You might be considering a hearing aid, but you’re not sure if you’ll like how it looks or if it would actually improve your hearing. Educating yourself on the following could help lessen your worries:
What kinds of hearing aids are out there for you to choose from
How to Choose the Right Hearing Aid
The steps to successfully adapting to your hearing aid
Hearing aids cannot fix damaged hearing completely. They can help you hear better by enhancing low-volume noises.
Explanation of how hearing aids function
The fundamental components of each hearing aid are the same: they all act as a conduit for external sounds to enter the ear and be amplified. Digital hearing aids are the norm, and they may be powered by either standard batteries or rechargeable ones.
Tiny microphones record ambient noise. The sound is amplified and processed by a computer chip. It evaluates your hearing loss, your listening preferences, and the volume of ambient noise, and then makes appropriate adjustments to the sound. Speakers, also known as receivers, are used to play back the amplified signals to the listener’s ears.
Types of Hearing Aids
There is a wide range of hearing aids available, each with its own price tag, size, set of bells and whistles, and method of insertion.
Common types of hearing aids are described here, starting with the smallest and most discrete models. Designers of hearing aids continue to shrink their devices in response to consumer desire for a less conspicuous option. However, the smaller aids may not be powerful enough to provide the level of hearing improvement you’d want.
In the canal (CIC) or partial CIC
The ear canal is reshaped to accommodate a totally in-canal hearing aid. If an adult has mild to moderate hearing loss, this treatment can help.
Total-canal hearing aids are designed to be totally hidden in the ear canal.
is the tiniest and most imperceptible
The likelihood of picking up wind noise is reduced
use little batteries that have a limited lifespan and are awkward to handle.
Not always equipped with essential features like a volume knob or directional mic.
The speaker may get clogged with ear wax.
Within the canal
The ear canal is modified to suit a portion of an in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aid. Adults with mild to severe hearing loss may benefit from this method.
Unlike conventional hearing aids, an in-canal device is placed directly into the ear canal.
has a smaller profile in the ear compared to more prominent designs
Features that aren’t found on other in-canal aids are included, however fine-tuning may be challenging owing to the device’s diminutive size.
The speaker may get clogged with ear wax.
By means of the ear
Depending on your preference, an in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid can either completely enclose your ear canal (full shell) or just the bottom portion (half shell) (half shell). Both can be useful for those with moderate to severe hearing loss, and directional microphone options are available for both (two microphones for better hearing in noise).
A device worn in or behind the ear to improve hearing:
Included functions, such as a volume knob, are too bulky for smaller hearing aid models.
Potentially less cumbersome
uses a more powerful battery to last longer and offers more rechargeable battery choices.
The speaker may get clogged with ear wax.
Potentially more susceptible to wind noise than more diminutive devices
seems larger in the ear compared to other, discreet options.
In the crease behind the ear
To use a BTE hearing aid, you simply hook it over the top of your ear and lay it behind your ear. Your ear canal is moulded to suit a bespoke earpiece, or ear mould, which is connected to the hearing aid by a tube. Individuals of any age or degree of hearing loss can benefit from this style.
It’s a hearing aid that sits behind the ear.
historically the biggest variety of hearing aid; some recent micro variants are so little they’re scarcely noticeable.
Equipped with directional microphones
may be amplified to a greater extent than most styles
Potentially more susceptible to wind noise than previous designs.
Battery power that can be recharged is a possibility.
Placement of the receiver in the ear canal or the ear
Both the RIC and RITE designs are comparable to traditional behind-the-ear hearing aids in that they place the speaker or receiver in the ear canal. The component that rests behind the ear is not connected to the speaker or receiver by tubing but rather a thin wire.
A hearing aid with a receiver in the canal:
often conceals more of the head, including the area behind the ears
Equipped with directional microphones
provides the option for manual operation
It’s possible that a rechargeable battery option will be made accessible.
The speaker may get clogged with ear wax.
A loose fit
A hearing aid that fits in the ear canal or the ear canal and a small tube behind the ear are all examples of open-fit hearing aids. This design leaves plenty of room in the ear canal for natural low-frequency sound to enter and for the hearing aid to amplify high-frequency noises. Because of this, the design is optimal for those whose hearing loss is more subtle in the higher frequencies and less severe in the lower ones.
An externally moulded hearing aid:
can be observed often
Doesn’t trap sound in the ear canal like traditional hearing aids do, and it can help you hear yourself better.
Because to the noncustom dome, insertion into the ear canal may be trickier.
Supplemental Options
Hearing aids come with a variety of features that may be customised to meet your individual needs, and some of these features might help you hear better in
A quieter environment. The ability to lessen background noise is a feature of all modern hearing aids. Varying degrees of noise suppression are available. Some also block out the sound of the wind.
Audio equipment with directional pickup. These are arranged on the hearing aid so that you may better hear noises from in front of you while minimising those from the sides and behind. It is possible to guide the focus of some hearing aids in a specific direction. Using a directional microphone might help you hear better in a noisy setting.
Batteries that can be charged several times. The batteries in some hearing aids can be recharged. As a result, you won’t need to replace the battery as often, which can simplify maintenance.
Telecoils
A telecoil-enabled phone improves audibility for the user. When using a phone that is compatible with a hearing aid, the telecoil will help filter out background noise and amplify the caller’s voice. Public induction loop systems, like those found in some churches and theatres, may also be picked up by telecoils, allowing you to better hear the speaker or the performance.
Connectivity without wires
Over-the-air connections between hearing aids and other Bluetooth-enabled electronics like phones, music players, PCs, and TVs are becoming increasingly common. An adapter or other device may be required to pick up the phone or other signal and transmit it to the hearing aid.
Control devices
Some hearing aids allow you to make adjustments without physically touching the device. Some hearing aids may be wirelessly connected to a smartphone, with the help of an app, so that the phone can be used as a remote.
Input of sound directly. You may use this function to connect to wired audio sources such a TV, computer, or music player.
Computing using variables. A variety of listening preferences and situations may be stored in certain hearing aids.
Synchronization. Individuals who need to wear two hearing aids can have them synced so that any changes made to one aid (such as volume or programme modifications) are automatically reflected in the second aid.