Choosing the Right Hearing Aid
Choosing the right hearing aid is not only a matter of function but also style. In overall functionality, hearing aids basically work in much the same way by amplifying sounds from your environment within your ear. However, hearing aids can vary greatly when it comes to size, price, special features and even placement in the ear.
Styles of Hearing Aids
Completely-in-the-Canal (CIC) Hearing Aids
- Designed for adults suffering from mild to moderate hearing loss
- Smallest and least visible
- Picks up less wind noise
- Utilizes smaller, shorter duration batteries
- Lacks volume control
- Susceptible to earwax buildup
In-the-Canal (ITC) Hearing Aids
- Custom-molded to fit partway within the ear canal
- Improves mild to moderate hearing loss in adults
- Not as visible as larger models
- May include some special features
- Susceptible to earwax buildup
In-the-Ear (ITE) Hearing Aids
- Ideal for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss
- More visible than those inserted in the ear canal
- Two primary styles available, full shell and half shell
- Includes directional microphones and volume control
- Easy to insert into the ear
- Longer duration batteries
- May pick up more background noise than a smaller model
- Susceptible to earwax buildup
Behind the Ear (BTE) Hearing Aids
- Suitable for all ages and stages of hearing loss
- Hooks on top of and rests behind the ear
- Customized tube travels into the canal
- Largest type of hearing aid
- Possesses the most amplification
Receiver-in-Canal (RIC) or Receiver-in-the-Ear (RITE) Hearing Aids
- Similar to BTE, a tiny wire connects the hearing aid and the speaker
- More discreet that BTE
- Susceptible to earwax buildup
Open Fit Hearing Aids
- A variation of BTE, it allows some sound waves to travel into the ear canal
- Excellent choice for mild to severe hearing loss
- Less visible than many hearing aids
- Allows speech to sound more natural to the wearer
- Features small parts and batteries, which may prove difficult to handle
