HEARING AIDS

Hearing aids are tiny electronic devices that amplify sound and increase the volume of the sound reaching the cochlea. They improve speech recognition and comprehension. These devices include a battery, a receiver, a microphone, and an amplifier. The machines are of two types – analog or digital.

The analog devices can be worn on the body or behind the ear. The body-worn hearing device includes a box that should be kept in the pocket, which is connected to the earplugs that are held in the ear canal by wires. The behind-the-ear type hearing aid rests behind the ear as suggested by the name and includes a plastic mold that fits in the ear canal.  Analog devices really help most people with hearing loss but pose a disadvantage as they amplify all sounds they pick, including background noise.

Digital hearing aids help boost frequencies to required values producing better quality sound with no feedback. The size and shape range is vast, with behind-the-ear and body type options. They are smaller in size, making them less visible and obvious to other people. Due to the improved quality of listening, they may be a little more expensive but they make a vast impact on the quality of life.