Getting to Know Your Hearing Aids

Hearing aids are electronic devices that gather and analyze sound. They have been shown to improve communication, beneficial to relationships, job performance, social involvement, and general health and fitness. Hearing aids have seen a lot of advancement in recent years, and there are a lot of choices. Learning about these gadgets and what they have to offer might help you get the most out of them.

How does it work?

Hearing aids comprise a few fundamental components that combine to pick up, enhance, and process sound. Understanding the fundamental mechanics of hearing aids is a good starting point.

The term “amplifier” refers to a device that increases the volume of electrical impulses. When sound waves are supplied to the amplifier, the microphone picks up sound from the environment and converts them to electrical impulses. The electrical signals are transformed back into soundwaves, then processed by the inner ear.

Hearing aids help the auditory system in hearing and comprehending incoming sound information.

Types of hearing aids

Hearing aids today come in various sizes, shapes, and powers, depending on your ear anatomy and hearing loss. The following are some of the most common types:

IIC (invisible-in-the-canal): This type is suitable for mild to moderate hearing loss. The IIC type is designed to fit snugly inside your ear canal. It’s the smallest option on the market.

Completely-in-the-canal (CIC): The CIC is ideal for persons with mild to moderate hearing loss who desire a device that is almost undetectable to others. Each hearing aid is manufactured to order for your comfort and is highly discrete.

In-the-ear (ITE): An ITE is a custom-fit hearing aid to the outer section of the ear. These easy-to-use controls have been designed to ensure seamless functioning. For many levels of hearing loss, ITEs are a great option.

Receiver-in-the-canal (RIC): RICs are a stunning combination of form and function, ideal for mild to severe hearing loss. RICs are incredibly light and have a relaxed fit, barely seen when worn. A sleek microphone shell sits behind your ear, separating the receiver from the microphone to reduce feedback. These hearing aids are small, discreet, and easy to put on, making them perfect for many first-time users.

Behind-the-ear (BTE): These hearing aids are an excellent alternative for people with severe or moderate hearing loss. You can choose from a range of sizes, shapes, and colors for the electronic components housed in a casing or housing behind your ear. They also have some of the longest-lasting batteries and have the most extensive range of features.

Features for hearing aids

Around 2006, Bluetooth technology was first integrated into hearing aids, revolutionizing the hearing aid industry. This expanded the capabilities of hearing aids, and the first made-for-iPhone hearing aids were released in 2014. The advancement of technology continues to bring new features to hearing aids, such as:

Hearing aids can link wirelessly to electrical devices such as your smartphone, TV, and speaker utilizing Bluetooth technology. This allows audio to be streamed straight from the hearing device, which improves sound quality. This means that audio from music, phone conversations, television, and other sources may be heard significantly better. This feature is now included in most hearing aids, becoming more of a norm.

Some hearing aids use artificial intelligence (AI) in various ways. Allowing hearing aids to learn and adopt specific settings is one of the most important ways. Hearing aids can learn the user’s preferences in a particular environment and automatically adapt to those settings. This eliminates the need for the wearer to make manual adjustments because the hearing aids analyze the surroundings and apply pre-programmed settings to fit the hearing demands in that environment.

With these fascinating features, people can better integrate their hearing aids into their daily lives. This is especially vital now that our world is becoming more digital. If you’d like to learn more about which hearing aids might suit you, please get in touch with us to discuss your options.