The hearing aid is a small electronic device that offers improved hearing for people who have some degree of hearing loss. They are also called amplification devices.
The hearing aids amplify sound and help people with hearing loss to hear more clearly. Hearing aids can help you hear sounds better, but they still do not restore hearing as it once was.
The hearing aids types and styles can be organized into different categories based on their features and components:
- Behind the ear hearing aids
- In the canal hearing aids
- Completely in the canal hearing aids
- In the ear hearing aids
- Invisible in the canal hearing aids
- Receiver in the ear hearing aids
The hearing aids compatible with telephones are totally different.
- Analog hearing aids, which have been in use for many years and have a limited range of features.
- Digital hearing aids, which offer more features and are more compatible with other hearing aids.
The most common type of hearing aid is the behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid. This type of hearing aid sits behind the ear and has a tube that goes into the ear canal. The BTE hearing aid is the largest style of hearing aid and is the most visible. It is also the most common style of hearing aid because it is easy to use and fits a variety of ear sizes.
Invisible-in-the-canal (IIC) hearing aids are the smallest type of hearing aid. This style fits completely in the ear canal, with only a small portion of the outer tube visible.
Almost in the canal (AIC) hearing aids are slightly larger than the IIC hearing aids. This style has a small tube that fits early in the ear canal, but the majority of the hearing aid is visible outside of the ear.
Completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aids are the smallest and most discreet style of hearing aid. This style fits deeply in the canal and is barely visible outside the ear.
Features and specifications
The behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid style has a larger body that can hold several components, such as an amplifier, microphone, batteries, and volume control. This type of hearing aid is also available in different sizes to fit different sized ears. The biggest benefit of a BTE hearing aid is that it is easy to use.
The in the canal (ITC) style of hearing aid uses a small tube to fit directly in the ear canal. The microphone and batteries are housed in the case attached behind the ear, while the receiver sits on top of or behind the ear. An in-the-canal style hearing aids have all the components fitted into the outer part of the device, making them small enough to fit entirely within your ear canal, which makes them more discreet than BTE models. Because this type has fewer parts, it also tends to cost less, but they fit lower in your ear canal and are almost invisible.
The IIC hearing aid (or invisible-in-the-canal) style also has all its components fitted into the outer part of the device, making them small enough to fit entirely within your ear canal. Because This type has fewer parts, it also tends to cost less than other models. IIC hearing aids fit deeper in your ear canal and are almost invisible.
The completely-in-the-canal (CIC) style is the smallest and most discreet style of hearing aid. This style fits deeply into the canal and is barely visible outside the ear. CIC hearing aids are a good option if you don’t like the feeling of something in your ear and want a more discreet device.
The receiver-in-the ear (RIC) hearing aid is a good option if you have a small ear canal or want a hearing aid that is easy to adjust.
Ace Audiology – Hearing Aids & Hearing Tests – Bulleen
Address: 29/79-109 Manningham Road, Bulleen VIC 3105, Australia
Phone: 03 9850 8888
Ace Audiology – Hearing Aids & Hearing Tests – Ivanhoe
Address: 124 Upper Heidelberg Rd, Ivanhoe VIC 3079, Australia
Phone: 03 9440 9409