Hearing loss is generally categorized as conductive and “sensorineural”. Conductive hearing loss refers to abnormal transmission of sound to the outer or middle ear. This can be easily fixed by hearing aids that use analog technology through amplification of sound. Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by cochlear or auditory nerve malfunction. Since this is more of a sound processing problem, this requires some digital technology, and this is where digital hearing aids can help.
Analog hearing aids make use of the process of amplification by making sound waves larger. They come as either conventional or programmable types. Conventional instruments consist of circuitry that allows for a simple volume control in adjusting how loud sound is received. Programmable instruments, on the other hand, have circuitry that can be programmed to suit the level of your hearing loss or desired volume.
Digital hearing aids work by digitizing sound to produce a clean and customized sound output. They are custom-fit based on the degree of your hearing loss. Millions of algorithms perform calculations faster than you can blink in order to digitally process sound, while reducing or eliminating feedback, noise and distortion. From the collection of sound, it undergoes transformation to digital format using digital processes and translates them to recognizable analog sound. Maximum flexibility and precise fine-tuning are what makes them better instruments.
Hearing aids have taken lots of form, small or big. But they generally fall into four categories. They come as BTE (behind the ear), ITE (in the ear), ITC (in the canal), and CIC (completely in the canal). BTE’s houses its microphone and amplifier in a plastic casing that fits behind the ear. They are mostly recommended for children because of their robustness.
In the ear or ITE models are tailored to fit a certain individual’s outer ear. They are recommended for patients with mild to severe hearing problems, although a bit difficult to use as compared to BTE’s due to their size. In the canal or ITC’s are smaller than ITE’s and only take up half the space of your ear. They are much less visible compared to ITE and BTE models, and are recommended for mild to moderate hearing loss.
CIC’s, being the smallest of all hearing aids can appear to be unnoticeable and makes patients look like they are not wearing them at all. They only cater to select individuals with ear canals large enough for the instrument to be inserted and are not recommended for severe hearing problems.
With so many hearing aids in the market, you ask yourself, where do I start? This is a question that is very difficult to answer since every individual with hearing loss has different needs based on the degree of hearing loss they have, their way of life, and the mode of communication they experience everyday.
With that being said, the better question might be: Which one is best for me? Your friend might say that he has the best one out there, but it may not be the best for you. Only by undergoing hearing tests and thorough evaluation of your hearing loss problems can you get the right instrument for yourself.
Remember that your needs will always be different from others, and on choosing hearing aids, it’s no different. A doctor, audiologist or hearing instrument specialist can conduct accurate tests that will pinpoint the right instrument for you, be it analog or digital hearing aids.
Tags: Deafness, Disabilities, Health Care, hearing aids, Medical Equipment, medicine
