New hearing aid method could help veterans who 'Hear but Can't Understand'

NCT ID NCT06309264

Recruiting now Symptom relief Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

Many blast-exposed veterans struggle to hear in noisy places even though their standard hearing tests are normal. This study tests whether a new fitting method called speech-based audiometry (SBA) makes low-gain hearing aids more effective than the usual approach. Eighty veterans will use Phonak Lumina P90 hearing aids programmed either with SBA or conventional settings, and researchers will measure improvements in speech understanding and listening effort over six weeks.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Phonak Lumina P90 hearing aid
What this could lead to: If successful, this could provide a new, data-driven way to fit hearing aids for veterans with hidden hearing problems, improving their ability to understand speech in noisy places.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-stage study (80 participants) focused on a specific group (blast-exposed veterans). The benefits may not apply to others, and the hearing aids may not work better than standard fitting methods.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Auditory Diseases, Central auditory perceptual disorders Blast Injuries central hearing loss hearing disorder hearing loss disorder Hearing Loss, Central Hearing Loss, Hidden

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

AUDITORY DISEASES, CENTRAL

Contacts and locations

Locations

VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Sepulveda, CA
NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Sepulveda, California, 91343, United States
VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, West Los Angeles, CA
NOT_YET_RECRUITING

West Los Angeles, California, 90073-1003, United States
VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, CA
RECRUITING

Loma Linda, California, 92357-1000, United States