The hearing aid is a small utility for a hearing loss person and it helps them to reconnect the world. These component are combined into a hearing aid into a properly customized manner. Every component is selected for each person’s which is best suited to their ear.
Ride the Storm: Navigating Through Unstable Periods / Katerina Rudko (Belka G...
Everything about hearing aid
1. Everything About Hearing Aid
This Article is Originally Published on Now Article
The hearing aid is a small utility for a hearing loss person and it helps them to
reconnect the world. It has four major part which includes:
● Microphone: a Small component of a hearing aid that picks up the
sound from surrounding.
● Amplifier: It makes signal strong or increases the loudness of the
sound to hear easily according to individual degree of hearing loss.
● Receiver: It receives amplified sound and transmits to the ear canal to
hear.
● Battery: This is an Important component of hearing aid which in
necessary to start or run a device.
These component are combined into a hearing aid into a properly customized
manner. Every component is selected for each person’s which is best suited to
their ear.
Processing of sound in recent hearing aid is more complex and need an
audiologist or hearing expert to do programming and some adjustment on the
basis of user need or comfort. It improves hearing and speech capability of a
user who has deafness or hearing loss due to damage to the sensory cell in the
ear(hair cell).
Type or Style of hearing aid:
2. Basically hearing aid use two type of technology and it depends on the
electronics used which include:
● Analog: It converts sound wave into an electrical signal.
● Digital: It converts sound wave into a digital signal or binary code.
Various style of the hearing aid is developed in this era according to user
need and lifestyle which include:
● Invisible-in-the-canal (IIC) or completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing
aids.
● In-the-canal (ITC) hearing aids.
● Low profile hearing aids.
● BTE hearing aid.
● Receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) or receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aids.
● BTE hearing aids with earmolds
Hearing aid manufacturer develop hearing aid in a different style to help hearing
loss person connect with a world according to their requirement and style
which include:
In-the-ear (ITE) :
This type of hearing aid is completely fit inside the outer ear and used for mild
to severe hearing loss. all component are combined into a single case which is
made up of hard plastic.
3. Some in-the-ear hearing aids also have telecoil features. A telecoil is a small
magnetic coil which allows a user to receive sound through a circuit of hearing
aid not through hearing aid and it makes easy to communicate on a telephone.
Behind-the-ear (BTE):
behind the ear hearing aid are included with a hard plastic case which is worn
behind the ear and connected with a plastic earmold which fit inside the outer
ear. all parts are in a single case which is behind the ear.
Sound transmits in hearing aid through earmold into the ear. It is used by al
age group individual from mild to profound hearing loss.
In-the-canal (ITC) or Completely-in canal (CIC):
In-the-canal (ITC) and completely in the canal (CIC) is made to fit the shape
and size of a person’s ear canal. It is nearly hidden in the ear canal and used for
mild to moderately severe hearing loss. It is very small and difficult to adjust
and remove and does not have enough space for battery and other additional
devices such as a telecoil. It is usually not recommended for young people they
have severe to profound hearing loss. Due to their small size, it minimizes
power and volume.
Cleaning Hearing Aids
4. The hearing aid is an important utility. That need to handle with care. Ear
produce ear wax which affects sound quality or damage your hearing device.
There are various ways to clean hearing aid safely.
Steps to clean hearing aid:
● Using tool: Various tools are available for hearing aid professional or
individual to clean hearing device which includes cleaning brush. A
brush is used to clean gently earwax or dust on the opening end of the
hearing device.
● Good habits: Everyone needs to follow good habits, hygiene routines.
We need to remove the hearing device when we are taking shower,
wash face and hair. A water and shop can damage your hearing aid.
● Clean your hearing utility regularly at the end of the day.
● We need to clean battery compartment. Need to keep battery
compartment open to dry. When we are not using a device.
● We can Clean battery compartment using a cleaning brush.
● Need to store hearing device at a clean and dry place to protect from
liquid, dust, and moisture.
Clean in the ear(ITE) hearing aids
● If need, then clean microphone ports using a soft cleaning brush.
● Use wax pickup hook to clean earwax or other substance. Which is not
clearable with the brush.
● wipes the entire device using a clean and dry cloth if need.
Clean behind the ear(BTE) hearing aids:
5. ● Examine your hearing utility for debris and remove using soft cleaning
brush or dry cloth.
● Remove earmold from the hook and clean.
● Use a blower to remove water from the hearing aid tube. Allow it to dry
overnight. When not need to use.