Top 5 Hearing Aid Styles

Hearing aids have been around for more than 100 years. While the modern options on the market don’t look very similar to those that were around a century ago, this type of device has long been one of the best treatments to improve hearing loss. Amplifying sound and making it easier to use your sense of hearing, hearing aids give many people the freedom that they wouldn’t be able to enjoy on their own. But what are the five most popular hearing aid styles on the market? Let’s find out.

In the ear (ITE)

ITE hearing aids are possibly the most common type of hearing aid that you will find in the modern world. This type of hearing aid will be shaped to fit your ear perfectly by a hearing health professional, giving you a perfect fit. While very discreet, hearing aids like this often come with a lot of features, including a long battery life that enables you to enjoy clear hearing all day long.

In the canal (ITC)

ITC hearing aids are similar to ITE devices; only they sit inside your ear canal. This makes them more discreet than many other types of hearing aid on the market, but it also means that they generally have lower battery life and won’t come with the controls available on larger devices. ITC hearing aids are usually best for people with moderate hearing loss or those who don’t need a hearing aid all the time.

Behind the ear (BTE)

BTE hearing aids are one of the biggest styles available on the modern market, dwarfing the smaller options that you will find. A large piece sits behind the ear, connected by a tube to a smaller piece inside the ear. While large, this type of hearing aid will come with the benefit of having long battery life and all of the controls you could need. This type of hearing aid is great for those who need one all the time.

Invisible in canal (IIC)

IIC hearing aids are a sub-category of the ITC group. Designed to be impossible to see, this type of hearing aid is ideal for those who don’t want other people to see the device in their ear. This makes them a popular choice for younger users, though it also means that they lack the control and battery life of some other hearing aids.

Completely in canal (CIC)

CIC hearing aids are another sub-category of ITC hearing aids. Like an IIC, this type of hearing aid is designed to be very hard to see. The whole device will fit inside your ear, with a custom impression made by your hearing health professional. The small size of hearing aids like this makes them ideal for those with moderate hearing loss.

Hearing aid users often find that they need something different from the hearing aid they use each day. This makes it worth using a hearing health professional to help you choose the right hearing aid for you, but it can also pay to do plenty of research.