Widex ME-X User Manual

USER INSTRUCTIONS

The MeNU™ SerieS

ME-X model

In-the-ear

YOUR WIDEX HEARING AID

(To be filled out by the hearing care professional)

 MENU
 MENU
 MENU

Date: ______________________________________

Battery size: 312

 Vent
 Novent

2 3

Programs:

6 Master

 Music

 TV

 T

 MT

 Standard

 Acclimatisation

 AudibilityExtender

 Zen

CONTENTS

DESCRIPTIONOFTHEHEARINGAID................................

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

Acousticindicators ...............................................

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 .......................

CLEANING ..................................................... 

Thehearingaid ..................................................

Thesoundoutlet .................................................

Thevent .........................................................

NANOCAREWAXGUARD........................................ 

ChangingtheNanoCarewaxguard................................

4

ACCESSORIES ..................................................

INCASEOFMALFUNCTION ......................................

CARINGFORYOURHEARINGAID ................................ 

WARNINGS.................................................... 

ADVICE ........................................................

SYMBOLS ...................................................... 

DESCRIPTION OF THE HEARING AID

1. Microphone openings

2. Volume control

3. Program button

4. On/off function

5. Nail grip

6. Sound outlet

7. NanoCare wax guard

8. Vent (Not in all versions).

1.

2.

6.

4.

3.

5.

8.

6 7

7.

8.

Your hearing aid may be provided with a listening program called
Zen. It makes musical tones (and sometimes a rushing noise)
in the background. These sounds are shaped according to your
hearing loss.

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

WARNING

This booklet contains important information and instructions. Please
read this booklet carefully before you start using the hearing aid.

NOTE
Your hearing aid and accessories may not look exactly as illustrated in

this boo klet. We also res erve the right to ma ke any changes con sidered
necessary.

Intended use

The hearing aids are intended as air conduction amplification
devices to be used in everyday listening environments. The hear­ing aids may be provided with the Zen program intended to pro­vide a relaxing sound background (i.e. music/noise source) for
adults who desire to listen to such a background in quiet.

Indications for use

The devices are indicated for individuals with a range of hearing
loss severity from minimal (10 dB HL) to severe (80 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.

8 9

Right/left identification

If you are wearing hearing aids in both ears, it is easy to tell them
apart as the right-ear hearing aid has a red Widex logo, and the
left-ear hearing aid a blue logo.

The arrow shows the position of the logo.

Acoustic indicators

The hearing aid may be set to produce a signal to indicate the
use of certain functions. The signal may be tones (SmartTone) or
a spoken message (SmartSpeak)*. The signal can also be deac­tivated.

Functions

Adjusting volume Tone Off

Confirming program button use

Changing program Tones Mess age/off

Starting up the hearing aid Tone Mess age/off

Warning about low battery 4 tones Mess age/off

Service reminder Off Message

* SmartSpeak not available as a standard feature

Default
settings

Clicking
sound

10

Other
settings

Off

The battery

We recommend zinc-air batteries. Use a size 312 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 b atteries if there is a s ticky residue f rom the tab or other un ­wanted substance, as this can cause the hearing aid to malfunction.

Use the nail grip to push the battery com­partment cover downwards and open the
cover. Do not press the battery compartment
cover beyond the open position.

12

Place the battery so that the plus (+) sign of the battery faces
upwards.

You can use the battery magnet provided to steer the battery into
place.

If the battery compartment cover 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.

Low battery indication

An acoustic indicator will sound when the battery is nearly
exhausted, unless this function has been disabled (see page

10). We recommend that you always have a spare battery
with you.

WARNING

Never leave an exhausted batter y in the hearing aid. Exhaus ted batter-

ies 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.

14 15

Turning the hearing aid on and off

The batter y compartment cover of your hearing aid also functions
as the on/off switch.

Close the battery compartment cover and push it upwards to turn
the hearing aid on. An acoustic indicator will indicate that the
hearing aid has been switched on unless this function has been
disabled.

Push the battery compartment cover downwards to turn the
hearing aid 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.

16

Positioning the hearing aid

Close the battery compartment cover completely.

Hold your hearing aid with your thumb and
fore finger. Slowly guide the hearing aid
into your ear canal until you feel resistance.

Let go of the hearing aid and use the tip of
your forefinger to gently push it into your
ear until it rests comfortably in your ear
canal.

To help position the hearing aid properly
you could pull the outer ear backwards and
upwards with the opposite hand.

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

18

Removing the hearing aid

Hold the hearing aid with your thumb
and forefinger and pull gently.

If it is difficult, you can try to move the
hearing aid carefully from side to side. It
may also help to pull the outer ear back­wards and upwards with the opposite
hand.

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 beep­tone unless this function has been disabled. When the maximum
or minimum adjustment level is reached , a steady tone will sound.

20 21

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.

To turn off the sound completely

• Keep pressing the volume control lever downwards after the
steady tone has sounded

To turn the sound on again

• Press the lever upwards or

• Change listening program

Any adjustm ent of the volume setting will be cancelled when your
hearing aid is turned off, or when you change program.

If you wish to have the volume control disabled, please consult
your hearing care professional.

22

Listening programs

By default, your hearing aid contains a Master program, with the
option of an extra program. A number of supplementary pro­grams can also be made available. If this solution is chosen, you
can have up to five programs.

Master All the automatic func tions work to ensure comfort in

Music For listening to music

TV For listening to the TV

T In this program you listen via the telecoil (T) and not

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

all listening situations

via the hearing aid microphones (M). The telecoil is
used where a loop sys tem is installed. If you activate
the telecoil program, you listen to a specific sound
source and shut out surrounding sounds.

phones (M) and the telecoil (T).

Standard All the automatic func tions work to ensure audibility

Acclimatisation This program has the same features as the Master

and speech understanding in all lis tening situations

program but provides slightly less amplification

Audibility
Extender*

Zen* Generates different kinds of tones.

* Available separately

Makes high-frequency sounds audible

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

24

Zen program

Your hearing aid may be provided with a unique optional listen­ing program called Zen. It makes musical tones (and sometimes
a rushing noise) in the background. These sounds are shaped
according to your hearing loss. The Zen program may be used
alone (without amplification) in quiet when you are not required
to hear surrounding sounds. Or, it may be used with the Mas­ter program so both the surrounding sounds and the generated
sounds (fractal tones and noise) are heard together.

CAUTION

Use of the dif ferent Zen progr ams may interfere wi th hearing surro und­ing sounds including speech. The programs should not be used when
hearing such sounds is important. Switch the hearing aid to a non-Zen
program in those situations.

CAUTION

If you perceive a decrease in loudness, tolerance of sounds, speech not
as clear, or worsening tinnitus, contact your hearing care professional.

Benefits

The Zen program may provide a relaxing listening background for
some people. When the Zen program is used in a tinnitus man­agement program, its wearer may experience some relief from
tinnitus.

Indications for use

The Zen program is intended to provide a relaxing sound back­ground (i.e., music/noise source) for adults who desire to listen
to such a background in quiet. It may be used as a sound therapy
tool in a tinnitus treatment program that is prescribed by a hear­ing care professional (audiologists, hearing aid specialists, oto­laryngologists) who is trained in tinnitus management.

26

Directions for use

Because of the unique ways in which Zen is programmed in your
hearing aid, please follow the recommendations of your hearing
care professionals as to how to use the program, when to use the
program and/or how long to use the program.

Switching between the listening
programs

To change programs, press the program
button briefly. Each time you switch to
another program, an acoustic indicator will
sound unless this function has been disa­bled.

Program 1: One short beep or message
Program 2: Two short beeps or message

Program 3: Three short beeps or message
Program 4: One long and one short beep or message
Program 5: One long and two short beeps or message

If you wish to have the program button disabled, please consult
your hearing care professional.

28

CLEANING

The following cleaning accessories are available for the hearing
aid.

1. Cloth

2. Brush

3. Wax removing tool

3.

2.1.

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

The hearing aid

It is very important for the hearing aid’s performance that it is
kept free from earwax and dirt.

Clean your hearing aid daily with the soft
cloth to keep it dry and clean of earwax
or dirt.

WARNING

Never clean the hearing aid with water or cleaning solutions, as this

may cause it to malfunction.

30

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

We recommend that every time you take the hearing aid out of

2.

your ear, you inspect the sound outlet and the vent openings to
ensure that no earwax or dirt has gathered there. Below is an
example of how the sound outlet and vent openings may be posi­tioned. The positions can be slightly different on your hearing aid.

1. Sound outlet

2. Vent opening

1.

32 33

The sound outlet

It is important that the sound outlet is not blocked by earwax. If it
is blocked, do as follows:

Remove any visible earwax from
around the sound outlet with
the small brush or cloth. Do not
attempt to clean the wax guard.

If the sound outlet is still blocked, you should change the wax
guard (see pages 37-41).

WARNING

If you cannot clean the sound outlet completely, you
should contact your hearing care professional. Do not in­sert anything into the sound outlet, as this could damage
the hearing aid.

34

The vent

If earwax has accumulated in and/or around the vent opening,
do as follows:

Clean any ear wax from the vent by
passing the wax removing tool all
the way through the vent.

WARNING

It is important for the performance of the hearing aid that
the vent is never blocked by earwax. Make it a habit to
clean the vent every day! In rare cases so much earwax can
accumulate in the vent that the hearing aid sound is affect­ed. In that case you should see your hearing care profes­sional.

36

NANOCARE WAX GUARD

The NanoCare wax guard helps to protect the hearing aid against
earwax. Always use NanoCare wax guards with your hearing aid.
Otherwise the warranty for your hearing aid will be void.

The NanoCare wax guard consists of the following parts:

1. Holder

2. Removal hook

3. Wax guard

CAUTION

The wax guard is disposable and for one-time use only. Do not attempt
to clean or reuse a wax guard. This could damage your hearing aid and/
or cause the wax guard to become dislodged in your ear.

38

Changing the NanoCare wax guard

Insert the removal hook into the used wax guard placed in the
sound outlet. Pull the wax guard straight out.

1. Vent opening

2. Sound outlet

3. Used wax guard

Turn the holder around so that the new wax
guard is in position to be inserted.

Insert the holder into the opening of the
sound outlet and gently press the wax
guard into the opening.

Then pull the holder straight out. The
new wax guard will automatically
detach from the holder. Press the hear­ing aid gently against a flat surface to
ensure that the wax guard remains in
place.

40

Discard the holder with the used wax
guard.

The frequency with which the NanoCare wax guard should be
changed varies from one individual to another.

If you have any questions regarding your NanoCare wax guard,
please contact your hearing care professional.

WARNING

If the wax guard fits loosely, discard it and insert another. If the wax
guard becomes dislodged from the hearing aid while in the ear canal,
please co ntact your physic ian. Do not try to rem ove the wax guard from
your ear canal yourself.

42

ACCESSORIES

Remote control

A remote control gives you a number of
additional options.

T-DEX

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

For help in determining whether you could benefit from a remote
control or other acce ssories, plea se consult your hearing ca re pro­fessional.

IN CASE OF MALFUNCTION

The following pages contain some quick advice on what to do if
your hearing aid stops working or performs unsatisfactorily. If
the problems persist, contact your hearing care professional for
assistance.

44 45

Problem Possible cause Solution

The hearing aid is
completely silent

The hearing aid is not
turned on

The battery does not
work

The sound outlet is
blocked

The microphone opening
is blocked

Make sure the battery is
placed correctly and the
battery compartment
cover is closed correctly.
See page 15

Insert a new batter y in
the hearing aid

See page 33

If you suspect that
earwax or dirt has
migrated into the
microphone inside the
hearing aid, contact
your hearing care
professional. Do not
insert anything into the
microphone opening

Problem Possible cause Solution

The hearing aid
volume is not
powerful enough

The hearing aid
whistles
continuously

The battery is nearly
exhausted

The sound outlet is
blocked

Your ear is blocked by
earwax

Your hearing may have
changed

Your ear is blocked by
earwax

The hearing aid is not
correctly placed in your
ear canal

The hearing aid fits
loosely in your ear canal

46 47

Insert a new battery in
the hearing aid

See page 33

Contact your ENT
doctor/physician

Contact your hearing
care professional

Contact your ENT
doctor/physician

Take the hearing aid out
and reinsert it

Contact your hearing
care professional

Problem Possible cause Solution

If the hearing aid
is uncom fortable
to wear

The hearing aid is not
correctly placed in your
ear canal.

The hearing aid does not
fit your ear properly

Your outer ear or ear
canal is sore

Consult your hearing
care professional on how
to place the hearing aid
correctly in your ear
canal

Contact your hearing
care professional

Contact your hearing
care professional

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:

48

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, perfume, hair and body sprays or gels such
as suntanning lotions or creams.

WARNINGS

WARNING

Hearin g aids and bat teries can be da ngerous if sw al lowed or used im ­properly. 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 breaks while in the ear canal, contact your hearing
care professional immediately. Do not try to remove the parts your­self.

50

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 per-

manent 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 signals).

• The hearing aid is made of modern non-allergenic materials. None-

theless, 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.

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
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 during
the day if there are any periods when you do not need them. Make
sure that you clean and inspect your hearing aid 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 hearing aid. 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.

52

WARNING

• Do not wear your hearing aid during radiation, X-rays, MRIs, CT or

other medical treatments and scans. The emissions from these pro-

cedures 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 becom e 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.

CAUTION

• Your hearing aid has been tested for interference according to inter­national s tandards. Neverthele ss, it is possible that unforeseen inter­ference may o ccur in the hearing a id due to electrom agnetic radiatio n
from other p roducts such a s alarm systems , room surveillan ce 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.

54

ADVICE

NOTE

• The hearing aid will not restore normal hearing and will not prevent

or improve a he aring loss res ulting from organi c conditions. Howeve r,
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.

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.

56

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).

Symbol Title/Description

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

Keep dry

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

Lower limit of temperature

The lowes t temperature to which t he product can be s afely
exposed.

58

Symbol Title/Description

Upper limit of temperature

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

Temperature limits

The highest and lowest temp eratures to which the p roduct
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.

Symbol Title/Description

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.

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.

60

Symbol Title/Description

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

62

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

Manual no.:

9 514 0209 001 #05
Issue:
2015-02

WIDEX , MENU, DE X and NANOC ARE are trade marks of Wid ex A/S

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