A Brief Introduction To Hearing Aids

An important health issue, hearing loss encompasses a wide range of etiologies and affects a sizable fraction of the general population. Most hearing disorders result in a reduction in hearing sensitivity, even though interest has grown. Recent research has focused on “hidden hearing loss” which can cause hearing difficulties and no anomaly was detected in the audiogram. Hearing aids are created and fitted in order to minimize the specific issues that hearing-impaired people confront and thereby enhance their quality of life.

TYPES OF HEARING AIDS

BODY AID

There are numerous subcategories of hearing aids. The easiest way to classify them is by the location of wear, which also suggests the size of the hearing aid cannot exceed. The body aid is the most common type of hearing aid. The tools are usually measuring 60*40*15 mm. They are worn someplace on the body, as suggested by their name: in a pocket, in a bag on the belt or around the neck. Through a cable with two or three wires, they are connected to a receiver, from which the boosted audio is produced. The receiver is plugged into an ear-mould that is unique to the wearer’s ear canal and concha.

BEHIND THE EAR (BTE)

A hearing aid that fits behind the ear (BTE) is much more compact. Both BTEs and hearing aids have two pieces. The recognizable banana- housing, or various artistic variations of it, houses the microphone and electronics. In the BTE’s well- known configuration the receiver is positioned within the casing as well. Its sound is transmitted acoustically through a tube to a earmould or to a soft dome that keeps the tube's open end inside the ear canal.

IN THE EAR

The in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid is the following variety. Compared to full concha styles, which as their name suggests, fill the entire concha and about half of the ear canal, these style come in a variety of sizes. The half-concha or half-shell ITE is a more compact version of the ITE hearing aid that only converts the bottom region of the concha up to the crus-helias. Another variant merely fills the concha's upper half (the cymba). ITE and uses RITE technology to attach to the ear canal. The low profile ITE is another version. It does not fill the concha because it does not protrude far enough from the ear canal.

IN THE CANAL

When an ITE hearing aid takes up a minimal amount of space. The term “in the canal” (ITC) hearing aid refers to piece of the cavum concha and its outer face that is parallel to the ear canal opening.

COMPLETELY IN THE CANAL

Those hearing aids that do completely fit into the ear canal are referred to ad hearing aids that are completely in the canal (CIC). These hearing aids have tiny parts enough so that no hearing aids need to stick out paste the concha. It is known as a peri-tympanic CIC when the medial end of a CIC hearing aid is just a few millimeter from the eardrum.

COMPONENTS OF HEARING AIDS

Microphone

The microphone's job is to turn sound into electricity. It is called a transducer because it transforms energy from one form to another. The waveform of the electrical signal leaving a perfect microphone (and microphones are very close to being perfect) is the same as the waveform of the acoustical signal entering the microphone.

Amplifier

The fundamental job of an amplifier is straightforward. Its role is to increase the size of a little electrical signal. As the microphone is already in place the three things the amplifier can accomplish are convert sound to electrical voltages and currents. Then they can increase the voltage without changing the current. It might increase the current, although not have an impact on voltage. Thirdly, and most frequently, they have the ability to increase both the voltage and the current. In all three cases, the signal is stronger as it exits the amplifier than when it arrived. This extra energy must originate someplace. The amplifier's function is to use the battery's energy and transmit it to the amplifier output in a way that is regulated by the input signal.

Receiver

The receiver, which has an exterior similar to that of a microphone. It transforms the electrical signal that has been manipulated and amplified into an audio output signal.

Batteries

The increased signal power that the hearing aid transmits to the wearer comes from the battery. The voltage, capacity, maximum current it can deliver, electrical impedance, and physical size of the battery are among its crucial properties. Small hearing aid batteries must nevertheless have enough power to run the receiver and the circuitry, which includes the preamplifier, analog-to-digital converter, signal processor, and in some cases, the wireless receiver and transmitter. The majority of hearing aid batteries are single-cell, disposable, and produce 1.5 V once "new." When the voltage falls to a level as low as 1.1 or 1.0 V, hearing aids are made to function as intended. When the battery is running low but not totally empty, many hearing aids emit an auditory warning through the receiver to inform the user that a battery change is necessary. The following are typical hearing aid battery sizes: 675, 312, 13, and 10. SUMMING UP At Bangalore Hearing And Implant Institute, We offer the best and affordable hearing aids that suit your needs. For appointments Call: +91 6366888883 or Email us at hello@bhii.info