What Is In The Hearing Aid?
Hearing aids are small devices that help people with hearing loss. It aids people to have better hearing. The type of hearing aid one needs depends on the degree of hearing loss the person suffers. Hearing aid also depends on your style preferences and any other cosmetic concern. Basically, hearing aids come in two different types, namely, In-the-Ear hearing aids (ITE) and Behind-The-Ear hearing aids (BTE).
ITE hearing aids are worn inside the ears. It is worn inside the ear canal. It is customized to fit the ear canal based on the impression of the canal which a doctor extracts. This type of hearing aid comes in different styles and colors. Based on your preference, you can opt for the ones that fit deeply into the ears or the ones that are closer to the outer ear. You can also opt for colours that are close to your skin tone. BTE hearing aids are placed behind the outer ear. It comes in two different styles, a custom fit ear mold or a dome style. These hearing aids come with a tube that passes sound down into the ear canal. It comes in different colours that match your skin tone. There are trendy designs available in these hearing aids. Both types of hearing aids require a standard battery that needs to be replaced anywhere between 3 to 20 days. In recent times, hearing aids with rechargeable batteries are more popular.
Hearing Aids Of All Styles
People with hearing loss mostly feel shy to wear a hearing aid. Mostly, due to the hindrance of wearing an external device or due to the changes it makes to the overall appearance. People who are worried about their looks can opt for ITE hearing aids. It comes in two different styles, namely, Invisible in the canal (IIC) or Completely in the canal (CIC). These are the smallest and the most discreet hearing aids available. IICs can be virtually invisible inside your ears. It is placed very deep into the ear and pulled out using a small string attached to the hearing aid. CIC is also similar but it is not placed very deep. They have good sound quality as they fit close to your eardrum. The small size can be an issue as it is susceptible to moisture and ear wax. Dexterity and connectivity to a wireless device can also be an issue.
Another comfortable and easy option are In-The-Canal hearing aids (ITC). It is placed in the outer ear bowl. Since it is bigger than IIC and CIC, it has longer battery life and covers different types of hearing losses. It comes with loads of features like volume control, directional microphones for better hearing in noisy situations. The wearer might feel plugged up due to high occlusion. Low profile hearing aids are the same as ITC. These hearing aids come in two designs, half shell design that covers the complete outer ear bowl and full shell design that covers the complete outer ear.
Find The Best Hearing Aid For You
There are two distinct styles in BTE hearing aids, namely, Receiver in the ear or canal (RITE) and Behind the ear with earmold. These styles have a microphone and processor fit into a case that sits behind the ear. The speaker will be fit inside a mold that reaches the outer ear from behind. This is the only style that has a rechargeable battery. As it is bigger, it can accommodate more features and controls. These devices can easily connect to wireless devices like smartphones. It has easy maintenance as the speaker portion of the hearing aid can be easily replaced.
Read More About : Choosing Between Hearing Aids And Hearing Amplifiers
