In the past few decades, we have seen technological advancements grow at an incredible pace. While we may not be driving cars that fly quite yet, we are now surrounded by countless examples of technology that have quickly become commonplace in our lives--technology that would’ve seemed impossible even a few years ago.

The world of hearing aids is certainly no exception to this growth. In America today, people with hearing loss have a wide array of assistive technologies from which to choose, from standard behind-the-ear models to tiny invisible-in-canal or implantable models. Unfortunately, this was not always the case. Hearing impaired people have faced a long struggle to win public respect and gain access to solutions for hearing loss.

A Hearing Aid Timeline

Hearing aids have gone through many different changes over the years, as you can see:

17th century - 19th century -- The earliest known hearing aid was an ear trumpet created in 1624. At this time there were no large hearing aid manufacturers, and people who needed them had to design and build their own. These devices were widely used by people who were not hard of hearing, but needed to listen closely to subtle sounds for their jobs.

19th century-- The first mass-produced hearing trumpets were made. These were made from a variety of materials, from cheap tin to expensive and finely decorated metals. Unfortunately, they were not very effective in boosting sound as much as people needed.

Early 20th century-- The first electric hearing aids were introduced in the early 1900's. These were very inconvenient contraptions that required people to carry a large box--often the size of a suitcase--connected to a receiver they held to their ears.

Mid-20th century-- With the invention of the transistor, smaller hearing aid models were finally developed in the 1950s. These transistors, similar to radios, were worn by users around their necks. These were connected to microphones similar to modern behind-the-ear models.

With this snapshot of past hearing aid inventions in your mind, isn’t it remarkable how far we have come? In recent decades, an astounding number of hearing aid variations have been developed. Depending on your medical and lifestyle needs, you can choose from surgical procedures, different hearing aid brands and models, or even disposable hearing aids.