How Does A Hearing Aid Work?

Whatever the type or size of hearing aid they all work on basically the same principal, they have a built in microphone that amplifies sound from the environment which is then routed through the hearing aid to the ear canal.

The hearing aid can usually be adjusted for varying degrees of hearing loss, this is called the gain and is measure on hertz, severe hearing loss will require a higher gain level and smaller amounts will be needed for those suffering from a mild amount of hearing loss.

What Types Of Hearing Aid Are there?

Hearing aids have progressed along with the new technology available to us today and they can be categorised into three main types.

The Linear or conventional Hearing Aid

The conventional hearing aid is still a very popular choice among the hard of hearing, they amplify outside sounds only based on the amount of loss in question but they are also able to amplify moderate, soft and loud tones too by the same degree.

They are usually the cheapest in the range of hearing aids available on the market and start from $1600 to $2400 a pair which is about £800 to £1200.

Hi Technology or Programmable Hearing Aids

This type of hearing aid can either be digital or analogue and are programmed suing a computer or other digital source this technology gives access to a wider range of parameters and much more detailed precision when it comes to adjustment of the hearing aid.

The analogue hearing aid may be single or double banded which means that the audio signal processed through a single circuit path will have an affect on the entire frequency response. A multi banded one will have two or more paths which allows for frequency adjustments to be made separately.

This type of hearing aid may also be automatic which means there is no volume wheel as the hearing aid is capable of adjusting itself according to the frequency of the sounds.

This type of hearing aid may also include several different programmes for different types of sound which may be accessed through buttons on the actual hearing aid or by remote control. A hearing aid of this type will cost from between $2200 and $6000 per pair or £1170 and £3200.

Digital Hearing Aids

Sound is converted to an electrical current by the microphone through the digital hearing aid then an analogue/digital converter will turn the electrical signal into a series of binary numbers by way of positive or negative electrical voltage.

This type of hearing aid is basically a mini computer which is instructed by programming to manipulate data to the benefit of the wearer.

The digital output once computed is then converted back to analogue electrical impulses by a converter which then in turn is converted by the receiver back to sound. The digital hearing aid will cost between $4800 and $7000 per pair which is roughly £2500 and £3800.

Batteries for Hearing Aids

It takes a lot of power to run a hearing aid so Zinc air batteries are used as they are lightweight but produce a lot of energy, batteries varies from hearing aid to hearing aid depending on the manufacturer but now after customer research a universal system has been adopted. To make it easier to remember the battery sizes they are now all colour coded for a particular size.

Adapting Your Existing Phone

If you are hard of hearing then there are several ways you can adapt your existing telephone to make life easier, many telephones have a volume adjuster which enables the user to higher or lower the volume of the ring on the telephone also putting the telephone on a hard surface will make the ring sound louder.

If you are still having problems hearing the ring then an extension bell can be added to greatly increase the sound. A visual call indicator is another popular choice it is in the form of a bright flashing light which will flash on and off when your telephone rings.

If you have problems actually hearing the conversation then a telephone amplifier could help you, the amplifier can either be attached to the handset itself or in-between the handset and the phone.

Some amplifiers may also have something called an inductive coupler for people who have hearing aids there are special telephones you can buy that has the inductive coupler built into them especially for the person using a hearing aid.

Buying a new Phone

If you use a hearing aid then you will need a telephone that is compatible with it this type of phone will have an inductive coupler built into it.

If you have a body worn hearing aid with a “T” switch built into it then you can use the handset of the phone held upside down so that it is closer to the hearing aid. Telephones vary so there are a few things you should watch for when purchasing a new one.

Voice Amplification is one feature that is a must because this feature will make your callers voice much louder and easier to hear. Most phones of this type have a volume control and will allow you to choose a comfortable level and increase the volume of your caller’s voice by 10 to 20 decibels; this means the increase in sound will be around 2 to 4 times as loud.

Tone Adjustment Certain phones will allow you to cut out or boost certain tones in your caller’s speech this leads to a clearer voice.

The Ringer often is an important factor because some people who are hard of hearing can hear one sound better than another so if you can try to listen to it before buying it, some will have ring tone volume control also.

A Visual Call Indicator is another good feature; this will flash a light on and off whenever the phone rings.

Caller Display will display on an LCD screen the name and number of the caller.

Vibrating Phones This phone is specially designed for those suffering from conductive hearing loss; it is a standard corded telephone with a vibrating ear piece which is held against the bone behind the ear.

The vibrations caused by speech then travel by conduction through the bone to the inner ear. A standard model with big buttons and light indicator will cost around £50, $93 USD or 73 Euros.