If you’ve noticed that you’re having a harder time hearing conversations at work or when socializing with friends at Bill’s Grill, you might need hearing aids. To know what device is right for you, it can be helpful to understand how hearing aids work and what differences there are between various models.
How Hearing Aids Process Sound
Hearing aids are made up of five essential components:
- Microphone
- Amplifier
- Speaker
- Battery
- Computer processor
Hearing aid microphones pick up sounds that are adjusted by the computer processor, which has been programmed by your hearing aid specialist and customized for your type of hearing loss.
Once these sounds are processed, they are sent to the amplifier and then to the speaker. These sounds are transmitted by the speaker into the inner ear, where they are transformed into electrical impulses and finally processed as sound in the brain.
What Style of Hearing Aid is Right for You?
The style of hearing aid you choose will depend largely on your personal preferences, comfort and severity of hearing loss. Your options include:
- Behind-the-ear (BTE): These consist of a hard plastic case that’s worn behind the ear and is connected to a plastic earmold that fits inside the outer ear. They are generally comfortable and easy to maintain, though they are more visible than smaller hearing aid models.
- In-the-ear (ITE): These hearing aids fit completely inside the outer ear and are slightly more discreet than BTE models. They are molded to fit the exact shape of your ear, which should provide comfort and excellent sound quality. If you have dexterity issues, ITE models may be too small. They may also be more prone to earwax buildup than BTE hearing aids.
- In-the-canal or Completely-in-canal (ITC or CIC): Both of these fit in the ear canal and are the smallest and least visible options. However, not everyone feels comfortable with a device completely in their ear. Additionally, because they are so small, they have less power than other models and are not recommended for anyone with severe to profound hearing loss.
Other Factors to Consider When Selecting Hearing Aids
In addition to style, it’s important to consider what features you need based on your lifestyle. Do you work from home and find it helpful to be able to stream calls directly into your device? Then consider hearing aids that have Bluetooth™ capabilities. If you participate in a lot of outdoor activities, think about features that may help suppress wind noise.
Discuss all of your options with your audiologist so that you can find a customized pair of hearing aids that best meet your needs.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Prescott Ear, Nose, Throat & Allergy today.