What Style of Hearing Aid I Should Wear?

When you are experiencing hearing loss, there is a lot of thought that can go into protecting your hearing, as well as helping your hearing to improve so that you can hear at your normal level. When it comes to hearing aids, though, you may be concerned about how they will fit, what they will look like, and if they are going to help. Knowing what your hearing aid options there are for you to wear, as well as knowing what to look for in a hearing aid, will help you to decide what hearing aid is going to be best for you.

It is also important to note that your audiologist will have several years of education and training to do what they do. They will be able to advise you on your different options, so talking through your options with them is a must. They can also advise on how you get used to wearing hearing aids and how to care for them, which is valuable information.

Hearing aids don’t just restore normal hearing. How they work is by improving your hearing, working by amplifying the sounds around you, that you might not have been hearing well before. Wearing ones that you are comfortable with is a must to make this happen for you.

Hearing aid styles

Hearing aids can vary quite greatly in how they look and the specialist features that they can have. They can also differ in how they are placed into your ear. Having a good idea about how they all work and what your options are, can help you to decide which will be the best hearing aid style for you to wear.

Completely in the canal (CIC)

Hearing aids that are CIC, go completely in the canal. They are custom fit to you, to make sure that they fit inside your ear canal exactly, offering a snug and comfortable fit. They are a good option when you are looking to improve any mild or moderate hearing loss in adults.

The benefits of this kind of hearing aid is that it is usually very small and discreet. It also means that it is less likely to pick up some sounds, such as wind noise. The batteries required are small, which means that you may have to change the batteries more often. As it is in the ear canal, it could also get clogged by earwax, so regular cleaning is a must in order to keep them working as they should.

In the canal (ITC)

A hearing aid that is in the canal, is another custom fit hearing aid, which your audiologist will be able to advise you on. How it works is by going partly into the ear canal, and it is a good option for mild or moderate hearing loss in adults. As with a CIC hearing aid, ITC is small and discreet, and it can come with some features that you might not get in a CIC hearing aid.

In the ear (ITE)

A hearing aid that is in the ear, is another custom fit style, just for you. It is designed to fill most of your outer bowl, or some just fill the lower part of your ear. They can help moderate-to-mild hearing loss, and you can get these fitted with two microphones, helping to hear sounds much more easily than before.

As a result of their style, they can have features like volume control that you won’t get on smaller hearing aids. It is also more visible than any in-canal hearing aid options.

Behind the ear (BTE)

Behind-the-ear hearing aids are what you might classically imagine as a hearing aid. This kind of hearing aid hooks over the top of your ear, then it rests behind your ear. There is a tube that connects the hearing aid to an earpiece that will fit in your ear canal.

This is suitable for anyone with hearing loss, regardless of age, as well as any level of hearing loss. Although larger, there are some modern models that are more discreet. Due to the size, it is also capable of a higher level of amplification than smaller styles.

To find out more about hearing aids and to speak to an audiologist, call The Hearing Doctors at (630) 315-2899 today. We look forward to helping you find the hearing aids that will be best for you.