Will a hearing aid help?
Hearing instruments can provide a significant improvement for most people with a hearing loss although they cannot totally cure your hearing. The majority of hearing losses are the sensorineural type and include more than just the loss of loudness of sound. There is also a loss of clarity of sound due to the damage of the delicate sensory structures in the inner ear. People often report that they can still hear others talking but can't understand the words. Modern hearing instruments are designed to compensate for this problem by enhancing sounds in the range that's important for understanding speech.
A properly fitted hearing instrument can make communication easier and result in more social confidence. Listening to conversation can be more comfortable and require less effort resulting in less fatigue. Hearing instruments can enhance your quality of life.
What are the different types of hearing aids?
The most popular types of hearing aids can be divided into the following categories:
Completely-in-the-canal (CIC)
The smallest hearing aid sits right in the ear canal making it almost invisible in the ear. These hearing aids are restricted to people with ear canals large enough to accommodate the whole hearing aid. The CIC hearing aid is best suited to mild to moderate hearing losses.
In-the-canal (ITC)
The in-the-canal hearing aid sits deep in the ear opening, these instruments are also very discreet. In some models they can have various options installed like volume controls, program switches or telecoils. They can be used in cases of mild to moderate hearing loss.
Open Fit (Behind The Ear)
Open fit hearing aids utilise advanced technology, they are extremely small and nearly invisible to an observer. They work via a clear tube that comes from behind the ear and rests in the ear canal, in some models the actual earphone is located within the ear.
However, unlike standard behind the ear hearing aids, there is no earmold to block the ear canal when open fit hearing aids are worn. The clear tube is extremely thin and leaves the canal open.
Open fit hearing aids are also lightweight, many users find that after a few minutes of wearing them, they cannot feel them at all.
Invisible Open Fit
A new generation of Open Fits hearing aids are emerging in the market, these hearing aids sit unseen inside the ear, the photo shows just how tiny these instruments can be.