Implantable Hearing Devices
Bone Anchored Hearing Aids
Hearing aids are helpful to millions of Americans with hearing loss. But as well as they perform, they do have their limitations. They won’t work for all types of hearing loss.
Implantable hearing devices are surgically implanted instruments designed to improve the transmission of sound vibrations by directly stimulating the bones of the middle ear. There are several different types of implantable hearing devices; these include cochlear implants and bone anchored hearing aids.
Sometimes hearing aids are not the best treatment option for hearing loss. Implantable hearing devices are surgically implanted instruments designed to improve the transmission of sound, and improve hearing. Your ENT and audiologist will decide if an implantable device is right for you based on the type and degree of your hearing loss, as well as lifestyle factors.
Types of Implantable Hearing Devices
Bone Anchored Hearing Devices
Bone anchored hearing aids consist of a titanium screw that is implanted into the bone behind the ear, and a sound processor that clips onto the screw. Unlike traditional hearing aids that transmit sound through air conduction, a bone anchored hearing aid transmits sound through bone conduction. Sound is sent through the processor into the bone behind the ear. The bones of the skull act as conductors, transmitting these sound vibrations to the inner ear, where the nerve fibers responsible for hearing are stimulated. A bone anchored hearing device is especially useful for patients with conductive hearing loss and single-sided deafness.
Cochlear Implants
Cochlear implants are devices that are implanted surgically behind the ear. They contain an external portion consisting of a microphone, sound processor and transmitter, and an internal portion that includes a receiver and a group of electrodes.
The microphone picks up sounds in the environment, which are then converted by the sound processor into electronic signals that are sent to the transmitter. The transmitter forwards these signals to the receiver, where they are then passed on to the electrodes. The electrodes stimulate the auditory nerve, which carries the information directly to the brain, where it is interpreted as sound.
Cochlear implants allow those who are profoundly deaf to understand speech and other sounds.
Call DeFatta Hearing Aid Experts at (715) 930-1940 for more information or to schedule an appointment.
