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Three Popular Hearing Aid Types
By Robert Hutchcraft
Maybe you have seen cartoons depicting the past where an old person is shown holding a large, trumpet-like device to his ear in order to hear better. We laugh now, but we do realize that hearing loss is anything but amusing. The image of the trumpet, too, may make some who suffer hearing loss feel comfortable about considering a hearing aid. Vanity may be a deterrent in improving one's hearing, but the good news is that hearing aid technology has advanced greatly in the last few decades. One may wear such a device without anybody being able to tell!
If you think you may need a hearing aid to improve discernment of noise and conversation, it is important to consult a physician or hearing specialist. As a candidate for a hearing device, you may have a number of options to consider before being fitted. Let's take a look at some of the more popular styles of hearing aids:
Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids: Practically invisible, the BTE hearing aid usually consists of an "earmold" that sits inside your ear. The actual hearing aid rests behind your ear, while a plastic tube connects it to the earmold. This is the most common type of hearing aid - most digital hearing aids approved by the National Board for Certification of Hearing Instrument Science are BTE aids.
In recent years, an alternative method of fitting BTE aids had been developed, that does not involve an earmold. This is called an 'open ear fitting' and uses a smaller, soft ear piece at the tip of the tubing instead of an earmold. These fittings are less visible than earmolds, but are only suitable if your hearing loss is mild. These aids give you a very natural sound.
In-the-ear (ITE) and in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aids: ITE and ITC aids have their working parts completely in the earmold, so the whole hearing aid fits into your ear. These types of devices tend to require more repair than BTE aids. Some in-the-ear aids can be seen from the side, so they are not wholly invisible, either. The smallest ITC aids fit right inside your ear canal, where they can hardly be seen at all. If you have a severe hearing loss, or very narrow ear canals, these aids will probably not suit you.
Body-worn hearing aids: More noticeable than the tiny ITE and ITC aids, these devices come with a small box that you clip to your clothes or put in your pocket. This box contains the microphone and working parts. It is connected by a lead to an earphone clipped into your earmold. Body-worn hearing aids may be suitable if you have sight problems, or problems using very small switches or buttons. Some models are very powerful, and are not suitable for everybody.
From the microscopic to the multi-dimensional, hearing aids comes in all sizes and levels of power. Only a licensed professional can recommend and custom fit an ear device to improve your hearing, so if you think you may need hearing improvement do not hesitate to take action. The right fit can improve your quality of life immensely.
Robert Hutchcraft is owner of Advanced Hearing Technologies, provider of quality digital hearing aids and repair services. AHT offers hearing device assistance and services throughout the Ohio Valley, in Virginia, and online at AdvancedHearingTechnologies.com.
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