Frequently Asked Questions
A hearing aid makes sounds louder so that you are able to hear them. It is battery-operated and you usually put it in or around your ear.
Hearing aids are available in different shapes, sizes and types. However, all hearing aids work in a similar way. Very simply, they all have a built-in microphone that picks up sound. This sound is then processed electronically, either by analogue circuits or digitally. The resulting "signals" are then passed to a receiver, or earphone, in the hearing aid where they are converted back into sounds for you to hear. A hearing aid also has an ear mould that goes in your ear, tubing and batteries.
The type of hearing aid you get will depend on your hearing loss and what you find comfortable.
About two million people in the UK have hearing aids, but only 1.4 million use them regularly. There are at least another three million people who do not have hearing aids but experience significant hearing difficulties in everyday.
A loop system helps deaf people who use a hearing aid or loop listener to hear sounds more clearly by reducing or cutting out background noise. If you are at home, for example, a loop can be used to pick up sound from your television, hi-fi or radio. A loop can also be set up with a microphone to help hearing aid users hear conversations in noisy places. In the theatre, a loop can help you hear the show more clearly.
An induction loop is a cable that circles the listening area. It is fed by current from a loop amplifier. The amplifier gets its signal from a microphone placed in front of the person speaking or by means of a direct connection from another sound source, such as a sound system. The resulting electric current in the loop produces a magnetic field, which corresponds to the sound. A deaf person wearing a hearing aid can then pick up this magnetic field if they are sitting within the area of the loop and their hearing aid - or loop listening aid - is switched to the "T" setting.
Like analogue hearing aids, digital hearing aids have a microphone to pick up the sound and a receiver to deliver it into the ear. However, instead of the sound simply being amplified, it is processed by a digital sound processor or tiny computer. The analogue sound signal is filtered, sampled and converted into a series of numbers. The computer performs specific operations to filter or compress the sound, then processes these codes. The processed digital signal is then converted back into an analogue signal which is fed into the receiver.
Unlike a traditional analogue hearing aid, digital hearing aids can be programmed to the users' specific requirements using a computer. This means that they can be tailored very precisely to a patient's individual hearing loss.
Every patient is different and will have different requirements. Your Hearing Aid Audiologist will be able to discuss in more detail which hearing aid is most appropriate for you in terms of your prescription and suitability to your lifestyle.
Hearing aids vary dramatically in price from anywhere between £600 - £4000 per ear. But we can usually find a hearing aid that suits your budget and requirements.
It all depends on your hearing loss. If you have a hearing loss in both ears, your Hearing Aid Audiologist is likely to recommend you wear two as it enhances speech discrimination, enables a balance to the sound and can significantly help whenever background noise is present.
However, always remember, you are the patient and although we may recommend a certain type of system, we always listen to what you say and work with you to find the correct solution for you.
If you have any questions that you would like answered, please do not hesitate to contact us on 0800 019 9575 |
