Have you ever tried blocking your two ears? What was it like? You couldn’t hear a thing, right? That is exactly what you experience when you lose your hearing.
Hearing loss is a common disorder experienced by individuals of all age brackets. Because your hearing and balance organs are connected, losing your hearing won’t only affect your ability to hear correctly; it will also result in balance disorders.
Whether you are experiencing hearing loss due to aging, frequent exposure to loud noises, or a virus, leveraging hearing aid technology can help you hear and communicate better. But, before purchasing these devices, it is best you understand what they are, the different types that exist, and of course, how they work.
Let’s begin with a brief definition of hearing loss.
What is hearing loss?
Hearing loss, deafness, or hearing impairment is the total or partial inability to process sound optimally. Symptoms of hearing loss may range from mild, moderate, severe, or profound.
Research shows that people with mild hearing may have difficulties understanding speech, especially in noisy situations, while those with moderate hearing loss may require a hearing aid to hear appropriately.
However, severely deaf people may depend on their lip-reading abilities to communicate with others. Sign language was another medium for proactive communication.
What are hearing aids?
As mentioned earlier, patients experiencing moderate deafness may require a hearing aid to hear correctly. A hearing aid is a small battery-powered electronic device used to improve clarity. These electronic devices—worn in or behind the ears—amplify sounds so that individuals with hearing loss can listen, communicate, and participate in activities.
What are the Types and Styles of Hearing Aids
Choosing a hearing aid isn’t as easy as selecting a pair of sneakers at the shoe store. To find the appropriate hearing device for your ears, you’ll need to work with an audiologist. While the type of hearing aid depends on your medical condition, some of these factors help professionals choose the right hearing aid for your ears.
- Type of hearing loss and its severity
- Your age
- Your lifestyle
- Your ability to manage these little devices
- Cost
Now that you and your audiologist have a clear idea of the type of hearing device you require, it’s time to evaluate your options. There are two categories of hearing aids- the digital hearing aid and the analog hearing aid. Digital hearing aids or digital hearing electronic devices convert sound waves into digital signals. Meanwhile, its counterpart converts sound waves into electrical signals and amplifies them.
When looking for the ideal hearing aid, it’s best to consider digital hearing aids as they are more effective in filtering sounds and making them explicit.
How do hearing aids function?
People with hearing difficulties often find it hard to hear in a noisy environment. However, you can fix the hearing aid to function effectively in quiet and noisy environments.
A hearing aid consists of three essential parts- an amplifier, a microphone, and a speaker. The hearing aid collects the sound via a microphone, converts the sound waves to electrical signals, and then transmits it to an amplifier. The amplifier amplifies the power of the signals and sends them to the ear via the speaker.
Are hearing aids for anyone suffering from hearing loss?
Not everyone experiencing hearing loss needs a hearing aid. Only 1 in 5 people with hearing difficulties use a hearing aid. Most times, these devices are ideal for those with damaged inner ear or nerve that connects the ear with the brain. Such damage can be a result of:
- Disease
- Loud noises
- Medications
- Aging
Deafness resulting from issues with the ear canal, eardrum, or middle ear is known as conductive hearing loss. People experiencing conductive hearing loss may need surgery or other medical assistance to repair their ears. However, those alternatives aren’t ideal for everyone. For example, if you have an open ear canal and a fairly functional external ear, a hearing aid might come in handy.
How can you buy a hearing aid?
You cannot simply walk into a mall and purchase a hearing aid; it doesn’t work that way. If you wish to have a hearing aid, you’ll have to contact an ear, nose, and throat doctor (ENT).
An ENT specialist can evaluate and treat your hearing loss. This professional will carry out a test to determine your hearing issue. You will also need to see an audiologist who will conduct examinations to determine the type of hearing loss and its severity.
An audiologist can offer you a hearing aid if needed. Steer clear from mail-order hearing aids as they might not fit well and are often ineffective.
What are the New and advanced Hearing Aid Technology?
The improvement in technological innovation resulted in the introduction of more advanced hearing aids. Unlike old hearing devices, the advanced hearing aids of today are more automatic, portable, and efficient. In addition, they boast of features that help hearing loss patients communicate even in difficult listening situations.
Of course, the improvements done on these hearing devices raised their prices. Nevertheless, their benefits justify their high price points.
Here are some of the standard features that come with advanced hearing aids. Worthy of note is that these advanced features are unique to hearing aids and are usually missing in personal hearing amplifiers.
Bluetooth compatibility: This feature helps the hearing aid connect to mobile phones and other Bluetooth-enabled devices, usually via an intermediary device.
Artificial intelligence: Some unique hearing amplifiers boast artificial intelligence, allowing them to access deep neural networks to process sound.
Apps: Most modern hearing devices are equipped with smartphone apps. This app allows the users to make modifications, contact their hearing care provider, etc.
Rechargeable batteries: Hearing devices come with rechargeable batteries that allow users to charge them when down.
Tinnitus masking features: These features are often present in sophisticated hearing devices. This feature helps mask the tinnitus or ringing in your ears.
It is wise to go for a device based on their individual needs and requirements. Price, too plays a crucial role.
Wrapping up
Many years back, people with hearing difficulties relied on sign language to communicate. Some relied on lip-reading to understand what people said. Today, thanks to improvements in technology innovation, people with hearing loss can leverage digital hearing aids to process speech and communicate properly.
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