Hearing devices and how they can help

Now you have been diagnosed with hearing loss, you might be ready to explore how hearing aids can make a positive difference to your daily life.

An audiologist leaning over and fitting a hearing aid to a man who is sat down

Your audiologist may have recommended a hearing aid for one or both ears to help improve how you experience sound.

With the right hearing aid, you can regain confidence in social situations. They will help you to feel more connected with loved ones and to live better with your hearing.

Here, we explain a bit more about how hearing devices work.

What is a hearing aid?

Despite there being many types of hearing aid with varying technical features; they are generally described as small, wearable electronic devices.

Hearing aids amplify sounds to help a person with hearing loss understand speech more clearly or sounds such as the telephone, TV, or doorbell. Additionally, they can help improve communication and conversations in noisy environments.

Implanted devices

They work in similar ways to hearing aids but require surgical intervention. For further information about the types of hearing implants available and how they can help, visit our webpage.

A man adjusting his cochlear implant in a room with a mirror so the back of his head and the reflection of his face is visible

How do hearing aids work?

Most types of hearing aid work or function in a similar way, even though the outcome needs to be different for each person.

Firstly, sound passes through a miniature microphone where it is then converted into an electronic, digital signal.

Secondly, the signal is processed, boosted, and modified to meet the needs of the user’s hearing loss.

Finally, a receiver (miniature loudspeaker) sends the processed sound through the type of ear fitting appropriate for your hearing aid system.

The audiology professional who assesses your hearing will discuss what type of device would help based not only on your hearing loss, but also on your lifestyle needs.

Importantly, if you have hearing loss in both ears as most people do, you should expect to use two hearing aids.

 

What are digital hearing aids?

Whether you are prescribed your hearing aids by an NHS or a private service, most hearing aids are digital. They will be programmed to suit the needs of both your hearing loss and your lifestyle.

It takes time to adjust to hearing aids. You will need to have your hearing professional fine-tune them once, or more, after you have had time to adjust to them and understand how they are working for you.

It is quite normal for changes to be made after fitting. Everyone is individual and usually benefits from hearing aids being as personalised as possible.

All digital aids have different settings for different environments, for example, in a group, one-to-one conversation, in a quiet room or in noisier places. Your audiologist should provide comprehensive instructions to explain these options.

Always remember that they are your hearing aids, programmed to meet your individual needs. Discuss these needs directly with your audiologist.