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Your First Hearing Aid
- Do I need hearing aids?
- Do you have trouble hearing the telephone or doorbell ring?
- Does your family say that you play the television too loudly?
- Do you sometimes fail to understand words clearly?
- Do you find that other people seem to mumble?
If you answer yes to any of these questions, you may benefit from the help of hearing aids.
Hearing aids are miniature amplifiers that do not affect your hearing loss, but do make it easier for you to hear. Often, others may notice that you are having difficulty hearing before you are aware of it.
Would a Hearing Aid Help if I Have a "Nerve Loss"?
Yes, a hearing aid can provide you with some hearing help even if you have what is called a "nerve loss." It is an often-repeated myth that people who have "nerve deafness" cannot be helped with hearing aids. Nothing is further from the truth. The majority of people who do use hearing aids today have a sensori-neural hearing loss (popularly labeled "nerve deafness"), since medical and surgical techniques can usually correct a conductive hearing loss.
What are the different hearing aid styles?
There are many styles of hearing aids. The degree of the hearing loss, power and options requirements, manual dexterity abilities, cost factors, and cosmetic concerns are some of the factors that will determine the style the patient will use. The most common styles are listed below:
ITE: In-The-Ear units are probably the most comfortable, the least expensive and the easiest to operate. They are also the largest of the custom made styles.
ITC: In-The-Canal units are a little more expensive than ITEs. They require good dexterity to control the volume wheels and other controls on the faceplate, and they are smaller than ITEs.
MC: Mini-Canals are the size between ITC and CIC. A mini canal is a good choice when you desire the smallest possible hearing aid while still having manual control over the volume wheel and possibly other controls.
CIC: Completely-In-the-Canal units are the tiniest hearing aids made. They usually require a "removal string" due to their small size and the fact that they fit so deeply into the canal. CICs can be difficult to remove without the pull string. CICs do not usually have manual controls attached to them because they are too small.
BTEs: Behind-The-Ear hearing aids are the largest hearing aids and they are very reliable. BTEs have the most circuit options and they can typically have much more power than any of the custom made in the ear units. BTEs are the units that "sit" on the back of your ear. They are connected to the ear canal via custom-made plastic tubing. The tubing is part of the earmold. The earmold is custom made from an ear impression to perfectly replicate the size and shape of your ear.
What are the different levels of hearing aid technologies?
There are essentially three levels of hearing aid technology. We refer to these as analog, digitally programmable, and digital.
- ANALOG technology is the technology that has been around for many decades. Analog technology is basic technology and offers limited adjustment capability. It is the LEAST expensive.
- DIGITALLY PROGRAMMABLE technology is the "middle grade" technology. Digitally programmable units are analog units digitally controlled by the computer in the office to adjust the sounds of the hearing aid.
- DIGITAL technology is the most sophisticated hearing aid technology. Digital technology gives the audiologist maximum control over sound quality and sound processing characteristics. There are qualitative indications that digital instruments do outperform digitally programmable and analog hearing aids. Digitals are not perfect, but they are very good. Digital hearing aids have been widely available since 1996.
What Are Your Physical Concerns?
These are questions that you might consider when getting a hearing aid:
Q: How is my dexterity?
A: Your dexterity is a factor in determining a hearing aid, as you will need to find a hearing aid in which you will be able to handle small batteries or control.
Q: Do I wear glasses?
A: The "behind the ear" style of hearing aid can be troublesome for individuals who wear glasses. One option available is the "eyeglass" style of hearing system with the hearing aid built into the frame of your eyeglasses. This type of hearing aid is available in the "behind the ear" and bone conduction models of hearing aids.
Q: What are your listening needs?
A: Am I in a quiet or noisy environment all the time?
Am I in groups all the time?
Do I travel a lot in the car?
Do I spend a lot of time on the phone?
Is music important to me?
Q: What are your social needs?
A: Are you concerned about others knowing about your hearing loss?
What are my hobbies? Am I active?
Q: What are your economic concerns?
A: How much will a hearing aid cost?
What Research Is Being Done on Hearing Aids?
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) supports more than 30 grants for scientists to conduct studies on hearing aid research and development. These studies cover areas such as the application of new signal processing strategies and ways to improve sound transmission and reduce noise interference, as well as psychophysical studies of the impact of abnormal hearing function on speech recognition. Other studies focus on the best way to select and fit hearing aids in children and other difficult-to-test populations, and on reducing bothersome aspects such as feedback and the occlusion effect. Further research will determine the best ways to manipulate speech signals in order to enhance understanding.
To improve hearing aid performance, especially in noisy situations, NIDCD has entered into two collaborative ventures. The first was formed between NIDCD and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to expand and intensify hearing aid research and development. The program includes a contract for the development of hearing aids as well as clinical trials. The knowledge gained will be used to help people choose the best hearing aid for their particular type of hearing impairment.
In the second collaboration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the VA have joined NIDCD in surveying all Federal laboratories for acoustic and electronic technologies that might improve hearing aids. The most promising technologies have been presented to auditory scientists and hearing aid manufacturers in the hope of forming research partnerships that will lead to commercial application of these technologies.
Last Revised April 4, 2002
Sources for Article: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Information taken from www.hearingcenteronline.com and www.healthyhearing.com
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