People diagnosed with permanent hearing loss are often required to wear a small electronic device called hearing aids that must be worn either in your ear or behind it. These devices amplify the sounds captured from external sources so that a person can hear clearly despite of reduced auditory capacity. This device is useful in both noisy and quiet environments because it increases their sensitivity to sounds.
When Do You Need a Hearing Aid?
The use of hearing aids is often recommended by your physician after you have consulted with your problems in hearing. Your ontolaryngologist or audiologist will assess and study the cause of your hearing loss and its extent. If they deem that your case of hearing loss is irreversible, then hearing aids are often suggested to cope with the lack of optimal hearing capacity.
Different Hearing Aid Styles
There are 5 basic styles of hearing aids to choose from. Although they all work the same when it comes to aiding in your hearing capacity, there are several reasons why one chooses a specific hearing aid style over the other. Some like others because they can be used discreetly and no one will be able to tell if you’re using a hearing aid or not. However, be careful with your choice because the smaller types of hearing aids have less power and have shorter battery life.
- Completely in the canal (CIC) hearing aids. This type of hearing aid is designed to fit into your ear’s canal and is suited for mild to moderate hearing loss conditions. They are also the most invisible out of all hearing aid types. They do have their disadvantage though because there is less room for other options such as volume control and microphones. Moreover, they are also more expensive as compared to other types.
- In the canal (ITC) hearing aids. As with CIC, this is also good for mild to moderate hearing loss conditions. It is designed to fit partly but not as deeply into the ear canal. Still, this type is small enough not to allow more extensive features.
- In the ear (ITE) hearing aids. These fit in the outside ear and are often used for mild to severe cases of hearing loss. Most ITE hearing aids consist of additional features such as a telecoil so that sound can also be absorbed through the aid’s circuit and not just solely through the microphone. This also increases your capacity to hear sounds or conversations more effectively.
- Behind the ear (BTE) hearing aids. Some of the components of this hearing aid fit behind the ear wherein most of the electronic parts are contained. This type of hearing aid is suitable for all levels of hearing loss and ages of users. Among all types of hearing aids, these are the most visible and largest in size. However, they are also the most powerful hearing aids with several adjustable possibilities.
- Open fit hearing aids. This is a good hearing aid to use for people suffering from earwax buildup. They are also located behind the ear and are rather small. Sound is transported into your ear through a tiny tube and into the speaker. The open-fit hearing aid is ideal for mild to moderate cases of hearing loss.