Bone Anchored Hearing Aid- Is it Right for You?

A bone anchored hearing aid was developed back in 1977, but wasn’t approved for use in the U.S. until 1996. This aid works by being implanted in the bone, so that sound is conducted here rather than through the ear. It proves effective for many cases of conductive and mixed hearing loss, but does not offer much assistance for other types of hearing loss problems.

This aid has an implant, a sound processor, and an external abutment. Together, these parts create sound transmission through the bone, allowing people to hear things without needing the use of their actual middle ear or external canal.

Once the bone anchored hearing aid is put into place, it becomes a part of the bone over time. Vibrations are sent through the bone, which stimulates the nerves in the ear. Once the nerves have been stimulated, the person can hear.

Chronic ear infections, congenital middle ear defects, and those with a dislike for traditional hearing aids can all benefit from the bone implant. This will allow for the middle ear to be bypassed, which is great for suffers of ear infections, because it is known that no more damage will be done to the hearing because of the implant.

The bone anchored hearing aid is also useful in patients who only have one deaf ear. By implanting this device in the deaf ear, the sound is transferred from the deaf ear to the good ear, which offers a sensation of hearing in that ear. So many people can benefit from this great device, but it can prove to be an expensive investment.

Like many other hearing aids, this procedure is medical in nature but has very little support of the insurance companies. Therefore, you must make sure that this is the right treatment for you, but also that you can afford it.

The bone anchored hearing aid is probably the best device that is available for middle ear problems, unilateral deafness, and other people who couldn’t find solutions that suited them before. The implant is unnoticeable and doesn’t get in the way like a hearing aid might, and you don’t have to worry about it slipping out.

Once the device has been implanted, the process is complete and no readjustments are needed. If you suffer from any of these types of hearing loss, this device might benefit you.