| Conventional hearing aids take sounds from outside | | | | conduction hearing aids, and so they can be difficult to |
| the ear, and then amplify this sound and play it back to | | | | track down. If you need one be sure to discuss it with |
| the inner ear. There are hearing aids known as bone | | | | your audiologist. |
| conduction hearing aids, these work very differently to | | | | Bone conduction hearing aids are unable to perfectly |
| the conventional hearing aids. | | | | reproduce sound, the sound is somewhat similar to the |
| The bone conduction hearing aids collect sounds from | | | | telephone. |
| the outside world, however these hearing aids transmit | | | | Also the sound generated by bone conduction hearing |
| the signal to an oscillator, rather than playing the sound | | | | aids is only mono, it isn't stereo. The wearer of the |
| back to the inner ear. This oscillator vibrates against | | | | hearing aid is unable to tell where the sound I actually |
| the skull, the inner ear is able to pick up the vibrations | | | | coming from due to this. |
| and interpret them as sound. | | | | A bone conduction hearing aid uses a headband to |
| Conventional hearing aids are much more effective | | | | hold everything in place, they are occasionally |
| than the bone conduction hearing aids. However bone | | | | uncomfortable because for them to be effective the |
| conduction hearing aids are designed for people that | | | | headband must be kept tight. |
| are unable to use the traditional forms of hearing aid. If | | | | When these hearing aids were new they were |
| the ear canal is blocked like in Atresia, then a regular | | | | designed to be installed into glasses. At the time it was |
| hearing aid is next to useless, a bone conduction | | | | not common to have your lenses thinned, so it was |
| hearing aid however is much more useful. | | | | possible to place a small device into the thick frames |
| If you have ear infections or eczema then you may | | | | of the glasses, so the vibrations will be felt. |
| be unable to wear conventional hearing aids, and so | | | | The latest bone conduction hearing aids use surgery to |
| might need to look at using bone conduction hearing | | | | implant a device. This works directly onto the bone, |
| aids. If your ear canal is restricted, or narrower than | | | | and so is less irritating for the user. The device also |
| normal then a bone conduction hearing aid may be | | | | needs less power to operate, and there is less |
| required. | | | | distortion as a result of this. |
| Bone conduction aids are perfectly suitable for children, | | | | If you are suffering from permanent hearing loss as a |
| and they are also great for people that suffer from | | | | last resort you may want to try one of these |
| temporary hearing loss. | | | | implanted bone conduction hearing aids as a last resort. |
| Less than 1% of hearing aid wearers use bone | | | | |