About Hearing Aids

A hearing aid is an electro-acoustic device which typically fits in, or behind, your ear, and is designed to amplify and modulate sound for the wearer.  Hearing aids date back as far as the 1800’s when ear trumpet horns were used. See Hearing Aid Development for further details.

Today’s hearing aids are digital microcomputers that can automatically adjust to ensure sounds are audible and comfortable. And with a whole host of twenty-first century features, they’re easy – and even fun – to use. Basic models today are light years ahead of the most advanced instruments of just a few years ago.

Based on your listening needs, type of hearing loss, and lifestyle, your audiologist will advise you on which hearing aid styles and features best meet your communication needs and budget. If you experience hearing loss in both ears, the audiologist may recommend that you use two hearing aids. In most instances, wearing two hearing aids helps in localising the direction of sounds, improves listening in noisy situations, and provides better overall hearing. The audiologist will provide you with the recommended hearing system and/or other hearing assistive devices and will instruct you in their use.