mainarticles   mainarticles
mainarticles
mainarticles   mainarticles
mainarticles
mainarticles

Home | Health & Fitness | Medicine


What Is A Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (baha)?

By: Alvin Toh
 

Bone anchored hearing aids are also known as BAHA. These are surgically implanted hearing aids used to treat hearing loss. BAHA differs from other hearing aids as it uses direct bone conduction to transmit the sound. This is where the sound travels through the bone. This isn't actually a new idea, it has been possible since 1977. It wasn't until 1996 that the FDA approved BAHA for use in the United States.

BAHA have three main parts, first you have the implant. You then have an external unit and a sound processor. All of these components work in harmony to transmit sound through the bone while bypassing the outer and middle ear.

The implant itself is made out of a small piece of titanium. This is physically implanted underneath the skin on top of the skull bone. The sound processor is responsible for transmitting the sound vibrations through the external unit, this then causes the bone to vibrate. The vibration of the skull causes the nerves to become stimulated which allows the patient to hear.

Who is suitable for the BAHA?

The BAHA is suitable for people with difficulty in hearing caused by ear infections or congenital middle ear defects. This hearing aid is capable of bypassing the outer and middle ear, to reach the inner ear. In order for this hearing device to utilized well, the only thing that needs to be working correctly is the inner ear. If you suffer from ear infections on a regular basis, the BAHA does not affect the condition, as conventional types of hearing aid often do.

The bone anchored hearing aid is also a good option for those who have trouble adapting to the feel of a traditional hearing aid. Not only does it alleviate discomfort problems but it can also help relieve problems related to feedback and amplification that are resolved when using the BAHA.

Is the BAHA helpful for people with deafness in a single ear?

One of the best things about the BAHA is that it is useful for people suffering from deafness in a single ear. Before the BAHA was available, there was no satisfactory treatment for single ear deafness. The BAHA works by transmitting sound from the deaf ear to the normal ear to enable hearing in both ears.

What are the best features of the BAHA?

Bone anchored hearing aid can address the needs of people who suffer from problems with both the outer and middle ear, and deafness in a single ear. The BAHA is much more comfortable than many other types of hearing aids. Once implanted, the BAHA is completely unnoticeable. It can't fall off accidentally, and there is no need to re-fit it.

Article Source: Main Articles

Only 20% of people who could benefit from a hearing aid actually wears one. While the BAHA hearing aid is suitable for people with unilateral hearing loss, there are other types of hearing aids to suit almost every type and level of hearing loss, and budget. Check out our hearing aid comparisons before you buy a hearing aid.

This article may be reproduced wholly or in part without written permission provided the byline, resource area, and any hyperlinks remain in order to give proper credit to the author.

Internet search engines and directory listings are imperative to your sites existence and success. Submit Your Website to the Searchen Networks directory and search engine to achieve authoritive inbound links.

Please Rate this Article

 

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Medicine Articles Via RSS!
mainarticles
Main Articles. All Rights Reserved. © 2005, 2006
Use of our service is protected by our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
mainarticles
 

Powered by Article Dashboard