Do you know the Difference Between Hearing Aids and Cochlear Implants
This is a good question for the hearing loss people, as well as the hearing aids business related person and organization, including the hearing aids manufacturers, hearing aids suppliers, hearing aids solution providers, hearing aids salesman, hearing aids testers,or Audiologist and so on..
First of all, let’s make a short introduction for the two products of hearing aids and Cochlear Implants.
•What is the Hearing Aids ?
As we all know, either the regular hearing aids or the hearing aids for kids are small, electronic devices specifically designed to amplify sounds going into the ear. Ideally, these devices are prescribed by hearing healthcare professionals following a hearing evaluation. Hearing aids work best for children and people who have mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss.
Today, all digital hearing aids contain at least one microphone, a digital chip to amplify and process sound, a speaker and a battery. The amplified sound is sent directly to the inner ear for translation into electrical impulses which the auditory nerve transmits to the brain.
Hearing aids can be classified into two main types. The one type is in-the-ear of ITE Hearing aids and another hearing aids type is behind-the-ear of BTE hearing aids, each of which is available in a variety of styles, shapes, sizes and colors. Due to the sophisticated technology, there are some expensive cost hearing aid prices can range from $1,000 to as much as $4,000 per device, depending upon the technology, features, size and customizations. Insurance coverage is variable. However,as one of a leading hearing aids manufacturer from China, the Earsmate hearing aids prices can range from $10 to $99.0 only per each unit of a pair of packed 2 sets.For more Earsmate hearing aids devices information,you can get from this homepage www.earsmate.com
•What is the Cochlear Implants ?
Cochlear implants are a much less common and more complicated hearing technology than hearing aids. Hearing aids are devices worn in or on the ear that amplify sound, whereas cochlear implants are surgically-implanted devices that interact directly with the deepest parts of the inner ear.
Cochlear implants work in a very different manner than hearing aids. Where hearing aids amplify sounds so they can be heard, cochlear implants instead bypass the “hearing” parts of the inner ear entirely. Instead, they turn sound into electrical impulses and use those impulses to directly stimulate the auditory nerve. The auditory nerve perceives these electrical signals as sound and transmits them to the brain.
The sound from cochlear implants is very different than normal environmental sound. This is because the electronic signal sent by the implant to the inner ear cannot match the complexity of normal sound signals. Instead, the sound must be reduced to “channels” that drive electrodes at specific frequencies. Advanced cochlear implants can feature more than 20 channels with multiple electrodes per channel, allowing for a wide range of frequency responses.
Secondly, any hearing impaired person could use both the hearing aids and Cochlear Implants?
Definitely, the answer is No!
Cochlear implants are designed to perform in a more complex and different manner than hearing aids. While all types of hearing aids are designed to amplify sound; a cochlear implant delivers an electrically charged signal directly to the auditory nerve or cochlear, which will be explained in more detail below. These devices offer a vast frequency range, regardless of the hearing loss before implantation.
The one area hearing aids have the advantage over implants is with lower frequencies. The innermost part of the cochlea or apex is where lower frequencies are detected. Currently, implant technology has limited depths of which it can be implanted, which limits the access to frequencies below 250 Hz.
As a result, some people are encouraged to use a cochlear implant in one ear and a hearing aid in the other. Those who rely on an implant alone tend to perceive or gain access to lower frequencies through harmonics – after the brain learns how to translate the electrode signal.
As a conclusion
Hearing aids are best suited to people suffering from several conditions, including:
•Age-related hearing loss
•Noise-related or exposure-related hearing loss, such as hearing loss caused by exposure to loud noises at work
•Some types of ear damage such as certain cases of tympanic membrane perforation (perforated eardrum)
Cochlear implants aren’t suitable for the vast majority of hearing loss sufferers. They are invasive and require a lot of time and patience to use properly. However, they can provide a sense of hearing to people with no other option, such as:
•Children and adults with certain types of congenital hearing loss
•People with certain types of severe ear damage
•People with profound sensorineural hearing loss who can no longer benefit from hearing aids
Which one is right for you?
Only a hearing healthcare professional can evaluate your hearing and determine which hearing device, if any, is right for you. If you aren’t hearing your best, schedule an appointment to have your hearing evaluated. If you are diagnosed with hearing loss, work with your hearing healthcare professional to find the right hearing device for your hearing loss, lifestyle and budget. If you need a hearing care provider, visiting us www.earsmate.com is a good next step.
