Ben Squires
Hearing

Hearing aids vs cochlear implants

When it comes to hearing loss, modern technology has given us many options, two of which are the traditional hearing aid and the cochlear implant. You may have wondered, “What is the difference between the two, and which is better?” We can explain.

Hearing aids Hearing aids use the hair cells within the inner ear to amplify sound. Because they rely on the integrity of the cells to work, hearing aids are often not effective for anyone who has severe or profound hearing loss.

There are several types of hearing aids:

There are also two other variants of hearing aids: analog and digital. Analog aids amplify all sound but are programmable, while digital aids, more complex, convert sound waves into digitized signal, creating an exact duplication of said sound. Because of the greater benefits, most hearing aids today are digital.

Cochlear implants Cochlear implants essentially replace damaged hair cells, stimulating the ear’s auditory nerve directly. The implants create a “spark” that, picked up by the auditory nerve, are then interpreted by the brain.

There are two main components of cochlear implants:

The choice between a hearing aid and cochlear implant ultimately falls according to the state of your ears and your individual needs. Your doctor can help recommend which of the options is best for you.

Tags:
hearing, hearing loss, Hearing aids, Ears, implants