How do hearing aids work?

How do hearing aids work?

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn how modern devices “turn up the sound” on the changing world around you. ⁠

⁠The posts we’ve shared recently provide an important glimpse into the world of hearing health. We’ve covered some of the lesser-known benefits of hearing aids and common causes of hearing loss. Today, we’re focusing on the fundamentals. ⁠

⁠You probably already know that hearing aids can improve your quality of life and your mental wellbeing. You might even know that there is evidence to suggest that they promote long-term physical health… But do you fully understand what hearing aids can do for you and how these life-changing devices work? If your answer is no, don’t worry. We’re here with a crash course that will help you get a handle on hearing aids and how you can live better with hearing loss.

How hearing aids work

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠All hearing aids rely on amplification to correct hearing loss. In the simplest terms, they “turn up the volume” on the world around you so you can make out important conversations and sounds. ⁠⁠Historically, we leaned exclusively on analog models, but this changed significantly in 1995 when digital hearing aids first became available to consumers. These days, digital options are much more popular. ⁠

⁠Digital hearing aids turn sound waves into numerical codes that provide the data they need to transmit amplified sound. They are adaptable to suit the user, and generally offer more precise options than analog models. ⁠⁠Unsurprisingly, attitudes around hearing aids have changed considerably alongside these new innovations, and user satisfaction increased from 60% to 83% between 1989 and 2022.

What hearing aids can do for your

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Select digital hearing aids — like the OTC models from Sennheiser — also offer functions like music streaming and hands-free calls. These features were designed to help you move through your day with ease thanks to built-in, multifunctional hearing support. ⁠

⁠Digital hearing aids are also sophisticated enough to respond to the world around you, and automatically make adjustments to help you hear in changing environments. Many hearing aids, including the ones from Sennheiser, offer an app that allows you to easily change the settings on your device as you manage different settings and tasks.

What to expect

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠With any hearing aid, you can expect a bit of an adjustment period when you first start wearing them. It may take some time to get used to how they feel, adjust to new sounds, and determine the best volume for your personal preferences and level of hearing impairment. You may also need to adjust to changes in how your own voice sounds when you’re wearing a hearing device. ⁠

⁠That said, it is important to be patient and consult with a professional when necessary because — as we mentioned above — appropriate treatment of hearing loss can promote several long-term and life-altering perks.

Learn more

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you’d like to learn more about hearing aids and hearing loss, you might want to check out one of these posts:

• 5 surprising benefits of hearing aids


• Alzheimer's & hearing loss: Could hearing aids prevent cognitive decline?


• 7 ways a hearing care professional helps with your hearing

References

1. Tsakiropoulou, E., Konstantinidis, I., Vital, I., Konstantinidou, S., & Kotsani, A. (2007). Hearing aids: quality of life and socio-economic aspects. Hippokratia, 11(4), 183–186.
2. Bigelow, R. T., Reed, N. S., Brewster, K. K., Huang, A., Rebok, G., Rutherford, B. R., & Lin, F. R. (2020). Association of Hearing Loss With Psychological Distress and Utilization of Mental Health Services Among Adults in the United States. JAMA network open, 3(7), e2010986. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.10986
3. Dawes, P., Cruickshanks, K. J., Fischer, M. E., Klein, B. E., Klein, R., & Nondahl, D. M. (2015). Hearing-aid use and long-term health outcomes: Hearing handicap, mental health, social engagement, cognitive function, physical health, and mortality. International journal of audiology, 54(11), 838–844. https://doi.org/10.3109/14992027.2015.1059503
4. NIH (2022, October 11). Hearing Aids. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorder. Retrieved November 2, 2023, from https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing-aids#:~:text=A%20hearing%20aid%20has%20three,the%20ear%20through%20a%20speaker.
5. Carr K, Kihm J. MarkeTrak-Tracking the Pulse of the Hearing Aid Market. Semin Hear. 2022 Dec 1;43(4):277-288. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-1758380. PMID: 36466564; PMCID: PMC9715310.