwax is often the cause of a blocked élan
ear-set tubing. Clean the blocked tubing. If necessary, replace the entire élan ear-set.
45
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 inserted correctly and that
the battery drawer is closed correctly.
• The sound outlet of the trimmed élan ear-set is
blocked. Earwax is often the cause of a blocked élan
ear-set tubing. Clean the blocked tubing. If necessary, replace the entire élan ear-set.
• Your ear is blocked by earwax. Contact your ENT
doctor/physician.
• Your hearing may have changed. Contact your hear-
ing care professional.
46
If the hearing aid whistles continuously, it could be
because:
• Your ear is blocked by earwax. Contact your ENT
doctor/physician.
• The tubing is broken. Replace the trimmed élan ear-
set.
• The tubing is yellow and stiff. Replace the trimmed
élan ear-set.
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.
47
Listening programs
Program Chosen
programs:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Application:
48
Listening programs
Program Chosen
programs:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Application:
49
Listening programs
Program Chosen
programs:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Application:
50
51
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Printed by HTO / 2007-01
9 514 0091 001 #01
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