If you’ve gotten a hearing test that indicated you have a hearing loss, your audiologist most likely recommended hearing aids as the best course of treatment. If you’re hesitant, don’t be! There are many styles of hearing aids on the market today that are suitable for a wide range of hearing losses. We review some of the most popular types and their benefits below.
Behind-the-Ear (BTE)
BTE hearing aids are comprised of the main hearing aid portion and an earmold, which are connected via thin tubing. BTEs are suitable for people with mild to profound hearing loss. Because the earmold can easily be replaced, they are often recommended for children.
The pros of BTEs are the many different colors they come in, the room for manual controls and the high amount of power they offer. The cons are that they are more visible than many other models and may be problematic for glasses wearers due to how they are worn.
In-the-Ear (ITE)
ITE hearing aids are worn completely in the outer part of the ear. All the electronics are housed in hard plastic casing. ITEs are great for people with mild to severe hearing loss.
Pros of ITEs include having manual controls, being great for people with dexterity issues due to their size and most models having telecoils. Cons include being highly visible.
In-the-Canal (ITC)
ITC hearing aids are custom-fit to sit partially in the ear canal and partially in the outer part of the ear. They suit people with mild to severe hearing loss.
The pros of ITCs are they are easy to put in and are less visible than ITEs. The cons are there is less room for manual controls and they are more visible than smaller models.
Completely-in-Canal (CIC)
CICs are also custom-fit to sit in the ear canal, but they are smaller than ITCs. CICs work for people with mild to moderate hearing loss.
The main pro of CICs is they are not very visible. The cons include being difficult for people with dexterity issues to handle and causing occlusion.
Invisible-in-Canal (IIC)
Like CICs, IICs are very small, though IICs are worn deeper in the ear canal. IICs are also best for people with mild to moderate hearing loss.
IICs have the greatest cosmetic appeal since they are invisible and can even be worn with earbuds from Best Buy. Cons are the same as CIC devices. For more information about the most popular types of hearing aids or to schedule an appointment with a hearing aid expert, call Hearing Center Silver Spring today.