What is a Hearing Aid?

Hearing aids have improved in technology significantly over the past few years. A lot of research and development has been invested in creating environmental sensors and computer chips for hearing aid technology, and many hearing aid manufacturers now compare them to small computers in your ears. Hearing aids are small devices that help amplify sounds intelligently, and are programmed by a hearing healthcare professional for the individual wearing them, based on that person’s unique hearing loss. 

Technology Levels and Price Points

The cost of a hearing aid is primarily determined by the technology chip inside of the device. Higher end hearing aid devices, often referred to as premium technology, are able to more easily detect speech sounds/signals and diminish unwanted background noise. The microphone technology and noise management systems are more refined and acute, creating a stronger and more clear speech signal in noise. Higher end technology is stronger at identifying the source of a speech sound if it is mixed in with other types of noise and as a result, will amplify the signal of interest better than entry level hearing devices. It is important to note that while entry level hearing aids have less features when it comes to noise management and defining speech signals, they are still more sophisticated than personal amplifiers. There is a lot of research emerging about the importance of hearing when it comes to overall health.  While more technologically advanced hearing aids function better than lower end hearing aids, wearing one is still better then choosing not to treat the hearing loss. Hearing aids are the only way to stimulate the brain, and auditory nerve, when hearing loss is present. There is a very common misconception when it comes to the cost of hearing aids, and that is that small hearing aids are more expensive than larger hearing aids because they are more discreet. This is actually not the case, which is great news! The size of the hearing aid is irrelevant when it comes to the cost, and it is in fact the digital chip technology on the inside of the hearing aid that determines the price. This means that if you are looking for a more budget friendly hearing aid, it can still come in a small and sleek style.

Connectivity to Smart Phones

Many hearing aids now can connect directly to cell phones, have accessories which allow for direct streaming from the TV and smart device apps which allow the end user to make changes to volume and other settings in the hearing aid. To find out more, call your local audiologist, or The Hearing Room for details.