Technology is continuing to advance in our quest for improved hearing. Hearing aids are better than ever with digital programming, Bluetooth connectivity (yes, it can connect with your phone!), and shrinking size for a more discreet appearance. However, there are some people who are not well-served by traditional hearing aids.
Have you previously tried and failed hearing aids? It could be that you have a type of hearing loss that is not appropriate for a traditional hearing aid. Discover the Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA). This new and improved device allows for improved hearing outcomes for two groups of people.
How the Bone Anchored Hearing Aids Work
For some, the BAHA system might be a new concept, but it was developed in the late 1960's by Dr. Per-Ingvar Branemark. He was conducting research, looking for new opportunities to improve hearing when he stumbled upon the advantages of titanium screws. These screws meld and grow with the bone allowing for a firm anchorage without the need for a thick layer of connective tissue.
The bone anchored hearing aid works by changing sound into vibrations that can bypass your damaged middle ear or your deaf ear and go straight to the best hearing part of your head, even if that’s on the other side.
The surgery involves an outpatient operation that takes 1-2 hours, but you can test out a demo model in the office to make sure you’re a good candidate for making up your mind. Call today to set up an appointment with one of our audiologists to check out this ground-breaking technology.
Advantages of Bone Anchored Hearing Aids
The Bone Anchored Hearing Aid is a surgically implanted device designed to bypass particular problems those with hearing loss might incur. By sending sound vibrations directly to the inner ear by way of the skull bone, it can side-step troublesome areas like the middle ear and ear canal. Additionally, BAHA is simple in design, and the ability to connect and disconnect the sound processor is easy. Those who would benefit the most are:
Single-sided Deafness (SSD)
Single-sided deafness applies to those who are too deaf in one ear but have normal hearing in the other. When you have SSD, it's hard to determine where the sound is coming from and the ability to understand speech is challenging. Those with unilateral hearing loss can wear special hearing aids that transmit sounds from one ear to the other to balance out the equilibrium. With the application of the BAHA, they only need to wear one hearing aid rather than two.
Malformations of the Outer or Middle Ear
Anyone with a large conductive hearing loss where the outer and middle ear doesn’t work to transmit sound from the outside world to your inner ear would benefit greatly from BAHA. These types of hearing issues are common in people who have had previous operations on the eardrum or hearing bones or those born with abnormal ear canals.
For more information on how the procedure works, or to discover if bone anchored hearing aids are right for you, contact OAT today.
