The National Institutes of Health estimates that only 1 in 5 people who need a hearing aid gets one. Resistance to hearing aids remains high, partly because of their perceived stigma. Many people who try hearing aids are also disappointed by the quality of sound. Fortunately, hearing aid technology is always advancing to better meet patients’ needs. Johns Hopkins specialist Dr. Charles Limb reviews your hearing aid options and offers advice.
Hearing aids help by amplifying sound. With the proliferation of digital technology, new hearing aids can do a lot more in a smaller package. Compared with older “analog” models, new digital hearing aids are less conspicuous. They also have more sophisticated, programmable features like noise reduction and automatic adjustment to different environments.
However, one simple rule still holds true for hearing aids: The smaller the device, the less amplification it has. Some people with moderate to severe hearing loss find that small digital devices simply do not have enough power. Of course, louder does not always mean clearer. For people who still hear low-pitched sounds well, amplification can create a “muddle” if these low-pitched sounds become too loud. A digital hearing aid that can be programmed for specific frequencies is a good choice if you can still hear certain pitches reasonably well.
“The type of aid that is best for each person depends entirely on the pattern of hearing loss,” explains Charles Limb, M.D., Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. “The more complex the nature of hearing loss, the more useful a programmable digital device will be. Someone with selective hearing loss at middle-range frequencies, for instance, would benefit from a digital hearing aid because it can be set to correct for the specific frequency."
“People who don’t benefit from digital or traditional analog hearing aids can consider a bone-anchored hearing aid, or baha,” adds Dr. Limb. Abaha is a titanium device that is implanted behind the earlobe and transmits sound through the bone, thus bypassing any damage in the middle ear. “It can be extremely helpful for people who are deaf in one ear or have conductive hearing loss -- when sound is not adequately transmitted through the ear canal owing to a blockage like the buildup of scar tissue.”
Bottom-line advice: If you are buying a hearing aid for the first time, see an audiologist, who is trained to test your hearing. This specialist will provide follow-up testing and hearing-aid adjustments to make sure the device is functioning well for you. And do not put off another visit to an audiologist or otolaryngologist if you think that your hearing aid is not meeting your needs. Medical evaluations are essential to get the best results.
