Hearing aids are not a cure for partial deafness and hearing loss. Wearing a hearing aid can help you hear better, but it can’t restore your hearing. Hearing loss is permanent and can’t be reversed through the use of a hearing aid, just like wearing glasses helps you to see better but does not correct problems with vision.

The majority of hearing loss occurs because of damage to the cochlea, which is the auditory part of the inner ear. There are tiny hairs in the cochlea, and sometimes these hairs can break off or bend, causing hearing problems. There is also the possibility of nerve cell degeneration, causing hearing loss. The hearing loss occurs because when the nerve cells or hairs are damaged, electrical signals aren’t being transmitted correctly.

While hearing aids might not be able to completely restore a person’s hearing, they can make a notable difference in the wearer’s ability to hear and filter out unwanted or ambient noise. Voices will sound clearer and easier to understand. You will no longer have to ask people to speak up or resort to pretending to have heard what they said.

There are varying degrees and styles of hearing loss. You may not be able to filter out ambient background noises to focus on or hear people talking. Or high pitched sounds and voices may be harder for you to hear and pick out. Both of these hearing problems can be helped by the use of a hearing aid.

There are different types of hearing aids that can be purchased, and unlike the older models that had a large piece that sat very noticeably behind the ear, today’s hearing aids are much smaller and are custom made to fit each individual ear for maximum comfort. They are easy to put in and take care of, and once you are used to wearing them, you won’t even know that you have them on. The most popular types of hearing aids are behind-the-ear (BTE), in-the-ear (ITE), in-the-canal (ITC), and completely-in-the-canal (CI ).

Not everyone hears the same. With digital hearing aids, not only is the fit customized, but the inner workings of the hearing aid are customized also. Digital hearing aids make it easier to filter out background sounds before they are transmitted to the wearer, resulting in cleaner, crisper sounds. Digital hearing aids are also highly programmable and can be adjusted during your fitting to ensure the best sound quality for you. And since they are also programmable through a computer, getting in office adjustments are a lot easier.

Today’s hearing aids also give the wearer more control over how they hear things. Directional microphone systems help you to filter out noises that are coming from behind you. This function is particularly useful if you are somewhere noisy, like a party or restaurant, where sounds and voices will be coming from all directions. Turning on the directional microphone system will help you concentrate on what is going on in front of you by lowering the amplification of sounds behind you. Not all models and types of hearing aids can be fitted with a directional microphone system.