How Do Hearing Aids Work?
Hearing aids are very good, but they are not perfect. They work by amplifying the functioning part of your hearing, but they can do nothing to restore the hearing that has been lost. It’s important to understand this: successful hearing aid use does not mean hearing everything you hope to hear. It means hearing much better than you otherwise would hear.
Every hearing aid has three parts: a microphone or microphones that pick up the sound, an amplifier that boosts the sound, and a receiver that delivers the amplified sound into the ear. It is essential to understand that a hearing aid is only an aid that takes advantage of your residual hearing (the hearing that is working). It will not restore normal hearing.
All hearing aids contain the same parts to carry sound from the environment into your ear. However, hearing aids do come in a number of styles, which differ in size and the way they’re placed in your ear. The type of hearing aid recommended will depend on several factors, including physical limitations, medical condition, and personal preference. Some are small enough to fit inside your ear canal, making them almost invisible. Others fit partially in your ear canal. Generally, the smaller a hearing aid is, the less powerful it is, the shorter its battery life and the more it’ll cost.
