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Today's Hearing Aid Technology
Sound enters a hearing aid through the microphone. It is processed by the circuitry inside the device and then delivered to a receiver (loudspeaker). The sound enters the wearer's ear canal from the receiver, either directly in the case of a custom style hearing aid or through tubing, which is connected to an earmold, in the case of a behind-the-ear hearing aid.
Most hearing aids on the market today use sophisticated digital circuitry. The word digital refers to the method of sound processing. In the case of digital sound processing, the sound is coded mathematically into bits. This level of precision affords the audiologist flexibility to customize the hearing aid to your specific hearing loss requirements.
Like anything else in the world of technology, there is an array of digital hearing aid technology, ranging from basic to advanced. The more sophisticated the technology, the greater the number of features available on the hearing aid. Here are some hearing aid features and their corresponding benefits:
Feature: Automatic sound processing
Benefit: Volume is adjusted automatically, so that soft sounds are amplified more than
loud sounds.
Feature: Directional microphone
Benefit: The only clinically proven method to improve speech understanding in the presence
of noise.
Feature: Speech and noise management
Benefit: Reduce some of the background noise in many situations.
Feature: Feedback management
Benefit: Minimizes the feedback (annoying whistling) while maintaining excellent sound quality.
Feature: Multiple listening programs
Benefit: Each listening program is customized for a specific listening environment.
Feature: Environmental sensing
Benefit: Adjusts automatically to the listening environment to maximize hearing comfort and speech understanding.
Hearing Aid Styles
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Completely-in-the-canal (CIC)
Hearing aids fit deeply inside your ear canal, making them almost
invisible. The advantages include cosmetic appeal, reduced feedback
and excellent sound quality. CICs are suitable for mild to moderately
severe hearing losses.
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In-the-canal (ITC)
Hearing aids are custom-made to fit almost entirely inside your ear canal, making them very discreet. Many people appreciate the balance of the ITC: small enough to provide some of the same benefits as the CIC, they also provide enough room to accommodate additional options that may not fit on a CIC. ITCs are suitable for mild to moderately severe hearing losses.
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In-the-ear (ITE)
Hearing aids are custom-made to fit securely in your outer ear, ensuring optimum performance and comfort. They provide sufficient space for extra options, such as directional microphones or telecoil switches (your Hearing Solutions audiologist can tell you more about these features). ITEs are suitable for mild to severe hearing losses.
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Behind-the-ear (BTE)
Hearing aids sit comfortably behind your ear, allowing amplified sounds to pass through a tube to an earmold that is customized to fit into your ear. Because they are larger, BTEs can generally accommodate bigger batteries for longer life and larger amplifiers for maximum amplification. Most BTEs are compatible with assistive listening devices. BTEs are suitable for mild to profound hearing losses.
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Open Fit
Hearing Aids, like BTE hearing aids sit comfortably behind your ear.
However, unlike traditional BTE's they are connected by an almost invisible
narrow tube to a small "bud" that fits discreetly inside the ear canal. As a
result, Open Fit hearing aids are less noticeable than traditional BTE
hearing aids. They also eliminate the "hollow sound" that many hearing aid
wearers notice when speaking. Open Fit hearing aids have become the most
popular style of hearing aids and can be suitable for mild to moderately
severe hearing loss.
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Two Hearing Aids are Better than One
If you have hearing loss in both ears, you will benefit from wearing a hearing aid in each ear. Relative equal input from both ears provides the brain with cues to help you hear better and more comfortably in a variety of situations. Some of the benefits of binaural amplification are as follows:
• Understanding speech in noisy environments is improved because binaural amplification delivers more of the sounds you need
• Determining the location/direction of a sound is easier when the brain is provided with input from the right and left ear
• Delivering superior and natural sound quality is achieved with two hearing aids because the volume can be set lower, which reduces the risk of distortion
• Providing more comfortable hearing with two hearing aids because you are able to hear equally with both ears
• Minimizing the risk of auditory deprivation, which occurs when the ear is not stimulated by sound over a period of time; the brain becomes less able to process the information from the unaided ear.
Getting used to your Hearing Aid
Once you purchase your hearing aids, you have a 30-day trial period during which it is important to use your hearing aids in as many different situations as possible.
For the first few days, give yourself time to adjust gradually to the new sounds. It is best to start wearing the hearing aids in a quiet room, listening to everyday sounds, such as running water, the jangling of keys and the rustling of newspaper. You will probably notice that these sounds, as well as your own voice, will seem different.
Once you have become accustomed to listening in a quiet environment, add other sounds or people to the situation. Try to carry on a conversation with quiet music in the background or try talking with a small group of people at the dinner table.
After using your hearing aids in a variety of situations at home, try wearing them outside. Take a walk and listen to the sounds of the neighbourhood.
From this point, you will want to wear your hearing aids in situations where there is more background noise. Use your hearing aids at restaurants, social functions, meetings, your place of worship, etc.
If any sound is uncomfortably loud, you may require an adjustment to your hearing aids.
If you work in a noisy environment, you should talk to your audiologist about the use of hearing aids in this situation.
WE GUARANTEE YOUR BEST HEARING SOLUTION!
