If you have hearing loss, you know that listening in places with a lot of background noise or locating where a specific sound is coming from can be difficult. The good news? Hearing aids with directional microphones can help!
Let’s take a closer look at how they work and the ways they can benefit you.
How Directional Microphones Work To Let You Hear Better
You probably guessed based on the name, but directional microphones are designed to pick up sounds from specific directions. They are different from omnidirectional microphones, which collect sound from every direction equally. While this method can be helpful for simple amplification, it’s not helpful when it comes to distinguishing sounds you want to focus on and ignoring the ones you don’t.
Directional microphones in hearing aids function in a couple of different ways. Some use single microphones with multiple ports on both sides of the sound-receiving sensor. If a sound is picked up from both sides, as background noise would be, it gets canceled out. This helps you focus on sound coming from a specific direction, like your spouse seated in front of you when you’re out to dinner at a busy Sioux City restaurant like Table 32.
A more advanced method involves using two to three separate microphones within the hearing aids. This improves directionality because the shorter distances between the microphones allows them to be extremely selective when it comes to which sounds to cancel out and which ones to amplify.
Hearing Aids With Directional Microphones Help You Stay Connected
Hearing loss makes it harder to distinguish sounds, including speech. This can make it harder to connect and enjoy your time with others, especially at social events or other louder environments. Research has shown that using hearing aids with directional microphones can significantly improve speech recognition in noise.
Socializing with others is more about going out and having a good time. It’s about building and strengthening relationships and being a part of your local community. Strong connections with others benefit our physical, mental and emotional health.
So, if you’ve noticed that your hearing seems to have changed, call Ear, Nose & Throat Consultants today to schedule an appointment for a hearing test.