FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions About Hearing

The outer part of the ear (called the pinna) directs sound waves travelling in the air into the ear canal. Higher pitch sounds are enhanced by the shape of the ear canal as they reach the ear drum. Sound is transformed into a slight vibration of the ear drum.

The eardrum is attached to a chain of three hearing bones (the ossicles) that act as a lever enhancing sounds while transferring the signal through the middle ear to the inner ear. The last of these middle ear bones (the stapes), is attached to the oval window, a thin tissue covering and entry point to the fluid-filled inner ear known as the cochlea.

The cochlea is a snail-shaped tube within the skull that contains sensory hearing cells. These sensory cells are situated on a flexible membrane tissue – the basilar membrane. When the oval window vibrates it moves the fluid in the cochlea which in turn moves the basilar membrane and sensory hearing cells are displaced.

Two of the important sensory hearing cells are the outer hair cells and the inner hair cells.
As the hairs move, nerve cells at their base change this motion into electrical signals that are passed along the auditory nerve to the auditory centres of the brain, where the signals are interpreted as recognizable sound.
 

Today’s hearing aids are available in many different styles, shapes, sizes and colours with various technological features. Many factors are involved in determining the ones that are best for you, including the degree and configuration of hearing loss as well as your hearing needs and life style.

All hearing aids are composed with a microphone, an amplifier, a processor, a receiver, a battery and an earmold. They are designed to enhance your daily life and improve communication without hindering your lifestyle with the goal of assisting you hear in both noisy and quiet environments.

Hearing aids cannot solve every communication problem or restore normal hearing. However, with proper support and education, hearing aids can make a big difference in peoples lives.

  • You have to be willing to address your communication challenges.
  • You have to be aware of your communication desires to ensure the right match.
  • You have to trust your Audiologist and know they understand what you want and need within a hearing device.
  • Audiologists at Near North Hearing Centre can test your hearing, guide you through the process and discuss all the options available to you.


Hearing aids are not only hearing devices but a strategic process. For the first few months there will be several check-ups to ensure that the device is right for you and your hearing needs. There will be a check-up after 6 months to ensure that the device is still working followed by hearing tests every 2 years.

• Constantly asking others to repeat themselves.
• Others often say the TV is too loud.
• Seem like others are mumbling or speaking too softly.
• Difficulty to tell which direction sounds are coming from.
• Trouble following group conversations.

If you or someone you know is suffering from any of these signs, we can help!

Contact us

Address: 510 Main Street East, Suite 204 North Bay, ON P1B 1B8

Call us: 705-494-9900

Fax: 705-494-9795

Services
  • Diagnostic Services
  • Rehabilitative Services
  • Educational Services
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