Types of Hearing Aids

Today’s Hearing Aid Technology

Sound enters a hearing aid through the microphone. It is processed by the circuitry inside the device and then delivered to a receiver (loudspeaker). The sound enters the wearer’s ear canal from the receiver, either directly in the case of a custom style hearing aid or through tubing, which is connected to an earmold in the case of a behind-the-ear hearing aid.

Most hearing aids on the market today use sophisticated digital circuitry. The word digital refers to the method of sound processing. In the case of digital sound processing, the sound is coded mathematically into bits. This level of precision affords the audiologist flexibility to customize the hearing aid to your specific hearing loss requirements.

Like anything else in the world of technology, there is an array of digital hearing aid technology, ranging from basic to advanced. The more sophisticated the technology, the greater the number of features available on the hearing aid.

Features & Benefits of Hearing Aids

Hearing Aid Styles

	Completely-in-the-canal (CIC) This type of hearing aid fits deeply inside your ear canal, making them almost invisible. The advantages include cosmetic appeal, reduced feedback and excellent sound quality. CICs are suitable for mild to moderately severe hearing losses.
	In-the-canal (ITC) Hearing aids are custom-made to fit almost entirely inside your ear canal, making them very discreet. Many people appreciate the balance of the ITC: small enough to provide some of the same benefits as the CIC, this type of hearing aid also provides enough room to accommodate additional options that may not fit on a CIC. ITCs are suitable for mild to moderately severe hearing losses.
	In-the-ear (ITE) Hearing aids are custom-made to fit securely in your outer ear, ensuring optimum performance and comfort. They provide sufficient space for extra options, such as directional microphones or telecoil switches (your Hearing Solutions audiologist can tell you more about these features). ITEs are suitable for mild to severe hearing losses.
	Behind-the-ear (BTE) Hearing aids sit comfortably behind your ear, allowing amplified sounds to pass through a tube to an earmold that is customized to fit into your ear. Because they are larger, BTEs can generally accommodate bigger batteries for longer life and larger amplifiers for maximum amplification. Most BTEs are compatible with assistive listening devices. BTEs are suitable for mild to profound hearing losses.
	Open Fit Hearing Aids, like BTE hearing aids sit comfortably behind your ear. However, unlike traditional BTE’s they are connected by an almost invisible narrow tube to a small “bud” that fits discreetly inside the ear canal. As a result, Open Fit hearing aids are less noticeable than traditional BTE hearing aids. This type of hearing aid also eliminates the “hollow sound” that many hearing aid wearers notice when speaking. Open Fit hearing aids have become the most popular style of hearing aids and can be suitable for mild to moderately severe hearing loss.