Monaural vs Binaural Hearing Aids
What is a Monaural Hearing Aid? Monaural hearing aids works as an individual hearing device. It means that it is worn only in one ear. People with hearing loss in one ear i.e., Monaural hearing loss wear monaural hearing aid. In the past, even people with hearing loss in both ears wore two different monaural…
What is a Monaural Hearing Aid?
Monaural hearing aids works as an individual hearing device. It means that it is worn only in one ear. People with hearing loss in one ear i.e., Monaural hearing loss wear monaural hearing aid. In the past, even people with hearing loss in both ears wore two different monaural hearing devices which didn’t have connection to each other. They worked individually. Monaural hearing aids comes from 18th century, and with so much medical advancement over the centuries, today medical professionals have developed advanced hearing aids to give the most natural hearing experience.
What is Binaural Hearing?
Hearing loss in both the ears is called binaural hearing loss. Binaural hearing aid is worn in both the ears. The pair is custom coordinated to give you a defined amplification in both the ears. Since, human beings have a binaural type of hearing naturally, binaural hearing aids replicate the natural form.
Wearing two hearing aids have a number of benefits. Binaural hearing aids can amplify sounds at varying degrees and from varying distance. Individual wearing a binaural hearing set will be able to better judge the direction of sound and have more of a realistic experience of hearing.
Should I Wear More Than One Hearing Aid?
Left and right ear process sound differently. When the waves enter through left ear, it is processed by the right side of the brain and when the sound waves enter the right ear, it is processed by the left side of the brain hemisphere. Then both the brain hemispheres coordinate and process the sound we hear.
If you have a hearing impairment in one of the ear, the best way to reach optimal hearing is wearing more than one hearing aid.
When you wear a binaural hearing aid, both hemispheres of the brain are involved. You will be able to determine the direction of sound and have a balanced and natural hearing experience. That is why health care professionals often recommend wearing a binaural hearing aid even if you feel you have impairment in only one of the ears.
When you use hearing device in both the ears, it protects you from having discomfort with continuous hearing in one/the impaired ear. Hearing aid actually stimulates your ear to have an optimized hearing and when you wear only one device, the stimulation and sound amplification in both the ears differ; causing your discomfort.
As opposed, when you wear two devices, the sound is amplified surrounding both the ears which even helps you in recognizing directional sound. It also minimizes conditions like tinnitus which causing ringing sound in the ear and headaches accompanied. Therefore, it justifies that the benefits of wearing two devices is more even if you have single ear impairment.
Depending on your type of hearing loss, our expert audiologist will suggest you hearing aids that are suitable for your hearing loss. At HNR Speech & Hearing Clinic , we have a wide variety of styles that you can pick from.
Get in touch with our HCP! Call us on 040-42018181 / +91 8237037087 to book your slot.
