Treatable Conditions

1. Conductive or mixed hearing loss

A conductive loss may be caused by a congenital or other acquired malformation of the middle or external ear resulting in a missing or incomplete ear canal (atresia).

Causes of hearing losses can be congenital (present at birth) or acquired, and include:
· Malformation of the ear canal or middle ear
· Infection of the ear canal resulting in chronic draining ears

Traditionally, people with this type of hearing loss have been offered a conventional bone conducting hearing aid. These are either held on the head using a steel spring headband, or included in the frame of a pair of glasses. Traditional bone conductors have several disadvantages. The sound quality is poor as the skin acts as a barrier for the sound to travel to the inner ear. They can be uncomfortable, causing pain and headaches due to the constant pressure of the headband. They are also cumbersome, obtrusive and insecure. 

Baha solution for conductive or mixed hearing loss

The Baha system can be a real solution for people with this type of impairment.

The Baha sound processor is attached to a small implant placed in the bone behind the ear, transferring sound directly to the cochlea without involving the ear canal.  This system offers significantly better sound quality than that of a traditional bone conductor, as the sound is transferred directly to the bone, without having to first travel through the skin, which reduces clarity and volume.

The Baha sound processor works without pressure on the skin avoiding the headaches and soreness associated with the conventional bone conductor. Baha offers excellent wearing comfort and a better aesthetic result.

 

2. Single Sided Deafness (SSD™)

In the U.S. alone, over 60,000 people per year become victims of SSD™ through sudden deafness caused by:
Viral infections

• Viral Infections
• Meniere’s disease
• Trauma
• Measles
• Chicken pox
• Acoustic neuroma (often through surgical intervention)

Most people inflicted by a form of SSD have been left without an adequate hearing solution. To date the only possible solution has been a traditional CROS (contralateral routing of signal) hearing aid. As a treatment option, CROS aids are rarely favored by physicians or patients. 

For people that suffer from SSD, the limitations to lifestyle are often significant. Simple everyday activities, such as those listed below, often become stressful and challenging:

· Crossing the street
· Attending professional meetings
· Going to restaurants
· Interacting with friends and family at social gatherings
· Bicycling
· Jogging
· Driving a car

In group situations loud sounds become overwhelming and the simplest things in life can become major obstacles. In many cases this leads to social and professional isolation. 

The Baha solution for SSD

Baha, an FDA cleared solution for SSD, provides a completely unique benefit. The Baha device is placed on the deaf side behind the ear, and transfers sound through bone conduction, stimulating the cochlea of the normal hearing ear. The Baha system provides the opportunity to hear and understand sounds from both sides where previously the head shadow effect totally masked certain sounds. According to patients, this ultimately results in the sensation of hearing sound from the deaf side.