How do hearing aids work?

We explore how these small instruments can make a big difference in the quality of your hearing.

With the right hearing instruments, patients experiencing hearing loss can better hear and understand speech in many situations, making life easier and more enjoyable for you and the people around you.

They do this by amplifying sounds that your ears may naturally struggle to pick up. In addition to making sounds louder, they also use different filters to reduce some of the background noise that could make it harder to pick certain sounds.

Parts of a Hearing Instrument:

1. Multiple microphones on each aid pick up sound
2. A programmable amplifier to make sounds louder
3. A miniature loudspeaker called a receiver that sends the amplified sounds into the ear
4. A tiny, rechargeable battery that powers the instrument
5. A volume or program button (some models have capabilities for volume control via a smartphone app)

These parts work together to produce remarkable hearing improvement.

First, the microphone picks up sound and carries it to the amplifier. Based on your specific hearing test results, the amplifier and related technology uses criteria set by our audiologist or hearing aid specialist to make the sound louder and clearer. The receiver sends this stronger sound into the ear canal, where it travels the rest of the way into your ear. Your brain then processes the sound so you can clearly hear and respond to noises around you.