Which Are The Most Popular Types Of Hearing Aids?

two hearing loss patients buying new hearing aids

Hearing aids are not onesizefitsall Instead there are multiple different types each offering users a unique experience In recent years hearing aid technology has developed tremendously The entire industry is benefiting from miniaturization made possible by the fabulous success of the consumer electronics sector Today many hearing aid manufacturers are borrowing components directly from mainstream providers and incorporating them into their devices 

There are numerous examples of this For example modern hearing aids have connectivity options such as Bluetooth and WiFi They also have powerful onboard chips and soundmodulating software to give users a better experience 

In this post we take a look at the various styles of hearing aids and which you might want to choose for yourself 

Behind the Ear BTE

BTE is the most popular hearing aid design historically BTE devices have two sections: one that sits inside the ear and another that fits over the back of the auricle The part inside the ear contains the speaker while the part outside contains the battery microphone volume control and other components 

Because of their large size these hearing aids tend to offer patients the greatest functionality and features BTEs have a long battery life external controls sophisticated onboard software and lots of space for connectivity options such as Bluetooth and WiFi 

Because they are relatively large manufacturers can also cram in more sophisticated features For example they have room to install a second microphone which increases directional hearing ability They also have space for dynamic sound environment controllers which vary the level of amplification depending on the degree of background noise Some even have customizable chassis allowing you to swap out one color for another 

The disadvantage of BTEs of course is that they are more conspicuous than many of the newer designs The external section of the hearing aid is quite large and there is a wire running between the two major parts 

Being on the outside of the body BTEs are also prone to damage Hence they are not always a good option for people who play contact sports such as football and ice hockey 

In the Ear ITE

ITE is a type of hearing aid that is becoming more popular These devices are different from BTEs because they contain all their components in a single unit that sit in the outer bowl You can think of them as being the same as BTEs without the part that hooks over the auricle 

ITEs offer many advantages for certain users over standard hearing aids For instance they are more discreet because they sit flush to the ear hole Furthermore none of their components are housed on the exterior of the ear making them less prone to damage in contact sports and daytoday living 

In the past the amount of technology that manufacturers could cram onto an ITE device was quite small Many only had a speaker microphone and processor to communicate between the two However following miniaturization that’s no longer the case ITE devices now offer just as many features as their larger BTE counterparts

Whether an ITE is right for you is very much a personal decision Some longtime hearing aid users actually prefer the feeling of the BTE device behind the back of the ear However if you are new to hearing aids you may want to explore this option further 

In the Canal ITC

ITC hearing aids take the ITE concept a step further While ITE devices are visible from the outside and have a section that covers the ear hole ITC devices do not Typically you can only see them if you are up close and looking directly into the ear hole Removing these hearing aids from your ear usually requires a magnet or special tool 

ITC devices are much smaller than ITE and BTE hearing aids This size limitation reduces the number of features they can have However it does make them almost perfectly discreet 

ITCs are popular among patients with mild hearing loss They tend to come with relatively small speakers and typically offer the same basic features and BTE hearing aids of the past However due to improvements in technology many options now include additional functionality such as Bluetooth and WiFi

Because they fit perfectly inside the ear ITCs are also less prone to damage It is possible to wear them during contact sports Because they fit so snugly they are unlikely to fall out 

If you would like to learn more about different hearing aid styles and which might benefit you contact Beltone Hearing Center Lethbridge at 4039424327 for more information