SHARES
“Dear, can you take out the trash?” Lily enlisted her husband, John, to help her with household chores. “I’m sorry, I find it hard to hear properly nowadays. Can you repeat what you’ve just said?” replied John, helplessly. With a heavy sigh, Lily completed the chore instead.
John’s hearing seemed to worsen with each passing day. As their frustration grew, they decided to consult an audiologist. After a series of hearing test, the audiologist found John has a moderate hearing impairment. Hence he recommended a hearing aid to help John amplify soft sounds encountered in his daily life, marking the beginning of their quest to search for the right hearing aid.
Basics of Hearing Aids
Simply put, a hearing aid is a battery-powered electronic device designed to enhance hearing. It is usually worn in or behind the ear and made up of three components:
- A microphone to detect sound.
- An amplifier to make the sound louder.
- A receiver to send amplified sounds into the ear.
Generally, there are two main types of hearing aids — analogue and digital. Analog hearing aids convert sound waves into electrical signals for sound amplification; meanwhile, digital hearing aids convert sound waves into numerical codes powerful enough to discern the direction, pitch or volume of a sound. Hence, digital hearing aid are easier to adjust to, albeit more expensive to own.
There are also three different styles of hearing aid:
Canal: It fits inside the ear, thus more discreet in appearance. An in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aid fits specific ear canal; on the other hand, a completely-in-canal (CIC) aid is smaller and nearly hidden in the ear. Both types help with mild to moderately severe hearing loss. However, as this device is small, it can be harder to adjust or remove.
In-the-ear (ITE): It fits completely inside the outer ear. They’re best for people with mild to severe hearing loss. However, it may not be suitable for children with growing ears.
Behind-the-ear (BTE): It sits in a plastic case behind the ear, with a plastic ear mold inside the outer ear to directs sound to the ear. A smaller version — mini BTE, fits entirely behind the ear with a narrow tube that goes into the ear canal. A BTE aid is suitable for all ages and severity of impairment.
Source: NIH/NIDCD
Choosing Your Hearing Aid
As each individual would have different requirements, therefore there is no one-size-fits-all solution to choosing the right hearing aid. Some considerations would include:
- Type of hearing loss
- Severity of hearing loss
- Age of the wearer
- Ability of the wearer to maintain small devices
- Wearer’s lifestyle
- Budget to purchase a hearing aid
Conclusion
Choosing and getting used to a hearing aid can be daunting. However, with patience and perseverance, it is possible to find and adjust to your hearing aid as you work closely with your audiologist. If you or your loved one suffer from hearing difficulties, do not delay, consult an audiologist today.
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by Joanne Lee
Multipotentialite. Loves creating and seeing ideas come alive. View all articles by Joanne Lee.
