Hearing loss is an unfortunate consequence of age. Over time, aging and exposure to loud noise cause damage to the inner ear, diminishing our ability to hear the world around us. This issue can be truly frustrating, and many people undergoing hearing loss tend to feel hopeless. Thankfully, solutions like hearing aids can provide fast and convenient relief from this issue. While hearing aids can’t restore normal hearing, they can dramatically improve it by amplifying soft sounds. When it comes to finding the right hearing aids for you, having a dedicated team of otolaryngologists is essential. Dr. Marlowe and his team of board certified PhD level audiologists offer every possible option to help correct your hearing loss.
Additionally, Dr. Marlowe is a neurologist who specializes in many ear surgeries and is able to offer rehabilitation and other options that the average ENT office cannot. If you are interested in learning more about hearing aid alternatives, give us a call at (941) 379-3277.
How Do Hearing Aids Work?
Hearing aids perform the function of amplifying sounds, helping you hear what you have trouble hearing. These convenient devices all use the same basic parts to carry sounds from the environment into your ear and make them louder. Most hearing aids are digital and powered by a special battery. Complete with small microphones, they collect sounds from the environment and transmit them to a computer chip. Afterward, the chip converts the incoming sounds into a digital code. It analyzes and adjusts the sounds based on your hearing loss, listening needs, and the level of the sounds around you. The amplified signals are then converted back into sound waves and delivered to your ears through speakers.
Different Styles of Hearing Aids
Hearing aids come in varying styles, and in-ear or out-of-ear designs are just the start of your choices. Hearing aids greatly differ in price, size, special features, and even the way they’re placed in your ear. The following are common hearing aid styles, beginning with the smallest, least visible in the ear.
Completely-in-the-canal (CIC) Hearing Aid
This style is molded to fit inside your ear canal and is designed to improve mild to moderate hearing loss in adults. This device:
- Is the smallest and least visible type.
- Is less likely to pick up wind noise.
- Uses very small batteries, which have a shorter life and can be difficult to handle.
- Doesn’t contain extra features, such as volume control or a directional microphone.
- Is susceptible to earwax clogging the speaker.
In-the-canal (ITC) Hearing Aid
This device is custom molded and fits partly in the ear canal. The ITC’s style can improve mild to moderate hearing loss in adults. This device:
- Is less visible in the ear than larger styles.
- Includes features that won’t fit on completely-in-the-canal aids, but may be difficult to adjust due to its small size.
- Is susceptible to earwax clogging the speaker.
In-the-ear (ITE) Hearing Aid
This device is custom made in two styles — the first style fills most of the bowl-shaped area of your outer ear (full shell) and the second fills only the lower part (half shell). Both are helpful for people with mild to severe hearing loss. An in-the-ear hearing aid:
- Includes features that don’t fit on smaller style hearing aids, such as a volume control.
- May be easier to handle.
- Uses a larger battery for longer battery life.
- Is susceptible to earwax clogging the speaker.
- May pick up more wind noise than smaller devices.
- Is more visible in the ear than smaller devices.
Behind-the-ear (BTE) Hearing Aid
This style hooks over the top of your ear and rests behind the ear. A tube connects the hearing aid to a custom earpiece called an earmold that fits in your ear canal. This type is appropriate for people of all ages and those with almost any type of hearing loss. A behind-the-ear hearing aid:
- Traditionally has been the largest type of hearing aid, though some newer mini designs are streamlined and barely visible.
- Is capable of more amplification than other styles.
- May pick up more wind noise than other styles.
Receiver-in-canal (RIC) & Receiver-in-the-ear (RITE)
These styles are similar to a behind-the-ear hearing aid with the speaker or receiver in the canal or in the ear. A tiny wire, rather than tubing, connects the pieces. A receiver-in-canal hearing aid:
- Has a less visible behind-the-ear portion.
- Is susceptible to earwax clogging the speaker.
Open-fit Hearing Aid
This is a variation of the behind-the-ear hearing aid with a thin tube. This style keeps the ear canal very open, allowing for low-frequency sounds to enter the ear naturally and for high-frequency sounds to be amplified through the hearing aid. This makes the style a good choice for people with mild to moderate hearing loss. An open-fit hearing aid:
- Is less visible.
- Don’t plug the ear like the small in-the-canal hearing aids do, making your own voice sound better to you.
- May be more difficult to handle and adjust due to small parts.
Cochlear Implant
This style of implant features both internal and external parts. The external fixture sits behind the ear, picking up sounds via a microphone. After being picked up, the sound is then processed and transmitted to the internal part of the implant. This implant:
- Is excellent choice for those who still find it difficult to hear and understand speech using a traditional hearing aid.
- Can improve music enjoyment and help pick up environmental sounds.
- Typically requires a two hour surgery to install.
Maxum Implant
This middle-ear implant uses a speaker to amplify sound. It’s advanced sound processor works by sending electric signals to a transceiver coil. These signals are transferred electromagnetically across the eardrum to the implant, causing the ossicles to vibrate and directly stimulate the inner ear. This implant choice:
- Offers less feedback than traditional hearing aids.
- Minimizes occlusion, helping your voice sounds more natural to your ears.
- Provides clear sound by directly stimulating the inner ear.
Earlens
This specialized hearing aid uses light instead of sound to transmit energy into the ear. The Earlens uses small laser light to non-invasively and non-acoustically vibrate the eardrum directly. This leads to the efficient delivery of wide bandwidth amplification to the ear. This hearing aid:
- Provides superior hearing quality when compared to traditional acoustic hearing aids.
- Offers simple wireless recharging for your convenience.
- Provides automatic environment adjustment, raising and lowering the sound you hear based on the sound around you.
Hearing Aid Options
To find the right hearing aid option for you, you need a dedicated staff of professionals who specialize in ENT and hearing loss treatments. Our audiologists can provide you with comprehensive tests to determine your degree of hearing loss and provide you with the exact hearing aid style to fit your needs. If you are in the market for a hearing aid, here is some helpful information before you buy.
Some hearing aid optional features improve your ability to hear in specific situations:
- Noise reduction. All hearing aids have some amount of noise reduction available. The amount of noise reduction varies.
- Directional microphones. hearing aids are capable of These are aligned on the hearing aid to provide for improved pick up of sounds coming from in front of you with some reduction of sounds coming from behind or beside you. Some focusing in one direction. Directional microphones can improve your ability to hear when you’re in an environment with a lot of background noise.
- Rechargeable batteries. Some hearing aids have rechargeable batteries. This can make maintenance easier for you by eliminating the need to regularly change the battery.
- Telecoils. Telecoils make it easier to hear when talking on a telecoil-compatible telephone. The telecoil eliminates the sounds from your environment and only picks up the sounds from the telephone. Telecoils also pick up signals from public induction loop systems that can be found in some churches or theaters, allowing you to hear the speaker, play or movie better.
- Wireless connectivity. Increasingly, hearing aids can wirelessly interface with certain Bluetooth-compatible devices, such as cellphones, music players and televisions. You may need to use an intermediary device to pick up the phone or other signal and send it to the hearing aid.
- Remote controls. Some hearing aids come with a remote control, so you can adjust features without touching the hearing aid.
- Direct audio input. This feature allows you to plug into audio from a television, a computer or a music device with a cord.
- Variable programming. Some hearing aids can store several pre-programmed settings for various listening needs and environments.
- Environmental noise control. Some hearing aids offer noise cancellation, which helps block out background noise. Some also offer wind noise reduction.
- Synchronization. For an individual with two hearing aids, the aids can be programmed to function together so that adjustments made to a hearing aid on one ear (volume control or program changes) will also be made on the other aid, allowing for simpler control.
Find Hearing Aids In Sarasota, Florida
If you are struggling with progressive hearing loss, we’re here to help. At Marlowe MD, we’re dedicated to your health and well being. Request an appointment today to discuss the right hearing aids to fit your needs by selecting and filling out the appropriate form below or dialing (941) 379-3277. Improved hearing is a simple consultation away.