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Types of Hearing Aids >>
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(A) Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids fit comfortably behind-the-ear and are attached to a soft custom ear mold. The electronics are housed in a case that fits behind the ear and the amplified sound is directed through the tubing and through the ear mold to the eardrum. BTE hearing aids can provide more amplification than smaller hearing aids due to its stronger amplifier and the larger battery. This style is available in Analog and Digital circuits and fits the widest range of hearing loss, from mild to profound. They are suitable for all ages and are available in a wide range of colors matching to hair, skin tone, and even personal style.
(B) Open Fit Behind-the-ear (OTE) hearing aids are similar to standard behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids in functioning but much smaller in size. The casing is noticeably smaller and the tubing is much thinner. A small tip or dome at the end of the tube is used instead of a traditional ear mold. This leaves the ear “open” and reduces problems with occlusion (stuffy or barrel feeling) leading to more natural sounding amplification. Although originally designed for high-frequency hearing losses, newer models can now accommodate a wider range of hearing loss.
(C) Receiver-in-Canal (RIC) hearing aids are same as OTE except that the speaker (receiver) is separated from the hearing aid casing and is attached to the end of a thin wire, which runs through a thin tube and fits into the ear canal. The only drawback to the RIC style is increased maintenance and repairs due to moisture or wax damaging the receiver. People with known moisture or wax problems should not wear the RIC style. An advantage to this style over the OTE is that it can fit to wider range of hearing losses because of different “power” receiver options.
(D) ITE (in-the-ear) hearing aids fits in the outer ear. The hearing aid case is custom made out of a hard plastic material and houses all of the miniaturized hearing aid parts. Due to their large custom-made size, this type can be used for a wide range of hearing losses up to a severe loss. ITE hearing aids allow for optional manual features such as a volume control, program button, or telephone switch. They are also much easier to handle than other smaller custom aids in its category.
(E) ITC (in-the-canal) hearing aids fit into the ear canal. They are only slightly larger than the completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aid but smaller than the in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid. The ITC style is available in analog and digital technology. They are less obvious than the ITE style. Due to a slightly bigger battery, battery life is longer lasting compared to a CIC style.
(F) Completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aids are the smallest size of custom hearing aids, practically invisible to an observer as CIC hearing aids fit deep inside the ear canal. The microphone of a CIC instrument sits in your ear canal, simulating natural sound reception. |
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