Hearing Aids
About Hearing Aids
At Echo Hearing Center, we recognize that the significant impact of hearing loss is often underestimated until it has begun to severely impact a person’s life. We exist to provide people with the kind of quality services, products, and resources that they can use to fight the negative effects of hearing loss, and hearing aids are just one example of the solutions we offer at our hearing clinic!
How Hearing Aids Work
Hearing aids are small computerized devices which sit in or on your ear to help facilitate greatly improved hearing. They come in various styles from a variety of brands, so you will have plenty of options when it comes to choosing your own hearing aids.
Now, how exactly hearing aids vary depending mainly on whether they are analog or digital hearing aids. Both types are available, however; digital hearing aids are now more prolific and come with more helpful features. To help you have an idea which may suit you, we wanted to go over how analog and digital hearing aids operate.
Analog Hearing Aids
When it comes to analog hearing aids, the sound is captured and amplified by the device. After the sounds are amplified, they are transmitted to the inner ear at a loud enough volume for you to hear it.
One of the main drawbacks of this amplification process is that any and all sounds captured by the analog hearing aids are amplified with equal strength. An example of this would be if you were in a cafe with friends. While your friends’ voices would be louder, equally loud would be the sound of cutlery clinking on plates and the inevitable background music. If that sounds overwhelming, it’s because that would be too much for someone to comfortably process.
Digital Hearing Aids
In direct answer to the amplifying issues that come with analog hearing aids, when you use digital hearing aids, sounds are captured and put through the Digital Sound Processor which is inside this type of hearing aids. While being processed, sharp sounds like doors slamming will not be amplified as loudly as softer sounds, like a person whispering. Once the sounds are processed, they will be sent to your inner ear.
How much sounds are processed will depend on the hearing aids you have, as not all digital hearing aids are developed with the same technology. However, the basic process is the same.
Hearing Aids Help With Many Hearing Related Issues
Hearing aids are predominately for correcting hearing loss, but there are many other ways which using hearing aids can help you.
- Assist With Tinnitus Management – While there is no cure for tinnitus, it can be managed, and hearing aids are one of the key ways you can effectively manage tinnitus. Hearing aids with tinnitus support built into them are able to emit white noise or other soothing background sounds which can help your tinnitus symptoms reduce to unnoticeable levels.
- Reduce the Risk of Cognitive Decline – There is a strong and troubling connection between hearing loss and cognitive decline. Research has shown that those who have hearing loss have a much higher risk of their cognitive abilities declining than their peers who do not have hearing loss. With hearing aids to help keep you connected to the world around you, that risk can be reduced.
- Improve Ability to Socialize – Lacking our ability hear can make socializing difficult, if not outright almost impossible. As hearing loss often will affect your ability to hear higher frequencies, socializing with women and children, in particular, will be tough, as they often have higher vocal frequencies. Also, soft sound consonants such as sh, h, f can be difficult to hear, making it sound like people are constantly mumbling. Hearing aids can help you tune back in the conversations around you and help you be an active participant again.
- Help With Situational Awareness – When your hearing is impaired by loss, it can be difficult to catch the sound cues that indicate how things around you are going. With hearing aid, you can catch those important sounds and keep yourself in the loop.
Who Should Consider Receiving Hearing Aids
For those people who have sensorineural hearing loss with a loss of hearing up to 25 decibels, you should consider using hearing aids to correct the loss. That level of loss means you have mild hearing loss. As hearing loss can be a progressive issue, it is important to receive treatment as soon as possible.
If you aren’t sure whether you have hearing loss, you can come into our hearing clinic and have a comprehensive hearing examination. Our audiologist will be able to determine your level of hearing loss and what hearing aids will be appropriate to help you.
Basic Hearing Aid Styles
When it comes to hearing aid styles, there are two basic styles of hearing aids—Behind-The-Ear (BTE) and In-The-Ear (ITE). These style variations can change what technology is available and how strong the hearing aid is at amplifying sounds.
Behind-The-Ear Style Hearing Aids
Designed with the main body of the device resting behind the ear and a tube extending to the canal, this is the most commonly recognized style of hearing aids. BTE hearing aids are often more powerful than ITE hearing aids, as they are larger and have more room for sound capturing and processing technology. This style of hearing aids are generally used for those with mild to severe hearing loss, and some specific models can help even with profound hearing loss.
In-The-Ear Style Hearing Aids
With the ITE style of hearing aids, the device will sit inside your ear. How much of the device is visible is highly dependent on what specific type of ITE hearing aid you choose. These hearing aids are often popular due to their discreet size and ease of use, as they won’t interfere with wearing glasses or other types of headgear the way BTE hearing aids can. Generally, ITE hearing aids are best for those with mild-to-moderate hearing loss, though some can be appropriate for severe hearing loss.
Rechargeable Hearing Aids
Rechargeable hearing aids are not exactly another body style of hearing aids; however, they offer the significant benefit of freeing yourself from needing to change batteries continually. Instead, all you need to do is pop your hearing aids onto their charger, and they are ready for the next day, or faster depending on the hearing aids. At this time, rechargeable hearing aids only come in BTE style.
Find a Huge Selection of Hearing Aids at Echo Hearing Center
Helping people hear better is our mission, which is why we make a point of working with state of the art hearing diagnostic equipment and as many hearing aid manufacturers as possible. That way, we can determine exactly how advanced your hearing loss is and provide you with as many hearing aid options as possible.
So, if you are looking for the most hearing loss options and high-quality service from experienced hearing professionals, then contact us today for an appointment.