When it comes to a person’s senses, hearing is among the most important. Having strong listening skills can make communication far easier. Many are the people who enjoy a symphony, or the sound of waves crashing against a coastline. Without your sense of hearing, you’d get none of that.
Unfortunately, many people lose their sense of hearing over time. As it slowly diminishes, many of the joys of hearing go away too. Hearing aids are an attempt to fix this. Hearing aids increase the ability for people who wear them. In many cases, hearing aids may bring a person up to a level that’s almost equal to their normal level of hearing. There are several different types of hearing aids. Typically, they function by having an amplifier which picks up sound, amplifies it and then pushes it into the ear with more volume. Choosing between hearing aids can be difficult. If you’re interested in learning more about hearing aids, continue to read on.
Types of Hearing Aids
As mentioned, there are several different types of hearing aids. Typically, they vary by where the hearing aid fits in the ear and where it sits. In some cases, the ear can be bypassed entirely through the use of specific hearing aids. Some of the types of hearing aids include:
- In the Ear (ITE) - These are one of the most popular versions of hearing aids, due to the low impact they have visually. These hearing aids are naturally located within the ear canal and concha region of the year. These hearing aids don’t work well for people with severe hearing loss, but are excellent for those with mild to moderate issues.
- Open Fit - These are similar to the type that is going to follow them. With an open fit hearing aid, the electronics and sound amplifier are located up and behind the ear. From there, a small tube slides down to the ear canal where the plug sits. This means that most of the ear is open (thus the name). These are also best for mild to moderate hearing issues.
- Behind the Ear (BTE) - Like the open fit, these feature an amplifier and electronics located on the outside behind the ear. The good news about behind the ear hearing aids is that they work for people up to severe levels of hearing loss. They are also versatile and can work with other items like FM radios or phone/tv amplifiers. These are also better for people who suffer from excess ear wax or have chronic ear infections.
- Contralateral Routing of Signal (CROS) - This hearing aid system works for people who are deaf and can’t be helped in one ear. Sound from the deaf side is sent to a receiver on the side with hearing. This way, a person can get something closer to a 360 degree hearing range.
- Cochlear Implant - This implant works by bypassing the entire ear completely. Cochlear implants go straight to the nerves responsible for hearing. A cochlear implant is used for people who essentially are unable to use traditional hearing aids. They can take several months to tune once they are installed.
- Bone Conduction Amplification Device (BCAD) - With these hearing aids, the ear is bypassed. Instead it uses direct bone conduction through a titanium fixture implanted behind a person’s ear. This is designed for people who are deaf in a single ear, or who suffer from infections consistently.
Conditions That Need Hearing Aids
Quite simply, there are a large number of things that can damage a person’s hearing. The first is loud noises. People who hear incredibly large noises repeatedly will find that their hearing goes away. There’s a reason people wear earplugs at gun ranges and in other loud situations.
There are many diseases that can cause a problem as well. Otosclerosis, Meniere’s disease and Acoustic neuroma are all conditions or diseases that can cause a person to need a hearing aid. There are also autoimmune disorders in which the body will misdiagnose the ear as a threat. These can cause quick hearing loss. Finally, some medications can cause a person to lose their hearing and it can be a long term problem.