![]() If you have single-sided deafness, you can wear a special pair of hearing aids that route sounds from the poorer hearing side to the better hearing side (called a CROS device), but a bone-anchored hearing device may be preferable because it requires the use of only one discreet device. Find out how bone-anchored hearing systems help with unilateral hearing loss.Ĭauses of SSD include acoustic neuroma (a tumor on the hearing nerve), Meniere's disease or sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Single-sided deafness makes it difficult to determine which direction sound is coming from (localization) and diminishes the ability to understand speech in noisy environments. Single-sided deafness (SSD) is a condition in which a person has lost all hearing in one ear, while having anywhere from normal hearing to profound hearing loss in the other ear. has a photo gallery of people with these conditions wearing bone-anchored hearing systems. A bone-anchored hearing solution delivers sound vibrations directly to the inner ear by being in direct contact with the skull bones. These malformations are often congenital, or present at birth. Malformations of the ear canal or middle ear, such as narrowing of the ear canal or a malformed or absent pinna (external ear) cause conductive hearing loss. That's why people who typically get the greatest benefit from bone-anchored hearing systems include those who have severe outer or middle ear malformations and those with single-sided deafness, also known as unilateral hearing loss. This type of hearing solution also may be recommended in extreme cases of chronic ear infections or allergies to traditional hearing aids. The most likely candidates for bone-anchored hearing devices are children or adults who have severe outer or middle ear malformations, or those with single-sided deafness. In those cases, standard hearing aids are ineffective. ![]() This can be helpful because middle ear and ear canal problems might prevent sound waves and signals from reaching the inner ear. These types of devices bypass particular problems by sending sound vibration directly to the inner ear through the skull bone. They may have conductive hearing loss (their outer or middle ears do not transmit sound correctly) or complete hearing loss in one ear only. Candidacy is best determined by a hearing care professional like an otolaryngologist (ENT). Here's what to know: Why bone-anchored hearing systems?īone-anchored hearing systems work best for people who have at least one inner ear (cochlear) that functions normally. To learn more, see our page on cochlear implants. ![]() In other words, they treat different hearing problems. While they are also a type of surgically implanted device for hearing loss, the patient indications are different. They treat hearing loss through bone conduction of sound vibrations to the inner ear-this is in contrast to regular hearing aids, which amplify acoustic sounds that enter the ear canal.įor this reason, bone-anchored systems are considered specialty devices for people who have outer or middle ear problems, but at least one functioning inner ear (cochlea).īone-anchored hearing systems (BAHS), also known as bone-anchored auditory implants or bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHA), are not to be confused with cochlear implants. Unlike hearing aids, bone-anchored hearing systems are surgically implanted devices. Yet, many people aren't aware of what they are and how they work. Sometimes, hearing aids are not the best option for people with hearing loss, and bone-anchored hearing systems are suggested as a more suitable option.
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