Many people are reluctant to use hearing aids and don’t understand that hearing aid technology is always improving. Some are concerned about appearance. Others associate them with a stereotype of aging. Some people doubt their effectiveness. What people need to know is that hearing aids have become much more sophisticated and effective, and are more appealing in design.

Hearing aids vary in their sophistication, complexity, and style. What many patients do not realize, however, is that achieving maximum benefits rests heavily on the clinical expertise of the prescriber. The difference between a good and optimal outcome frequently depends on an audiologist’s in-depth understanding of the human auditory system.

All hearing aids contain: a microphone to pick up sounds, an amplifier to make sounds louder, a receiver to send the louder signals to the eardrum, and a battery to act as the power source.