Q. Many Sri Lankans aren’t aware of what the term hearing aid means.What is it?

A.It is a device to aid in hearing problems. It cannot fix a hearing loss or make your hearing normal but improves the ease of listening and sound quality, allowing them to have less strain and stress during their everyday communication in various environments. It simply improves hearing and listening abilities, and can greatly improve your quality of life. Every individual’s hearing loss is different and today there are plenty of devices to best suit their needs and lifestyle. 

Q. How does a hearing aid work?

A.It is an electronic device that you wear in or behind your ear. A person with hearing loss is able to listen, communicate, and participate more fully in their daily activities as the device make some sounds louder and clearer- both in quiet and noisy situations. A hearing aid has three basic parts: a microphone, amplifier, and speaker. The hearing aid receives sound through a microphone, which converts the sound waves to electrical signals and sends them to an amplifier. The amplifier increases the power of the signals and then sends them to the ear through a speaker.Most new hearing aid technology amplifies frequencies and sounds tailored to specific types of hearing loss

Q. How does one identify that he/she has a hearing problem?

A.To start off, if you often ask people to repeat what they’ve said or people often telling you that you’re not hearing well, prefer the TV or radio louder than usual or having difficulties in understanding conversations in a group, you should definitely have your hearing checked. The best way to conclude whether you really need hearing aids is to go to your closest audiologist who is a specialist in hearing care. An audiologist will do a screening and determine the level of hearing loss and the type of hearing loss. 

Many of those who spend a lot of their time around noise without ear protection could be at risk as loud and long-lasting noises can damage hearing. Examples of such professions are musicians, construction workers, military, firefighters, police officers, and so on. However there are many causes for one to have a hearing loss.

Q. What are the main causes to have a hearing problem?

A.There are many factors that cause hearing loss. It could be due to aging, ear infection, exposure to loud noises, fluid in the middle ear from colds, earwax, malformation of outer or inner ear, allergies, tumors, head trauma, certain diseases, hearing loss that runs in the family, amongst many others. 

It’s always best to consult a audiologist even if there’s a slight doubt or concern that you might have a hearing loss. You will then be given a comprehensive hearing screening. These will explain whether or not you have a hearing loss, and will help decide the next steps to be taken.

Q. What types of hearing aids are available?

A.Basically there are three main types of hearing aids available today. These include the invisible-in-the canal (IIC), the in-the-ear (ITE), and the behind-the-ear (BTE).

Breaking it down, BTE hearing aids are the largest ones with its components resting behind the ear connected by a plastic tube leading to an ear-mold. They offer more power and have less maintenance as it’s susceptible to moisture or wax. ITE are custom made and fills the ear, offering more power just like the BTE hearing aids but also has the benefit of controlling the device’s volume. There is also the in-the-canal (ITC) which are smaller than ITEs however requires better handling and offer fewer manual controls. 

On the other extreme,IIC hearing aids are the tiniest ones that fit very deeply in the ear canal. In the recent years, receiver-in-the-canal (RIC) hearing aids have been increasingly popular due to its similarities to that of a hands-free earphone. Its speaker rests in the ear canal while the microphone and processer sit in a tiny case behind the ear, connected to the ear piece by a thin wire.

Q. How do I choose the right type of hearing aid that fits my problem?

A.As said previously, a hearing aid will not restore your normal hearing but it will bring your hearing to a ‘near normal’ state that will help you with your communication. Hearing aid is something you would have to wear all the time so selecting one that is convenient and easy for you to use is very important. 

When deciding which device is best suited for you, it’s best to go to aaudiologist who will consider your degree of hearing loss and couple it with your lifestyle and personal preferences and suggest the right type of hearing aid for you.

Other features to consider include parts or services covered by the warranty, estimated schedule and costs for maintenance and repair as you go on, options and upgrade opportunities, and the retailer’s reputation for quality and customer service.

Q. How is it to live with hearing aids?

A.Hearing aids take time and patience to use successfully. Wearing hearing aids regularly will help you to easily adjust to them.Many of them feel uncomfortable, experience voice or whistling sounds too loud, hear background noises or buzzing sounds when using their cell phones.

Your audiologist will give you hands-on exposure to practice putting in and taking out the aid, cleaning it, identifying right and left aids, replacing the batteries, how to test it in listening environments where you have problems with hearing, how to adjust the aid’s volume and to program it for sounds that are too loud or too soft, and so on. It’s best advised to work with your audiologist until you are comfortable and satisfied.

Q. How can I care for my hearing aid?

A.Proper maintenance and care will extend the life of your hearing aid. Hearing aids typically last four to five years,though in some cases they may last much longer as long as they are maintained properly. It’s always best to keep hearing aids away from heat and moisture, clean hearing aids as instructed, avoid using hairspray or other hair care products while wearing hearing aids, turn off the aids when they are not in use, replace dead batteries immediately, etc. Your audiologist is always there for you throughout the whole process and provides the best consistent care that your hearing aids and your ear needs.

Q. Where do I go to get a hearing aid?

A.Hearing aids are available in Sri Lanka through retailers and professional audiology practices. Its best advised to go to a reputed and certified audiologists who will provide you with an appropriate, highly satisfying hearing aid that best suits your needs and lifestyle. 

Price is also a key consideration. However, it’s a bad idea to use price alone to determine the best hearing aid for you. Just because one hearing aid is more expensive than another does not necessarily mean that it will better suit your needs. Your wellbeing is more expensive than just about anything else.You can obtain a hearing aid and be rid of all your doubts and fears in 3 easy steps with us.

Chathira E. Sriwardena is a senior audiologist and speech language pathologist at Vision Care