Hearing Aids and Hearing Loss

A hearing aid is an electro-acoustic device that fits in, or behind the users ear and allows for sounds to be amplified. They are used when there is any amount of hearing loss. They are an advancement of the ear trumpet which merely took sound from a greater area and directed it down to the eardrum. These devices are much smaller, some of them completely invisible, and are powered by hearing aid batteries which do have to be replaced from time to time. One of the best ways to avoid wearing these hearing devices is by using hearing protection when loud sounds are sure to be present.

Hearing damage occurs when exposed to sounds as low as 85dB, which is about as loud as a busy road, at that level it takes long term exposure before hearing is lost. At 120dB ears can be damaged very quickly, which is still well below the sound that a rifle or jet engine makes. From 100 miles away the explosion of Krakatoa still exceeded 180dB and caused a great deal of hearing loss to people who were otherwise not directly affected by the blast. Ear plugs are good at muffling noises up to 150dB, but are not as good as over the head, sealing ear-muffs used by runway personnel.

In severe cases of hearing loss, or when a stroke occurs, speech therapy often has to be implemented because the person either cannot hear their voice well enough to effectively communicate, or the part of their brain controlling speech is damaged or inaccessible. Speech aids can also be used when a person cannot speak at all, but can control a computer. The commands input into the computer are converted to audible sounds and words output through a speaker. The most famous person using a voice output communication aid is Steven Hawking, the celebrated astro-physicist.

There are about seven different types of hearing aids. Body worn aids are seldom used now, but were among the first and are still used today. They consist of a receiver (microphone) that is about the size of a deck of cards that has a tube connected up to the ear canal. The receiver is worn on the belt or in a shirt pocket. Behind the ear aids fit behind the ear, and have a hose or wire that connects into the ear drum, these are the most widely used because they are inexpensive and work very well for children, as well as adults. Digital hearing aids have the speaker directly in the ear, but the receiver is still behind the ear. In the ear aids can be digital or analog as well, but the entire unit is in the ear, and completely seals in the ear. In the canal aids are similar to in the ear aids, but are smaller and usually deeper in the ear, making them less visible. Open fit, or over the ear devices are designed for people with major hearing damage. There are even bone anchored aids that convert sound into vibrations that are transmitted through the skull, stimulating audio nerves inside the ears. These have to be surgically implanted, and have a small protrusion in the back of the neck.

The best hearing aid is one that will work for the users needs. A child is constantly growing, so in the ear aids would be expensive to replace every time the child’s ear grew. Behind the ear aids have replaceable tubes and ear fittings, so they can be changed cheaply and easily as the child grows without having to replace the whole unit. For adults who have just recently noticed their hearing loss, a discrete model might be the best. In the canal aids are difficult to see unless looking directly into the ear. Consulting with a doctor will help finding the model that will suit you or your loved one best.

 

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