Kenmark International

Virtually invisible

Invisible hearing aids that sit inside the ear canal and are comfortably suspended by Flexis (soft pieces of medical-grade silicone). They're great for active, on-the-go adults who don't want to be slowed down by traditional hearing aids.

Key Benefits

Virtually invisible and rechargeable

Around less than half the price of traditional behind-the-ear models

Disadvantages

They cannot support directional features.

For mild or moderate hearing loss

BEHIND THE EAR

HEARING AID

Cleverly named behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids sit—you guessed it—behind the ear. The housing holds the battery microphone, and controls, with an earpiece that wraps around and into your ear. These are typically better for those with severe or profound hearing loss.

Key Benefits

Able to address higher levels of hearing loss

Some models offer the ability to connect to your TV or phone

In-person appointment

Such as Horizon from Hear.com

PERSONAL AMPLIFIER

Personal amplifiers are meant to amplify environmental sounds for "non-hearing-impaired" consumers. In other words, they make everything louder—and louder isn’t necessarily better. Personal amplifiers are not intended to help with any level of hearing loss.

Key Benefits

Inexpensive

Accentuate all sounds

ØThe whistling noise is called Feedback.

ØHearing aid feedback is caused by sounds that leave your ear and find their way back into the microphone.

ØThe sound is re-amplified which causes that annoying whistle.

TTheir job is to combat the annoying noise, but occasionally some feedback will still get through.

1.Reinsert. Perhaps the most obvious reason for potential feedback is that the hearing aid isn't correctly inserted.

2.Remove earwax. Problems with feedback aren't always rooted in faults with the hearing aids.

3.Refit. Loose-fitting hearing aids allow the noise to escape the ear canal.

4. Change Cushions With no hole less whistling

ØAll hearing aids process sound, which means that when sound arrives into the hearing aid, it has to be sectioned into bands of sound (sometimes referred to as "channels") and digitized before it can be amplified.

ØThe better the hearing aid, the more flexibility it has to band sounds that are amplified for your unique hearing loss prescription.

ØIf you have only high-frequency hearing loss, a better-made hearing aid can amplify only those sounds within that band.

ØAn auditory brainstem implant provides hearing to people with hearing loss who can't benefit from a hearing aid or cochlear implant.

ØCommonly due to a missing or very small hearing nerve or severely abnormal inner ear (cochlea).

ØThe auditory brainstem implant directly stimulates the hearing pathways in the brainstem, bypassing the inner ear and hearing nerve.

ØAuditory brainstem implant was originally developed for adults diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 2 — a rare genetic condition that causes tumors to grow on nerves.

ØThe surgery is now considered for adults and children with other nerve and inner ear abnormalities.

ØHow long does it take for your brain to adjust to a hearing aid?

ØShould you remove hearing aid batteries at night?

ØWhat is the 5 minute rule for hearing aid batteries?