What are the 3 Most Common Hearing Aid Styles?

Hearing aids are excellent tools for those experiencing hearing loss. Giving you the chance to improve your hearing with the flick of a switch, devices like this can change your life when you start using them. Hearing aids have been around for a long time, and this means that there are loads of different styles available on today’s market. To help you to choose the right style for you, this article will be exploring three of the most common options available. Of course, though, it always makes sense to talk to a hearing care provider before choosing a device like this.

Behind the ear (BTE)

BTE hearing aids are one of the largest types of modern hearing aid. The majority of a device like this will sit behind your ear, with a small tube connecting to a piece that sits inside the ear. This makes them somewhat visible but will also mean that they have larger batteries and easier controls than smaller options. Hearing aids like this are easy to see, giving you the chance to choose a color and design that matches your personal style. Of course, though, this isn’t the only type of hearing aid you have available.

In the ear (ITE)

ITE hearing aids are possibly the most popular option on the market at the moment. You will need the help of a hearing health professional when you are getting started with a hearing aid like this, as it will need to match the shape of your inner ear. Hearing aids like this are very hard to see from the outside, often coming in skin tones to make sure that they blend in. While small, ITE hearing aids will usually come with plenty of battery life and loads of controls. 

In the canal (ITC)

ITC hearing aids are some of the most discrete hearing aids on the market, sitting right inside your ear and being almost invisible from the outside. Thanks to their extremely small size, hearing aids like this often lack the power or level of control that comes with other types of hearing aid. This category can be split into two groups; completely-in-canal (CIC) and invisible-in-canal (IIC) hearing aids. This type of hearing aid is generally best for those with moderate hearing loss or those who don’t need their hearing aid all the time. They are particularly popular amongst young people who don’t want something visible in their ears.

Talking to a hearing health professional is essential when choosing the hearing aid you will be using. Devices like this can be extremely powerful, providing you with the means to improve your hearing when you are experiencing hearing loss. Of course, though, choosing the right one for you will be more complicated than simply picking one from the shelf, and you need to make sure that you explore all of your options.