The History Of Hearing Aids And How They Have Evolved Over Time

Hearing loss has been around since the beginning of time, it is only in recent years that people have begun to understand and accept it a little bit more. Way back in the day, before the 16th century it was thought that people who experienced hearing loss also had some other form of disability. This isn’t the case, and it was with thanks to a Spanish monk named Pedro Ponce that this myth was debunked.

Due to deafness impacting a person’s ability to pick up sounds and speech, he decided to teach a boy how to read, write, speak and even do math. People were astounded and have realized that being deaf doesn’t stop anyone from doing anything or succeeding in life.

First Hearing Device

You may be shocked to realize that hearing aids weren’t invented until the 19th century. So how did people manage their hearing loss? They had to use something called an ear trumpet which was invented in the 17th century. This is widely considered to be the first ever device used to improve someone’s hearing. They came in lots of different shapes and sizes but commonly resembled a trumpet, hence the name. In the late 1600s the collapsible hearing trumpet was invented making it easier to transport around.

These were used until late into the 18th century until a man named Frederick C. Rein invented ear trumpets attached to a headband. These made things much more discreet as the device was hidden by the user’s hair. He commercially produced these, so they became available for everyone. As well as the ear trumpets themselves, he also invented other devices to aid with hearing loss. These devices helped to amplify the sounds similar to how the modern-day hearing aid works.

First Hearing Aid

So, you’ve learned about the ear trumpet, now when did that become a hearing aid? Well, it was all thanks to the invention of Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone. You see, telephones use the same technology as hearing aids in that they can control the loudness, frequency and distortion of sounds to make them sound clearer.

The very first electric hearing aid was created in 1898 by Miller Reese Hutchison and then in 1913 the world was able to buy commercially manufactured hearing aids. However, they didn’t look like they do today. These hearing aids were heavy and cumbersome, probably more of a chore than a help. From this point on hearing aids continued to develop at a rapid rate, people were beginning to understand what those experiencing hearing loss needed to make their life easier.

Advancements

When did hearing aids start to become smaller and even more discreet. Well that one is thanks to the scientists at the Bell Telephone Laboratories inventing the transistor. These can stop and start the flow of current while also being able to control the volume. This made it the perfect technology to use in hearing aids. Using a transistor in these hearing aids not only made them smaller but it also meant that they could be worn discreetly within the ear or behind the ear. Making them smaller also didn’t impact the way they worked which a lot of people were concerned about.

Entering The Digital Age

By the time 2005 rolls around, the market consists of 80% digital hearing aids. Further to, this manufacturers realized they could make hearing aids even smaller by using silicon for the transistors. The closest you’ll get to today’s hearing aids was created in the 1960s, the microphone inserted into the ear which was connected to the amplifier by a small wire then the battery unit which all clipped onto the user’s ear.

What makes digital hearing aids stand out from the crowd is that they can be fine-tuned and customized for each individual. An audiologist will use various technologies to ensure that the user can hear every sound and that they won’t be impacted by their environment. You can even get hearing aids nowadays with rechargeable batteries, so you won’t have to hunt around for batteries when they run out.

We hope you found this article helpful and that it gave you some idea of where your hearing aids originated from and how far they have come. Remember, hearing loss isn’t a new thing and there are a lot of others who experience it also. If you need any more help or information regarding your hearing loss or your hearing aids then you can get in touch with Hearing Aid Consultants of North Mississippi at (662) 234-1337.