Understanding Hearing Aid Parts and Their Functions

How are hearing aids made? Think of hearing aids like miniature computers for your ears. While you aren’t required to understand how hearing aid technology works in order to use hearing aids, having a foundational understanding does make it easier to use them. It’s also beneficial to have a basic knowledge regarding parts of a hearing aid.

With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at hearing parts and their functions.

A hearing aid diagram shows four main hearing aid parts: the microphone, the amplifier, the receiver, and the battery.

The microphone takes the sound, converts the sound into electrical signals, and sends that sound to the amplifier. In addition, some hearing aid microphone processors are able to distinguish between background noise and speech with sophisticated modern technology. This distinction makes it much easier for the hearing aid user to understand speech and conversation in noisy places.

The hearing aid amplifier boosts the overall volume or power of the electrical signals sent from the microphone. In addition, there are computerized parts that modify the sounds received from the microphone so that only the relevant sounds are amplified.

The power of the amplification differs based on the level of hearing loss. For example, those with severe hearing loss receive more amplified signals than those with mild to moderate hearing loss. However, it’s important to get a complete hearing evaluation and diagnosis from an audiologist or healthcare professional.

The speaker or receiver converts the microphone’s electrical signals into acoustic signals. These acoustic signals are what the user actually hears.

The battery is the power source. The hearing aid needs power to operate, whether you use disposable zinc-air batteries or rechargeable batteries.

There are several additional parts and controls, depending on the style and size of the hearing aid. Your hearing professional will take your needs, hearing loss level, and lifestyle into consideration while determining your diagnosis. They’ll then recommend additional hearing aid pieces and behind the ear hearing aid parts. These additional hearing aid parts may include:

• Volume control. The volume control component of the hearing aid enables the user to adjust the volume of various sounds. This volume control feature is not available in all hearing aids, and for good reason. Not all hearing aid users need this additional feature, so you should consult with your audiologist or hearing professional to determine whether you need volume control.
• Memory control. The memory control feature enables the user to switch between different memories that have been pre-programmed into the hearing aid for different environments, such as restaurants, concerts, your home, and more. The memory control feature is not available in all hearing aids. You should consult with your audiologist or hearing professional to determine if you need memory control for your lifestyle and needs.
• Ear hook. The ear hook is a clear plastic attachment that connects to the hearing aid and loops over the top of the ear. You can only find the ear hook component on behind-the-ear hearing aid devices, also known as BTE devices.
• Earmold. A custom in-the-ear piece, the earmold attaches to the hearing aid device to assist with containing the sound within the ear. An audiologist or hearing professional can take an impression of your ear, and a custom earmold can be created. We recommend consulting with your audiologist or hearing professional to determine if you need an earmold.
• Vent. The vent is a hole that goes entirely through an earmold or a custom hearing aid device. The vent enables airflow in and out of the ear to protect the user from infection and the feeling of plugged-up ears.
• Wax guard. The hearing aid wax guard helps prevent earwax from interfering with the electronic parts of the hearing aid through a tiny filter that catches the earwax.
• Telecoil. Also known as a t-coil, the telecoil is a tiny magnetic sensor that comes with some hearing aids. These t-coils enable hearing aids to connect directly to various sound sources, including public address systems and telephones. We recommend consulting with your audiologist or hearing professional to determine if you need a telecoil.