A hearing aid is a small electronic device that you place in or behind your ear. Hearing aids makes sounds louder so that a person with hearing loss can listen, communicate, and participate more fully in daily activities. Hearing aids are primarily useful in improving the hearing and speech comprehension of people who have hearing loss that results from damage to the small sensory cells in the inner ear, called hair cells due ear disease, aging, or injury from noise or certain medicines.It can also be used by the individuals whose hearing cannot be restored by medical or surgical interventions.
There are three basic styles of hearing aids. The styles differ by size, their placement on or inside the ear, and the degree to which they amplify sound.
Styles of hearing aids
- Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids consist of a hard plastic case worn behind the ear and connected to a plastic earmold that fits inside the outer ear. Or with the narrow tube inserted into the ear with ear tip.
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- Receiver in the canal (RIC) hearing aids are a hybrid of behind-the-ear (BTE)and in-the-canal (ITC) devices. With a Receiver-in-Canal device, the main component of the hearing aid sits discreetly behind your ear while a thin wire connects it to an inner earpiece that fits inside your ear canal.The technology allows for discreet sound delivery since the main body of the hearing aid is housed behind the ear.
- In-the-ear(ITE) hearing aids fit completely inside the outer ear and are used for mild to severe hearing loss. ITE aids usually are not worn by young children because the casings need to be replaced often as the ear grows.
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- Canal aids fit into the ear canal and are available in two styles. The in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aid is made to fit the size and shape of a person’s ear canal. A completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aid is nearly hidden in the ear canal. Both types are used for mild to moderately severe hearing loss.
Analog hearing aids convert sound waves into electrical signals, which are amplified. Analog/adjustable hearing aids are minimally adjustable and usually are less expensive than digital aids.
Digital hearing aids convert sound waves into numerical codes, similar to the binary code of a computer, before amplifying them. Because the code also includes information about a sound’s pitch or loudness, the aid can be specially programmed to amplify some frequencies more than others. Digital circuitry gives an audiologist more flexibility in adjusting the aid to a user’s needs and to certain listening environments. These aids also can be programmed to focus on sounds coming from a specific direction. Several features are available to improve the hearing aid experience. Some of the most common include:
- Directional microphones to enhance speech understanding in noise
- Noise management to improve listening comfort in noisy situations
- Feedback cancellation to alleviate the annoyance of whistling and buzzing
- Streaming programs to access sound from phones and other audio sources
Audiologist who will perform an evaluation to determine the degree and type of your hearing loss. Based on the results of this evaluation, the audiologist will make a recommendation for the management of your hearing loss—either a medical evaluation by an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) physician or a hearing aid fitting.
Hearing aids need to be programmed to your specific hearing loss by a qualified audiologists. Some hearing amplification devices could worsen hearing if they are not professionally programmed and may not be suitable for your needs.