What Do You Know About The Bone Conduction Hearing Aid
Who is a candidate for bone conduction hearing aid ?
Bone conduction hearing aids are a great option for people with hearing loss associated with problems in their outer or middle ears or for those with profound hearing loss in one ear. We offer devices that don't require surgery, as well as implanted devices that require minor surgery. Your type and degree of hearing loss will largely dictate what kind of bone conduction hearing aid you need.
Bone Conduction Hearing Aids are similar to conventional hearing aids in that they assist you with hearing, however they differ from standard hearing aids in exactly how they do it: They are specially designed for people who cannot wear conventional aids due to some of the following reasons:
The person previously has a middle ear conditions
The person has continual ear infections or eczema
The person is fully or partially missing their ear canal
The person’s ear canal is unusually small
Some people experience what is known as Conductive Hearing Loss, which occurs when sound is prevented from reaching the inner ear; usually because of a blockage or abnormality in the middle or outer ear. Bone Conduction hearing aids are a great option when providing amplification..What is the bone conduction hearing aid?
Bone conduction hearing aids come in both surgical and non-surgical options. Unlike a conventional hearing aid, a conductive hearing aid is implanted into the person. Bone-anchored systems treat hearing loss by conducting sound vibrations to the inner ear. This method contrasts with a standard hearing aid that simply detects and amplifies acoustic sounds. A bone-anchored hearing aid is not for everyone, though. Auditory experts say they are designed for people who suffer from specific types of hearing loss (more on this later).
Bone Conduction Hearing Aids amplify sound, but they do it not by passing sound into your ear canal, but actually by sending vibrations through the bones of your skull. These vibrations given off by Bone Conduction are transmitted directly from the aid through your skull and into the Cochlea. For this reason Bone Conduction bypasses the outer and middle ear, making it ideal for anybody with the aforementioned conditions.
There are three main forms of Bone Conduction Hearing Aids:
Traditional Bone Conduction Hearing Aids
Spectacle Hearing Aids
Bone-Anchored Hearing Aids
How do the bone conduction hearing aids work?
A bone conduction hearing aid has two parts. The first is the external part, known as the processor, and the implanted fixture, which may be surgically implanted. There are two types of bone conduction hearing amplifier. Firstly, the fixture may protrude through the skin, where it can then be attached to the processor. The second option is completely implanted into the skin, and a small magnet inside the processor is used to attach it. These devices capture sound and use bone vibrations to transfer it into your cochlea. In other words, sound skips the outer and middle ears and goes straight into the inner ear.
Conduction hearing creates an entirely new pathway for your hearing. Depending on the person, one or two of these hearing aids may be used. They can also work alongside standard hearing aids to further enhance hearing. But do these hearing aids work as effectively as standard hearing aids? The short answer is yes, the technology is just as advanced. The key difference between these two types of hearing systems is the delivery method. Sounds continue to be detected with bone conduction, but they are detected via vibrations and fed directly into your cochlea.
