My name is Megan and I’m currently on BSc Biomedical Sciences. I love to read and play archery in my spare time. I’ve grown up with mild to moderate Sensorineural and Conductive Hearing Loss in both ears. I wear Phonax Marvel hearing aids (above) to help me navigate various environments and reduce background noise so that I can follow what is going on around me.

At birth, I didn’t pass the initial Otoacoustic Emissions test. After further testing, my parents realised I couldn’t hear properly. However, this was masked by glue ear. I was properly diagnosed with Bilateral (hearing loss on both sides) Sensorineural loss after i had grommets inserted at 18 months. Later, I was also diagnosed with permanent conductive loss due to hypermobility (not glue ear). However, the permanent conductive loss fluctuates.

You might be wondering … what is Sensorineural and Conductive Hearing Loss? A sensorineural hearing loss is caused by the loss or damage to the tiny hair cells located in the cochlear or the inner area. This means that the tiny hair cells in my cochlear can no longer transmit sound from the inner ear through the auditory nerve in the brain. Conductive Hearing Loss for me is caused by problems with the three small bones in my ear, as they do not conduct the sound properly.

The reason why I chose this module was because I am interested in learning more about how hearing aids and cochlear implants work, as well as the latest advancements in hearing technology. It’s a very personal subject to me.