If you have hidden hearing loss or auditory processing disorder, you may be wondering what treatment options could be right for you. Low-gain hearing aids could be an effective option.
Low-gain hearing aids are just like a normal hearing aid you’d be fitted with if you have hearing loss, just adjusted to provide less volume amplification. This type of amplification can help to allow users to pick up on frequencies they would normally be missing and fill in the blanks with their hearing.
Low-gain hearing aids aren’t effective for everyone with hearing loss. It’s helpful to understand the conditions they would work with.
Potential conditions
Low-gain hearing aids work best with auditory processing disorder and hidden hearing loss.
- Auditory processing disorder is a condition where the brain doesn’t properly translate the meaning of sounds. It commonly displays itself by feeling like you can’t hear, even though your hearing test is normal and struggling to hear or being easily distracted in noisy situations.
- Hidden hearing loss is hearing loss that’s not detectable on standard hearing tests. Those with hidden hearing loss often feel like they have hearing loss and struggle to hear in noisy settings.
Low-gain hearing aids aren’t appropriate if you have significant or profound hearing loss since they only provide minimal amplification. Your hearing specialist can help guide you through a proper diagnosis and treatment options; you should avoid self-diagnosing APD and HHL.
How They Work
Hearing aids that provide less volume amplification may seem counterintuitive, however, low-gain hearing aids enhance parts of sound that specifically help what those with APD and HHL are missing. A 2018 study found that low-gain hearing aids provided significant improvements in self-perceived auditory processing difficulties and speech-in-noise performance.
Low-gain hearing aids improve the following:
- Speech clarity: Low-gain hearing aids better amplify high-frequency, low-intensity sounds. This provides clarity of speech, helping amplify sounds those with ADP and HHL may be missing.
- Signal-to-noise improvements: Those with ADP and HHL often struggle to hear in noisy environments. Low-gain hearing aids help to amplify speech, making it easier to hear conversations in places with noisy environments, such as Condesa Coffee.
As with most medical conditions, not everyone will benefit from low-gain hearing aids as a management option. To learn more or discuss it with a hearing specialist, schedule an appointment at Advanced Hearing.