Hearing Aid Models
In-the-Ear (ITE) hearing aids are custom-made and worn in the outer part of the ears, and are suitable for mild to moderately severe hearing loss. ITEs are easier to handle than BTEs, and can hold advanced features such as directional microphones and wireless technology.
In-The-Canal (ITC) hearing aids are custom-made and worn in the ear canal, and are suitable for mild to moderately severe hearing loss. ITCs are less visible than ITE models and can hold features such as volume controls, directional microphones, remote controls and Bluetooth connectivity.
Completely-In-The-Canal (CIC) aids are very small, custom-made hearing aids that fit completely in the ear canals, making them virtually unnoticeable. What’s more, because CICs are worn deep in the ear canal, they are less likely to pick up wind noise – great for individuals who love outdoor activities and sports.
Due to their size, CICs offer less amplification power than their larger cousins and are only suitable for persons with mild to moderate hearing loss. In addition, these hearing aids use smaller batteries that typically last about a week.
Behind-the-Ear (BTE) hearing aids are worn (as their name suggests) behind the ear, and attached to custom-made ear-moulds by a piece of clear tubing.
Versatile, automatic and handy, BTEs can help with a wide range of hearing impairments (from mild to profound) and are suited for people of all ages. BTE models are suitable for children and highly recommended for growth and safety reasons. Meanwhile, elderly persons with hearing loss also find BTEs useful as they are generally easy to manage. BTEs are also ideal for patients with perforated eardrums, as these hearing aids provide very good ventilation and amplification power.
Features such as remote controls, directional microphones and Bluetooth connectivity are available in this series of hearing aids.
Open-fitted hearing aids are similar to Behind-the-Ear (BTE) hearing aids, but are much smaller in size and usually connected to highly ventilated ear-tips.
These hearing aids are best suited for patients with mild to moderate hearing loss, as well as patients suffering from an “occlusion effect” when using conventional hearing aids (i.e. when patients hear their own voice as “unnatural” or “echo-like”).
The excellent ventilation provided by open-fitted aids addresses the problem of occlusion and with a much small size as compared to the conventional BTE it has become more popular even among younger patients.