What are the most common hearing aid styles?

There are many styles of hearing aids. The most common styles are listed below:

ITE: In-The-Ear units are often the most comfortable, the least expensive and the easiest to operate. They are also the largest of the custom made styles.

ITC: In-The-Canal units are usually more expensive than ITEs. They require good dexterity to control the volume wheel and they are smaller than ITEs.

MC: Mini-Canals are the size between ITC and CIC. A mini canal is a good choice when you desire the smallest possible hearing aid with a tiny volume wheel.

CIC: Completely-In-the-Canal units are the tiniest hearing aids made. They require a " removal string " due to their small size and the fact that they fit deeply into the ear canal. CICs can be difficult to remove without the pull string. CICs do not usually have manual controls attached to them because they are too small.

BTE: Behind-The-Ear hearing aids are the largest hearing aids, often the least expensive, and they are very reliable. BTEs have the most circuit options and they typically offer more power than custom made units. BTEs rest on the back of your ear. They are connected to the ear canal via custom-made plastic tubing; the earmold. The earmold is usually custom made from an ear impression to perfectly replicate the size and shape of your ear.

PAC: Post-auricular-canal instrument. This is a new hearing aid design which physically separates the processor from the receiver/speaker. This design offers comfort and acoustic options as the tiny processor is placed behind the ear, and the receiver/speaker is placed deep in the ear canal.

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What are the"levels"of hearing aid technology?

There are bascially two levels of hearing aid technology; analog and digital.

1.  ANALOG technology has been around for many decades. Analog technology offers limited capability, but is sometimes perfect for specific purposes.

2.  DIGITAL technology is the most sophisticated hearing aid technology. Digital technology gives the audiologist maximum control over sound quality and sound processing characteristics. As of 2005, the OVERALL CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ratings of new hearing aids (which are essentially 90 percent digital) is 77 percent!

There is qualitative and quantitative evidence that digital instruments outperform analog hearing aids. Digitals are not perfect, but they are extremely good -- However, not all digital hearing aids are the same! Within the " digital " world, there are better and lesser units...speak with your audiologist to be sure you're getting the right one for you.

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