couple in woods PHDs don’t have to be complicated. At Living Sounds Hearing Centre Ltd., we believe you should understand the technology that is helping you hear the world around you.

All PHDs have similar parts. These include:

A microphone to pick up sound
An amplifier to make the sound louder
A receiver to deliver the louder sound into the ear
A battery to supply power to the electronic parts

What a PHD can and cannot do:

The main function of a PHD is to make sounds louder. A PHD provides the most help in quiet situations such as listening to a person, television, or a very small group of people. Improvements in circuitry have helped improve listening in background noise, however since the PHD cannot tell the difference between a person’s voice and noise, it is still more difficult to hear in this type of situation.

A PHD does not make a person’s hearing normal. Whether or not a person understands what he hears depends on two main things:

The condition of the auditory pathway – If the pathway is damaged it will make mistakes in interpreting what it hears. Words may sound unclear and garbled.
The individual who is speaking – The way words are pronounced, the pitch of a person’s voice, accents and how fast words are spoken can all affect the clarity of speech. If a person does not speak clearly, the PHD cannot make it clear. The PHD merely duplicates what it hears and amplifies it.

Advantages of Binaural Hearing (hearing with both ears)

Improved understanding of speech - binaural hearing helps improve the hearing of different speech sounds and offers a smoother tone quality
Wider hearing range - sounds can be heard from farther away
Restful listening - it is less tiring and stressful to hear with both ears
Both ears stay active - when only one ear wears a PHD, the unused ear tends to lose its ability to hear and understand
Cushions loud sounds - sudden loud sounds have a less jarring effect when divided between two ears
Better sound identification - noises can be more easily identified when heard with two ears
Hearing from both sides - it is more natural to hear with both ears and it is easier to localize where sounds are coming from
Hear with less power - binaural hearing generally requires less volume from your PHD and it is a little easier to hear when there is background interference

There are two types of PHDs that are contained in the outer part of the ear:

Behind the ear (BTE) – the PHD sits behind the ear and is connected to an ear mold contained in the outer part of the ear
Body Aids – the microphone, amplifier and batteries are combined into a rectangular case that resembles a very small walkman. A cord connects the case to an ear mold that is contained in the outer portion of the ear

Deciding what type of PHD is right for you can be overwhelming. Trust Living Sounds Hearing Centre Ltd. to assess your needs and recommend the best solutions. For more information on personal hearing devices, contact tim@livingsounds.ca