Hearing Aids or Cochlear Implants?
Hearing Aids
A hearing aid is an electroacoustic body worn apparatus which typically fits in or behind the wearer's ear, and is designed to amplify and modulate sound for the wearer
There are different types of hearing aids: below are a picture for each type of hearing aids, and a description for each.
o CIC (Completely In the Canal): Suitable for mild to moderate hearing losses. Smallest of all the custom sizes, this style rests deep in the ear canal
o ITC (In The Canal): Suitable for mild to moderately severe hearing losses. This style rests in the ear canal.
o ITE (In The Ear): Suitable for mild to severe hearing losses. This style fills the concha of the ear.
o BTE (Behind The Ear): Suitable for mild to profound hearing losses. This style rests behind the ear and transmits sounds to the ear through a tube.
o RITE (Receiver In The Ear): Suitable for mild to severe hearing losses. Cosmetically more discreet than traditional behind the ear models, this style rests behind the ear and transmits sound through a thin tube
o Designer—Receiver in the ear: suitable for mild to severe hearing losses. Non-conventional triangular design and virtually invisible sound tube creates a discreet non-traditional hearing device.
There are different types of hearing aids: below are a picture for each type of hearing aids, and a description for each.
o CIC (Completely In the Canal): Suitable for mild to moderate hearing losses. Smallest of all the custom sizes, this style rests deep in the ear canal
o ITC (In The Canal): Suitable for mild to moderately severe hearing losses. This style rests in the ear canal.
o ITE (In The Ear): Suitable for mild to severe hearing losses. This style fills the concha of the ear.
o BTE (Behind The Ear): Suitable for mild to profound hearing losses. This style rests behind the ear and transmits sounds to the ear through a tube.
o RITE (Receiver In The Ear): Suitable for mild to severe hearing losses. Cosmetically more discreet than traditional behind the ear models, this style rests behind the ear and transmits sound through a thin tube
o Designer—Receiver in the ear: suitable for mild to severe hearing losses. Non-conventional triangular design and virtually invisible sound tube creates a discreet non-traditional hearing device.
Cochlear Implants
A cochlear implant (CI) is a surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing. The cochlear implant is often referred to as a bionic ear. It deliveres electrical stimulation directly to th nerve, bypassing the damanged sensory cells (cilia) of the inner ear.
How a Cochlear Implant works:
Sound waves enter the microphone of the implant and are sent to the speech processor. The processor converts sound into distinctive digital codes. The digital coded signal travels to headpiece and is transmitted across skin via radio frequency waves to the implant. The implant receives signal and sends down the electrode array in cochlea which then stimulates the hearing nerve fibers in the cochlea. The nerve sends the signal to the brain.
Source of Images:
Baby with Cochlear Implant. [Digital Image]. (June 16, 2010). Retrieved November 13, 2010 from
http://yourpersonalslp.blogspot.com/
Baby with Hearing Aids. [Digital Image]. (2010). Retrieved November 13. 2010 from
http://midtnhearing.com/pediatric-audiology
Hearing Aid Profiles. [Digital Image]. (2010). Retrieved November 13, 2010 from
http://lescentresmasliah.com/en/products_audio.htm
How a Cochlear Implant Works. [Digital Image]. (2006). Retrieved November 13, 2010 from
http://asklisaanne.com/id9.html