We often get the question “When would a bone conduction hearing system be right for me?”.
There is of course not one answer, but the most common reason is that a Baha solution will be beneficial to you when hearing aids in or behind the ear no longer work. For instance, for a child born without external ears there’s the possibility to transfer sound via the skull bone instead of the ear canals. Likewise, if you suffer from chronic ear infections that mean you can’t use hearing aids, a solution like a Baha System that keeps your ear canals open may be the recommended solution.
We usually talk about three types of hearing loss where a Baha System could be the right solution for you:
Conductive hearing loss
Problems in the outer and/or middle ear can block or restrict the flow of sound waves, preventing them from getting through effectively to the inner ear. You may be able to understand what’s being said, but only if people speak loud enough and there isn’t too much background noise. Hearing aids may help, but sometimes not enough.
Conductive hearing loss can be caused by (among other things):
- Ear infection or fluid in the middle ear (otitis media)
- Otosclerosis – fusing of bones in the middle ear
- A benign tumour or cholesteatoma, causing damage to the middle ear
Single-sided deafness (SSD)
This is the loss of all, or almost all, hearing in one ear. You may have difficulty in locating sounds or hearing against background noise. SSD is usually caused by sensorineural hearing loss, when the inner ear – or less often, the hearing nerve – isn’t working correctly.
SSD can be caused by:
- Exposure to very loud noise
- Acoustic neuroma (a benign tumor on the hearing nerve)
- Certain drugs or medications
Mixed hearing loss
A mixed loss is a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. This means that there may be damage in the outer or middle ear, and also in the inner ear or hearing nerve.
If you or your child has one of the types of hearing loss described above, then a Baha bone conduction implant may be a good solution. A health professional can talk you through the options and help you make the most informed decision. If you don’t already have someone to speak to, use this tool to find a clinic close to you. When considering what to do, the most important thing is to have all the information.