Hearing aid technology has made significant advancements over the years. One of the more useful and important elements of many hearing aids is the directional microphone. Let’s take a closer look at what it is and how it helps improve your listening experience.
Directional Microphone Basics
Perhaps not surprisingly, directional microphones help hearing aid users pick up sound from specific directions. Unlike omnidirectional microphones, which pick up sound from every direction equally, directional microphones make it easier for users to focus on sounds coming from a specific direction while also helping to tune out unwanted background noise.
Some directional microphones are single microphones with multiple ports on both sides of the sound-receiving sensor. Sounds that come from both sides, which is usually background noise can get canceled out and allow the user to focus on sound coming from a single direction.
Additionally, other models use multiple microphones that allow your hearing aid to be extra selective when it comes to what sounds to focus on, as well as what to suppress or cancel out.
The Benefits of Directional Microphones
Our listening environments change a lot throughout the day. Sometimes we’re enjoying a quiet cup of coffee in the morning before everyone else is awake. Other times, we’re out to dinner on a Friday night at a busy Georgia restaurant like Lazy Betty.
Things like background noise, multiple voices talking at once, and reverberation that are common in louder environments are harder to tune out for people with hearing loss. It can become exhausting to try and follow what your spouse or friend is saying in these situations.
Research has shown that directional microphones can significantly improve speech recognition in noise. This helps you to stress less about being able to hear and simply enjoy time out and about with your friends and loved ones.
When Is It Time To Seek Help for Hearing Loss?
While hearing aids make listening easier in any environment, many people with hearing loss aren’t even aware that they could benefit from the help. Because hearing loss comes on gradually and becomes more likely as you age, you should schedule a hearing test if you’re over the age of 50 or you’ve noticed even the slightest change in hearing.
With a hearing test, your audiologist can easily determine the cause and severity of your hearing loss, as well as what frequencies you struggle with, in order to find the right pair of hearing aids for you.
Take the first step towards prioritizing your hearing health and call the experts at Advanced Hearing to schedule an appointment today.