Without that mechanical advantage, sound bounces off the fluid in the inner ear and the result is a serious loss of hearing. The inner ear is a fluid filled sac encased in bone, which gives it maximum protection from injury. The organ for hearing is the cochlea (pronounced "cock-lee-uh"). It contains approximately 20,000 cells which can sense movement of the fluid. When these cells sense movement of the fluid, impulses are generated in the nervous system. These impulses pass through the auditory nervous system and eventually reach the brain. The brain is the center for discriminating sounds from one another and eventually associating words with ideas. See an interactive picture of the parts that make up the ear.

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Advantage two is difficult to fit hearing losses can be more accurately matched. Advantage three is the availability of noise reduction features such as directional microphones, speech sensitive processing programs, adaptive feedback reduction and noise squelch features. The fourth and most promising is that the hearing aids can be programmed to adapt to differing listening environments and switch accordingly for those environments. Almost all of the newest generation of digital hearing aids have some or all of these features. Some of the companies who offer digital hearing aids are: Siemens, Phonak, GN ReSound, Telex, Widex and Oticon, just to name a few. As for price, digital hearing aids are definitely not the least expensive. Prices most often range above $2000.00 each for this technology. Buying a digital hearing aid is not going to make you younger, or hear better than you did when you were 20 years old. In most cases a programmable non-digital hearing aid at half the cost may suit your listening situations just as well. Digital hearing aids are great, if fit properly and adjusted properly, but, they are not always the best choice for everyone. You should consult your Audiologist for a more thorough discussion of this subject. Most Audiologist’s offices should allow you to try the hearing aid for a certain period of time, usually 30 days.

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Strategies for the Person with Hearing Loss
Pay close attention to the face and gestures. Be patient with yourself. Rephrase what you heard to verify information. Ask for repetition only once, then ask the speaker to rephrase. Think of new ways to ask for repetition (other than "Huh?"). Ask for the topic and then verify the topic. Inform speakers about your hearing loss and how they should speak to you. Ask others to look directly at you when they speak, to come closer if necessary, and to speak slowly and slightly louder. Keep a sense of humor about communication errors. Use your hearing aids and other assistive listening devices at theaters and places of worship. Modify light and seating arrangements if necessary to obtain an unobstructed view. Eliminate or reduce competing noise. Turn off the television or stereo, move away from fans and air conditioners, or seek a quieter room. Make sure only one person talks at a time. Be understanding and caring when someone forgets you have a hearing problem. Seek additional communication and coping strategies from an audiologist at our clinic.

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Hearing loss is one of the most common health problems in people over the age of 65, but it can occur in any age group. Do you ask people to repeat what they say? Do you often turn your ear toward a sound to hear it? Do you hear better when you’re looking directly at someone’s face? Do you find it hard to follow conversation when you’re in a group of people? These are signs of hearing loss.

Unfortunately, not too many people know where to go for help. Others, live in denial of the problem and live in silence, missing important conversations or even putting themselves or others in danger. The auditory system is a very complicated system, made up of the brain, nerves, bones and membranes. To describe it more simply, it is like a piano. A piano consists of black and white keys, pads and strings. The eardrum and ossicular chain otherwise known as the hammer, anvil and stirrup are like the keys and pads of the piano. The strings of the piano are like the nerves in our hearing system.

Pianos are arranged with a low pitch range progressing to a high pitch range. Our auditory system also has a low and a high pitch range . If you have had your hearing tested, you may have been told that you have some type of hearing loss. There are several categories of hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss is sometimes referred to as “nerve” hearing loss or even as “nerve deafness”. This type of hearing loss affects the strings of the piano. Conductive hearing loss is a type of loss that affects the keys or pads of the piano (the ear canal, the eardrum or the ossicular chain). Mixed type hearing loss affects both the nerves and outer and middle ear. The piano strings, the piano keys and pads are affected.

All the sounds we hear are made up of many different pitches, speech sounds included. Just like music is made up of different pitches. Most of us are born with normal hearing, the piano strings are intact and tuned, the piano keys and pads are not sticky and are easy to press. One can hear a pin drop in the next room, like a light touch on a piano key makes a tone. As we go through life we hear many different voices, like so many different songs. Some songs or voices are pleasant to hear, others not so pleasant. We also hear very loud sounds like guns, saws, jackhammers, tractors and stereos. These loud sounds bang the piano keys very hard and rattle the piano strings. Eventually something breaks or becomes loose.

That is when you notice that things just don’t sound like they used to. Usually, it is your family or friends that notice your hearing loss first. The t.v. or radio is turned up loud, they comment that you are talking loud or that they have to repeat themselves to you quite often.

With encouragement and support you finally decide you need to do something. The most qualified person to assess your hearing system is an Audiologist. They are University Educated specialists with a minimum Masters degree in Audiology. They are licensed and certified by the state and have gone through years of rigorous training in all disorders of the hearing system. You may be given a battery of tests which are designed to assess the outer ear, middle ear and the integrity of the nerves.

Upon examination you may be informed that you need help with your hearing. Most often hearing aids are recommended. What a hearing aid essentially does is push the piano keys a little harder for you, in turn you get to hear sounds a little better. It is the job of the Audiologist to fine tune the hearing aid so that it pushes the piano keys just the right amount in the appropriate pitch range so that soft and loud sounds are comfortable for you.

There are many choices in hearing aid styles and circuit types. From the very tiny completely in-the-canal hearing aids to behind-the-ear style hearing aids. From basic analog circuits to 100% digital circuits. The Audiologist will look at many factors including your general health and lifestyle in order to assist you in choosing the most appropriate hearing aids. Unlike glasses, if you have the same amount of hearing loss as your neighbor you may not be able to wear the same hearing aid as they have.

Hearing aids are custom designed and fit for your particular needs and lifestyle, if done properly. Price can vary, from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. It is important that you never feel pressured into making any decision without first consulting someone you can trust. Make sure that you can have ready access to services should your hearing aid need repair. Look for hidden charges in contracts which require you to place a deposit on the hearing aid. Make sure you have the opportunity to try the hearing aid and return it if you are not satisfied. Do not feel shy about asking questions or voicing concerns, whomever you choose to provide you with these services should be willing to answer your questions.

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Behind-the-Ear (BTE) hearing aids are those devices that rest over the ear, as glasses do, and have a tube that connects the instrument with a mold that is in the ear. This instrument has the largest battery (size 675) and has the longest battery life (roughly 4 weeks). This is the type of hearing aid recommended for children, as they are durable and the ear mold can be remade as the child grows without having to purchase a new hearing aid each time. Pros: 1) provides the most power, allowing for more adjustments if hearing becomes worse 2) it is easier for some people to see the batteries and use this hearing aid if they have poor vision or poor feeling in their finger tips 3) if excessive wax or outer ear infections tend to be a problem, this hearing aid is not housed in the ear so the working parts are not damaged by the substances. The ear mold can be disconnected from the hearing aid and washed. Cons: 1) this hearing aid could be the most visible to others 2) wind noise can be more audible with this hearing aid 3) this hearing aid may feedback (whistle) if a brimmed hat is worn.

In-the-ear (ITE, full shell) hearing aids are those devices that fill up the entire bowl of the ear. This instrument can have one of two battery sizes, depending on the size of the ear. The first type is the taller of the two (size 13) and has a life of roughly three weeks. The second battery type is shorter in size (size 312) and has a life of 2 to 3 weeks. Pros: 1) provides less power than the BTE style, but is the most powerful hearing aid that is contained in the ear 2) longest lasting battery for hearing aids that fit into the ear 3) there are features available on this hearing aid that are not available on all in-the-ear instruments Cons: 1) wind noise can still be a consideration 2) can become clogged with wax, that can effect the working parts of the hearing aid 3) it can sometimes be more difficult to tell the left hearing aid from the right one (as is the case with the styles that fit into the ear).

In-the-canal (ITC, half shell) hearing aids are those devices that fill up the opening (canal) portion of the ear and extend slightly into the bowl portion of the ear. This instrument generally has one battery size (size 312) and the average battery life is roughly one to two weeks. Pros: 1) wind noise is reduced with this size of hearing aid 2) less visible to others when in the ear 3) easier to see and manipulate while providing some cosmetic appeal Cons: 1) reduced power, making this not strong enough for some hearing losses and there is less room to make changes if hearing becomes worse 2) less control over the instrument by the wearer (ex. volume control may not be available) 3) not available to all individuals based on ear canal size.

Micro-canal hearing aids are those devices that fit farther into the canal than the ITC style, but still have a small portion in the bowl of the ear. These devices generally have a battery (size 312) life of roughly one to two weeks. Pros: 1) wind noise is significantly reduced 2) not noticeable to those around the wearer 3) takes advantage of the ear's natural ability to funnel sound into the ear Cons: 1) less powerful than a hearing aid with a larger battery, also less room to make adjustments if hearing changes 2) not available to all people based on the size of the ear canal 3) more likely to be effected by wax and moisture in the ear.

Completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aids are those devices that fit entirely in the ear and cannot be seen. These devices can use one of two battery types. The first is the larger of the two (size 10) and has a life of roughly a week. The second battery type (size 5) is very small and has a life of roughly a week or less. These hearing aids are removed from the ear by pulling on a small string that resembles fishing line. Pros: 1) cannot be seen by others 2) can help keep moisture in the ear, for those that my suffer from dry ear canals 3) the hearing instrument can be made in a color (red for the right ear and blue for the left ear) so that it is easier to tell in which ear the device belongs. Cons: 1) this device has a limited range of power that is not available to all people and has less of a range to make adjustments if the hearing becomes worse 2) if there are problems with jaw popping, the hearing aid may "walk out" of your ear, creating feedback (whistling) or an uncomfortable fit in the ear 3) the wearer does not have control over the volume of the hearing aid.

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