Hearing Aids

Hearing Aids

Hearing aids come in a great variety of shapes, colours and sizes. But when selecting a hearing aid the main feature to consider is the quality of sound it delivers and its suitability for your personal requirements.

Hearing Loss

Hearing losses vary according to their cause and may be diagnosed by an ENT specialist who may also prescribe treatment where it is available. Some hearing losses cannot be treated medically, so amplification is the solution for minimizing communication problems. With current technology, it would be hard to find a hearing impaired person who could not benefit from a well-fitted hearing aid. Audiologists specialize in hearing tests and in the fitting of hearing aids.

Choosing a Hearing Aid

The Audiologist can help you select the appropriate hearing aid based on the results of a thorough hearing test together with consideration of your particular communication problems and personal needs. There are more than a hundred different hearing aids available on the market from a dozen different manufacturers. The majority have their components made overseas and are assembled in Australia. Healthy Hearing and Balance Care has access to all brands, the choice being based on your individual needs.

Hearing Aid Features

Hearing aids have a microphone that picks up sound, an amplifier that magnifies it and a receiver that delivers the amplified sound into the ear canal. The characteristics of these vary to suit different hearing losses.

As hearing losses are generally very different from person to person, a hearing aid must be individually selected for each case. The hearing aid must also fit snugly in the ear canal, so an impression of the ear is taken to have the hearing aid or ear mould custom made.

Most hearing aids are now digital. Some have multiple memories and can be adjusted by the user to suit different environments, for example, to respond better in noisy situations. Some have volume controls, either on the device itself or on a remote control unit. Others automatically adjust their volume according to the incoming sound.

All hearing aids operate with a battery, the size and life span of which varies according to the size of the hearing aid. Usually, each battery cell lasts for about 100 hours of use. The battery is easily replaced by the hearing aid user.

Types, Sizes and Shapes

Not every hearing aid size will suit every hearing loss. Your dexterity in manipulating a very small device also needs to
be considered.

•The behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid has a “hook shape” which sits behind the ear and is connected to an ear mould that sits in the ear canal.

•The in-the-ear (ITE) or concha hearing aid fits all the components into the ear and covers most of the outer part of the pinna (external ear).

•The in-the-canal (ITC) aid fits all the components into the ear canal and although very small, it can still be seen sitting in the ear.

•The completely-in-the-canal (CIC) aid is so small that it fits deep into the ear canal and can hardly be seen at all.

Hearing Aids and Background Noise

Background noise used to be the main complaint by hearing aid users: they could hear well with their aids in quiet situations but not in noisy situations. This is no longer the case with current technology. Improved performance with background noise has been the main contribution of recent hearing aid technology. Modern hearing aids with multiple microphones cut down the background noise quite significantly, making communication a lot easier in these situations.

One or Two Hearing Aids?

We have two ears for a reason – they enable us to localize sound in space and to improve the signal to noise ratio, crucial in background noise situations. Ideally, if there is a hearing loss in both ears, the two ears should be aided. It may even be preferable to have two “not so sophisticated” hearing aids rather than having only one ear fitted with a “top of the range” aid.

Hearing Aid Fitting Procedure

You should expect to come at least three times to the clinic during the fitting process. At the first appointment you will have a hearing test. Your needs will be assessed, an impression of your ear(s) taken and the most suitable aid for your hearing loss will be selected and custom made for you. The fitting takes place 2 weeks later with a further appointment scheduled for fine tuning of the aid.

After the hearing aids are successfully fitted you can expect ongoing support from the clinic for the maintenance of your hearing device.

For more information please visit these manufacture's web sites.