What are the different styles of Hearing Aids

What are the different Types of Hearing Aids?

After going through some intensive research and diagnostics, before people make any purchase of a hearing aid, everyone wants to know the availability and different styles of hearing aids. And this is how it should be exactly done.

Hearing aids come in two basic types and many different styles. Here’s how to get started finding the right style for you.  Finding the right type and style for you depends on your degree of hearing loss, your lifestyle preferences, and cosmetic concerns.

There are two basic types of hearing aids:

• In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids
• Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids

In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids

ITE aids are worn in the ear canal and are usually custom-fit, based on an impression that is taken by your hearing care professional at the time of your hearing aid consultation. These styles are typically available in different skin tones to blend with the outer ear. Some types of ITE hearing aids fit very deeply within the ear canal, while others are closer to the outer ear.

Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids

BTE aids sit behind or on top of the outer ear with tubing that routes the sound down into the ear canal via a custom-fit earmold or a dome style that doesn’t block the entire ear canal opening. BTE styles are available in different colors to match hair or skin tone, as well as flashier designs for personalized flair.

Common styles of hearing aids :

1. In-the-ear styles
2. Invisible in the canal (IIC)
3. Completely in the canal (CIC)
4. CIC hearing aid
5. A completely-in-the-canal
6. (CIC) hearing aid is just barely visible.
7. IIC and CIC styles are the smallest and most discreet hearing aids available. “Invisible in the canal” IIC styles are as described—virtually invisible. A wearer places them very deeply in the ears, and they must be removed by tugging on a small pull-out string. “Completely in the canal” CIC are very similar, but don’t sit quite so deeply within the ears.

These styles are typically fit for people with mild to moderate hearing loss. Because of their small size, they don’t usually come with any manual controls, like volume wheels or program buttons.

Advantages:

• very discreet
• good sound quality because of how they fit within the ear

Disadvantages:

• susceptible to ear wax and moisture damage
• small size can be a problem for dexterity
• small size also can be a problem for connectivity to wireless devices, like smart phones

In-the-canal (ITC) hearing aids :

ITC hearing aids sit in the lower portion of the outer ear bowl, making them comfortable and easy to use. Because they’re slightly larger than IIC and CIC styles, they tend to have a slightly longer battery life and can fit a wider range of hearing losses. Their size also allows them to host additional features such as directional microphones for better understanding in noisy environments and manual controls, like a volume wheel, if desired.

Advantages:

• discreet
• longer battery life and more features than IIC and CIC styles

Disadvantages :

• susceptible to ear wax and moisture damage
• more occlusion, can make wearers feel plugged up

Some optional features and Different styles of hearing aids to improve your ability to hear in specific situations:

Noise reduction. All hearing aids have some amount of noise reduction available. The amount of noise reduction varies. Some also offer wind noise reduction.

Directional microphones. These are aligned on the hearing aid to provide for improved pickup of sounds coming from in front of you with some reduction of sounds coming from behind or beside you. Some hearing aids are capable of focusing in one direction. Directional microphones can improve your ability to hear when you’re in an environment with a lot of background noise.

Rechargeable batteries. Some hearing aids have rechargeable batteries. This can make maintenance easier for you by eliminating the need to regularly change the battery.

Telecoils. Telecoils make it easier to hear when talking on a telecoil-compatible telephone. The telecoil reduces the sounds from your environment and picks up the sounds from the hearing-aid-compatible telephone. Telecoils also pick up signals from public induction loop systems that can be found in some churches and theatres, allowing you to hear a speaker, play or movie better.

Wireless connectivity. Increasingly, hearing aids can wirelessly interface with certain Bluetooth-compatible devices, such as cell phones, music players, computers and televisions. You may need to use an intermediary device to pick up the phone or other signal and send it to the hearing aid.

Remote controls. Some hearing aids come with a remote control, so you can adjust features without touching the hearing aid. Some hearing aids connect wirelessly to a cell phone and have a cell phone application that allows use of the cell phone as a remote control.

Direct audio input. This feature allows you to plug in to audio from a television, a computer or a music device with a cord.

Variable programming. Some hearing aids can store several pre programmed settings for various listening needs and environments.

Synchronization. For an individual with two hearing aids, the aids can be programmed to function together so that adjustments made to a hearing aid on one ear (volume control or program changes) will also be made on the other aid, allowing for simpler control.

At Best Hearing Clinics, we have an array of the right kind of Hearing Aids, which will suit and meet your every requirement. Our state of the art range of Different styles of hearing aids, give you multiple options in terms of advantages and within the reach as well.