Hearing Defect

Hearing loss affects approximately 1 in 5 people in the general population. This is an enormous subset of the population, and although the degree of hearing damage can be very mild, it is quite alarming to think that this statistic is increasing. It is predicted that in Australia, by the year 2050 this number will have increased to 1 in 4 in the general population. The first basic type of hearing aids is the behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing devices. As the name suggests, these instruments are put behind the ears of the wearer. Thus, BTEs are the bulkiest types of all hearing aids. They are easily identifiable and seen by other people. However, the advantage of wearing BTEs is that the devices are highly functional and effective in receiving and transmitting sounds to the ears.

The loss of hearing ability has been regarded as a very serious impairment just a few years ago but the modern age has developed a very efficient solution to this issue, you can very easily over come the minor or moderate hearing loss problem using different types of hearing aids. These small, hidden gadgets have found favor among both adults as well as children. A typical behind-the-ear model is comprised of a plastic case that is fixed behind the ear and connected to a mold inside the ear canal through a plastic tube. The plastic case contains some electronic parts including a miniscule microphone to capture and amplify sounds and convey them to the ear mold.

Hearing loss is commonly observed in older adults but it can happen to anyone regardless of race, age or sex. It can range from being a mild to a severe hearing impairment and it can also be temporary, permanent or reversible. For persons who are suspected of having hearing loss, the severity as well as the type of hearing loss can then be detected and established. With this, appropriate treatment and medication may be given to improve the condition of a patient. Hearing tests would also be used as an evaluative tool whether a person’s hearing condition has improved or not.

Hearings aids as everyone understands are simply placed in the ear. They are easily removed for cleaning, battery changes and other maintenance. Cochlear devices on the other hand as the name implies are composed of two parts the first of which is actually surgically implanted behind the ear into the skull. Conductive loss of hearing occurs when sound amplification is not conducted in the outer or middle ear, which is generally a mild or moderate impairment. But sensory-neural loss is a defect to detect sound in the inner ear which can be mild, moderate or severe. Hearing aids have to be chosen for the type of impairment so that it can best satisfy the need of the person with impairment.