People with moderate hearing loss in both ears who are not happy with their hearing aids may be eligible for the study. Background Hearing loss is the most common chronic human disability and the number one contributor to quality of life problems in oldsters. Nearly 30 million people in the U.S. have enough loss of hearing to have a communication problem. For the vast majority of these people, hearing aids and speech reading are the primary treatment methods. Less than one million people experience hearing loss that can be assisted with a cochlear implant.
Hearing aids work basically the same as any amplifier - they simply make the sounds louder.
This is easy to do for mild losses where the inner ear is still reasonably effective. As the loss worsens, the amplifier has to be stronger or turned up higher. If there is an air leak around the ear mold, the familiar hearing aid squeal occurs, and power is lost because the acoustic coupling is weakened by the air leak. To prevent squealing, the ear mold has to fit tightly, which causes discomfort and pressure. Hearing aid specialists spend much of their time dealing with ear mold problems.