Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids
hearing aids, hearing loss September 2nd, 2010
There are two main factors of hearing loss, the first is heredity, the second is chronic exposure to loud noises. Working with heavy machinery or power tools without proper ear protection can contribute to hearing loss increasing the natural wear and tear on your ears.
Hearing loss happens when your cochlea is damaged. Nerve cells in the cochlea can degenerate and the hairs on them can break or bend causing electrical signals to transmit less efficiently, resulting in hearing loss. Ear infection, waxy buildup, ruptured eardrums and abnormal bone growths or tumors are other causes of hearing loss. Hearing loss caused by damage to the cochlea, a hearing aid may help restore some function.
A hearing aid is a small electronic device you wear in or behind your ear made up of three basic parts, a microphone, an amplifier and a battery. It works by amplifying the sounds you hear processing those sounds easier for the chochlea. Greater the damage to your inner ear, the more sounds must be amplified for you to hear them.
You should be evaluated by a licensed physician to be sure that your type of hearing loss can be helped by a hearing aid before you buy a hearing aid. Various kinds of hearing aids are available, an audiologist certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing can help you shop around and find the hearing aid that is best for you. You will even be able to test-wear the device before you commit to buying it.
