Hearing loss can derail your ability to function in your day to day life and affect your work, relationships, and sense of well-being. While usually caused due to aging, hearing loss can also be a result of disease, constant or sudden exposure to loud noises, or certain medications.
One of the most effective ways to mitigate the impact of hearing impairment in cases where there is an open ear canal and a relatively normal external ear is the use of hearing aids.
A hearing aid is a compact, battery-powered, electronic device consisting of a microphone that picks up sounds, an amplifier that makes these sounds louder, and a receiver that is placed inside or behind your ear that transmits the sound to your ears. It can either be analog, wherein it converts sound waves into electrical waves and amplifies them. Or digital, where it converts them into numerical codes and amplifies them based on multiple parameters. Although digital hearing aids provide better results, they tend to be more expensive.
Most hearing aids have different settings and setups such as directional microphones allowing you to spatially locate sound better, telephone switches allowing you to better pick up sounds from a telephone or when in large spaces, and direct audio allowing you to plug into a remote listening system.
However, it is important to understand that your hearing aid can’t bring back your hearing to exactly what it used to be and involve an initial adjustment period. To facilitate the same, most states allow for a trial period with a partial refund. Always make sure that you get your hearing aids fitted on by a trained audiologist and that they are comfortable to wear for long periods. During fitting be especially wary of any problems such as echo-like sounds from your voice, or feedback, or buzzing sounds.
To take care of hearing aids, all you need to do is clean them regularly, and replace dead batteries that can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks depending on the usage. Most hearing aids last anywhere from 3 to 6 years, although it’s important to go for regular checkups to calibrate your device as and when required.