Bone Anchored Hearing Aids
The bone anchored hearing aid is a suitable hearing device for specific types of hearing loss such as single sided deafness which can be caused by viral infection, Meniere’s disease, trauma, measles, sudden hearing loss or acoustic neuroma (if hearing cannot be preserved). It is also a suitable device for conductive hearing loss which can be present at birth or acquired during someone’s lifetime. It is caused by malformation of the outer or middle ear or chronic infections in the middle or outer ear space.
How Does It Work?
Air conduction is the process used for us to be able to hear sound. Sound is collected by the pinna, the external ear, sent down the ear canal, then sent through the middle ear space where three small bones are located. It is then processed in the cochlea, the inner ear. Bone conduction sends tiny vibrations at different pitches to the inner ear which is what the bone anchored hearing system uses.
This is not a traditional hearing aid, but many insurance companies will cover this device.