Choosing the Right Hearing Aid

Choosing the right hearing aid is undoubtedly a difficult decision considering the many different types of hearing aids that are on the market. At Evear Hearing, we are here to break it down and give you more guidance as to which one would be the perfect fit!

All hearing aids use the same basic parts to carry sound from the environment around you into your ear and make them louder. When choosing the right hearing aid, you have to consider several factors including:

• The severity of your hearing loss
• Your lifestyle
• Your manual dexterity

Hearing Aid Styles

Invisible hearing aid (IIC)

A completely in the canal hearing aid is custom-designed to fit inside your ear canal making it invisible. This type of hearing aid is perfect for anyone who lives a moderately to a heavily active lifestyle or simply want your hearing aids to be invisible to the human eye. Although many people prefer to have a hearing aid that is invisible, at Evear Hearing, we do not recommend it to anyone with severe or profound hearing loss since they do not have the same amount of power larger hearing aids do. An example of a completley in the canal hearing aid would be the Phonak Lyric or Starkey Picasso.

Pros

• Least noticeable type of hearing aid
• Custom made to perfectly fit your ear
• Smallest, most discreet hearing aid made

Cons

• Not as much power as other hearing aids
• No directional microphone (too small)
• Short battery life

Completely in the Canal (CIC)

A completely in the canal hearing aid is molded to fit directly in your ear canal. These types of hearing aids are made for anyone experiancing mild to moderate hearing loss.

Pros

• Not noticeable – fits deep and tight in the ear
• Custom made to perfectly fit your ear
• Less sensitive to wind noise

Cons

• Short battery life
• Not as much power as other hearing aids
• No directional microphone ( too small )
• May not be comfortable

In the Canal (ITC)

An in the canal custom hearing aid fits in the ear canal however, a smaller portion shows in the outer ear. These hearing aids are good for anyone who wants an easy-to-handle device and have mild/moderate hearing loss. These hearing aids come in different sizes and usually include many different electronic features such as multiple directional microphones.

Pros

• Barely visible
• Larger units may include directional microphones
• Suitable for anyone who wears glasses

Cons

• May not be comfortable
• Not as much power as other hearing aids

In the Ear (ITE)

In-the-ear hearing aids is a hearing aid that fills most of the concha (bowl-shaped area in of your ear). The biggest benefit of using this type of hearing aid is that it has a longer battery life, which gives the hearing aid more power for severe hearing loss, and an improved operation. In-the-ear hearing aids are good for anyone who wants an easy-to-handle hearing aid and one that has many electronic features – such as multiple directional microphones.

Pros

• Custom-fit to your ear
• Larger battery life – rechargeable in available select styles
• Can include controls for volume that won’t fit on a smaller hearing aid

Cons

• Largest of the custom made styles
• May pick up more wind noises than smaller custom devices
• More visible in the ear than smaller devices

Behind the Ear (BTE)

A behind-the-ear hearing aid hooks over the top of your ear and rests behind the ear. All the components of this hearing aid are stored in the plastic case worn behind the ear. The sound gets transmitted to your ear through the tube that connects the case to the receiver and a custom earpiece called an earmold worn inside the ear canal. This type of hearing aid is appropriate for almost any type of hearing loss. Behind-the-ear hearing aids are the world’s most common hearing aid style. An example of this type of hearing aid would be the Phonak.

Pros

• Flexible features
• Good for someone with severe hearing loss
• On larger models, the controls are easy to manipulate
• Can be cleaned easily
• Feedback is rare since it has a snug fit
• Larger battery – longer battery life
• Easy to handle

Cons

• Some of the custom earmolds are visible (clear ones aren’t)
• Not suitable for anyone that wears glasses
• Less discreet
• Hard to wear with face masks

Receiver in Canal/Reciever in Ear (RIC)

A receiver-in-canal hearing aid is small, discreet, and quick to ft. It is perfect for first-time hearing aid wearers. They are smaller than a regular BTE hearing aid and can be worn comfortably behind the ear. The receiver of the hearing aid is located outside the housing and is placed at the end of a thin wire that is placed near/in the eardrum. An example of a type of hearing aid like this would the Resound ONE.

Pros

• Small, unnoticeable casings
• The tube is nearly invisible
• Larger batteries for longer battery life

Cons

• Less discreet than custom styles
• Wax and moisture buildup may give the receiver a shorter life

To try on the different hearing aids and pick the perfect one for you, visit our clinic Evear Hearing and our healthcare professionals will be more than happy to go over all the features with you. At Evear Hearing, our goal is to ensure that our clients all walk out with a hearing aid they are comfortable with and enhances their ability to hear and communicate.

References

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/hearing-aids/buying-guide/index.htm
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/in-depth/hearing-aids/art-20044116#:~:text=All%20hearing%20aids%20use%20the,collect%20sounds%20from%20the%20environment.
https://www.starkeycanada.ca/hearing-aids/styles/invisible
https://www.starkeycanada.ca/hearing-aids/styles/invisible