Hearing Loss & Technology Explained
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What Is Hearing Loss?
HEARnet Online has independent and easy to understand information that explains:
- The different types of hearing loss; and
- The ways that hearing loss can be managed.
For a quick and easy overview of hearing loss and hearing technologies, click on the Interactive Ear animation below.
Hearing Technologies
HEARnet Online can help you quickly understand the different types of commercially-available hearing technologies so you can find the right device for your hearing needs.
For a quick and easy overview of the range of current commercial hearing technologies, click on the Interactive Ear animation below.
The Interactive Ear
HEARnet Online's Interactive Ear provides a visual way to quickly understand hearing loss and how different technologies can be used to manage certain types of hearing loss. Click on the Understanding Hearing Loss & Hearing Technology tabs below to find out more.
EXPLANATION OF HEARING LOSS
KEY FACTS
A conductive hearing loss is caused by a problem in the ear canal, ear drum or middle ear. It results in the sound being heard more softly or only hearing lower-pitched sounds.
Conductive hearing loss can be permanent or temporary.
A sensorineural hearing loss is caused by damage to the cochlea or auditory nerve. It results in some sounds being heard more softly or not at all.
May be temporary (i.e. noise induced) but usually permanent. Can be associated with Tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
Mixed hearing loss occurs when both sensorineural and conductive hearing losses are present.
It can result from one cause such as otosclerosis or two different causes.
Auditory Processing Disorders is an umbrella term that describes a variety of conditions thought to result from difficulties in processing the sensation of sound.
Hearing loss problems related to APD do not show up on audiograms.
- Most common option to help people with a hearing loss
- Large range of brands with varying degrees of technology
- Can be fitted in the ear canal, in the ear or behind the ear styles (as shown above), depending on hearing loss
- Suitable for permanent conductive or mixed hearing loss
- Surgically attached to the skull
- Can be used for single side hearing loss
- Surgically implanted
- Suitable for a limited range of hearing loss
- Alternative to hearing aids
- Surgically implanted
- Used when hearing aids no longer meet personal communication needs
- More than 400,000 people worldwide with Cochlear Implants
- Surgically implanted
- Suitable for people with relatively good hearing (mild hearing loss) in the lower frequencies with more significant (severe) hearing loss in the higher frequencies
- Combination of cochlear implant and hearing aid
- Surgically implanted
- Uses cochlear implant technology
- Suitable for people with substantial auditory nerve damage, resulting in total deafness
- Provides the wearer with sound awareness: can tell if sound is present or not
ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS
HOW IT WORKS
- Ear infections
- Otosclerosis
- Perforated ear drum
- Wax blockage
- Ossicular chain discontinuity
- Cholesteatoma
- Presbycusis
- Ménière's Disease
- Auditory Neuropathy
- Noise-induced Hearing Loss
- Ototoxic drugs
- Acoustic neuroma
- Ear infections
- Otosclerosis
- Acoustic neuroma
Hearing aids pick up sound and increase loudness so they are both audible and comfortable to the listener.
Hearing aid features keep updating as technology improves.
The bone conductor picks up the sound, amplifies it and transmits it as a vibration. This vibration then travels to the cochlea resulting in stimulation of hearing receptors.
A middle ear implant picks up the sound, amplifies it and then transmits it as an electronic signal along a conductor link. This vibrates a transducer attached to one of the small middle ear bones located next to the cochlea.
A cochlear implant picks up sound and transforms it into electrical pulses. These electrical pulses are passed onto an 'electrode array' implanted into the cochlea that stimulates the hearing nerve cells directly.
A hybrid cochlear implant picks up sound and transmits the low frequencies to a hearing aid which amplifies the sound and transmits the high frequencies to a cochlear implant.
An auditory brainstem implant picks up the sound, transforms it into a series of electrical pulses which are delivered to the auditory brainstem, where signals from the auditory nerve would normally be delivered.
TECHNOLOGIES
IMAGE
- Auditory integration listening and auditory simulation programs
- Portable sound field FM systems
- Assistive Listening Technologies
FURTHER INFORMATION
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