Once You Saw Them, Now You Dont: CIC Hearing Aids

Listening devices have come a long

way before appearing as state of

the art CIC hearing aids. Hearing

loss is as common to the human

experience as old age and throughout the ages, people have

either accepted an increasingly

quieter sounding existence or used

the tech of the day to hear better.

Back in the 1600s, ear trumpets were employed to help men and

women get better sound. Often, you'll see these long, funnel

shaped tools used by elderly folks in a Victorian-era films,

probably as a joke. By today's standards, ear trumpets do seem

comical but at the time, they were important hearing instruments.

The horn, typically made of sheet iron or another malleable

material, required the user to hold one ear near the smaller end of the funnel to hear sound waves, which naturally gather inside

the tube. Surprisingly, these passive tools were made into the

1960s, by which time, modern listening devices became the clear

successor.

Like CIC hearing aids, modern devices are active, employing

audio circuitry to produce better sound. It began with body worn

aids, which started to pop up in the middle of the 20th century.

These resembled a personal music player, with a device the size

of a deck of playing cards worn in the pocket or clipped to a belt. The case attached to a long wire and earbud inserted into the

ear.

Eventually, these were replaced by BTE hearing aids, which were

a marvel for the industry. Now however, even the newest behind the ear devices appear to be oversized and bulky next to a

completely in canal listening instrument. It's inserted deeper into

the ear than any other aid and must be installed by an audiologist

for safety.

Completely in canal devices are best for sufferers with moderate

to mild hearing loss due to their smaller size but if you're a good

candidate, it offers a substantial benefit: privacy. It's virtually

impossible to tell that someone is wearing a CIC hearing aid,

which is a huge draw for many.

REFERENCES:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear_trumpet

http://www.rle.mit.edu/media/pr142/23_Greenberg.pdf

For More Information, Call Hearing HealthCare of Virginia At:

888-512-1164

Or

Visit Us At:

http://hearing-aids-charlottesville-va.com