How does a hearing aid work?

Hearing aids are small electronic devices that help people with hearing loss hear more clearly. They work by capturing sound through a microphone, amplifying the sound, and delivering it into the ear through a tiny speaker. Modern hearing aids can be adjusted to amplify only the frequencies someone struggles with most, making conversations, music, and everyday sounds easier to hear and understand. They come in different styles, including those worn behind the ear and inside the ear.

How does a cochlear implant work?

A cochlear implant is a medical device designed for people with severe to profound hearing loss who do not benefit from hearing aids. It bypasses the damaged parts of the inner ear and sends sound signals directly to the hearing nerve. The implant has two main parts: an external sound processor that sits behind the ear and a surgically placed internal implant. The processor captures sounds and sends them to the implant, which stimulates the auditory nerve, allowing the brain to interpret the sounds.