Hearing Aids Explained

Interested In Learning About The Different Types of Hearing Aids?

Today, Hearing Aid technology has come a long way. For the most part, hearing aids still work under the same guiding principle, which is to pick up noise from your surrounding environment and amplify this through converting sound into electrical pulses that travel through your ear canal more directly. However, research and development from the world’s leading hearing aid manufacturers, including Oticon, Siemens, ReSound, Starkey, Phonak, Widex and Unitron, has led to significant developments in both the form and function of modern hearing aid devices.

With such a wide range of options available, clients now have a lot of flexibility when it comes to selecting the hearing aid that is right for them.

On a broad level, hearing aids can be categorised into the following groups:

Behind-the-Ear Hearing Aids (BTE)

Behind-the-ear hearing aids are probably the most widely known type of hearing device and, as the name suggests, the device is designed to be worn behind the users ear. The mechanism that delivers the amplified sound and is inserted into the ear canal is called the ear dome. Modern BTE Hearing Aids come in a wide range of colours and sizes and are designed to be discrete. Because the unit is larger than some other types of hearing aids, they often have more power and features than smaller devices such as In The Ear Hearing Aids (ITE).

Advantages of Behind-the-Ear Hearing Aids

• Easier for the user to insert, handle and adjust

• Wide range of features make it a good solution for all levels of hearing loss and impairment

• The larger size means more features can be built into the device such as bluetooth and larger, more powerful batteries

• Open fitting which causes less occlusion (feeling of blockage)

• Some models are rechargeable

• Some local clients report BTE hearing aids to be more comfortable than RIC or ITC models

Disadvantages of Behind-the-Ear Hearing Aids

• More visible than some smaller hearing aids such as ITE models

• Can be more sensitive to environmental factors such as wind and rain

• Can be uncomfortable for people who wear glasses

Receiver-in-Canal Hearing Aids (RIC)

Receiver-in-Canal Hearing Aids are what we consider an “open fit” hearing aid. There are two main components in a RIC hearing aid; the body, which is generally smaller than behind-the-ear hearing aids, and the micro-tube, which extends from the body into the ear canal. This micro-tube has a small, soft tip which sits inside the ear canal and transmits the amplified sound. It is important to note that this micro-tube does not completely seal the canal which is reported to be more comfortable in feedback from our audiology clients.

Advantages of Receiver-in-Canal

• Minimises the feeling of their ears being blocked or clogged

• Minimises the feeling of your voice being overly amplified

• The small outer casing is less noticeable than BTE models

• Tubing that is inserted into the ear canal is virtually invisible

• Good sized battery for longer usage times

• Many models are rechargeable

Disadvantages of Receiver-in-Canal

• The receiver of the RIC hearing aid model can be affected by moisture in the ear or from external environmental factors such as rain

• Less discrete than ITE options

• Usually only suitable for clients with mild to moderate levels of hearing loss

• In non-rechargeable models, the battery needs to be changed frequently

In-the-Ear Hearing Aids (ITE)

In-the-Ear Hearing Aids is a small hearing device that is designed to be inserted into the ear canal. One of the main benefits of ITE hearing aids is that they are almost completely invisible to the eye and offer complete discretion for clients who may be concerned about their hearing aids being overly visible. As you would expect, ITE hearing aids come in a wide range of sizes to cater to the needs of a wide range of users, from young children to adults. Your local audiologist will also take an impression of your ear canal to make custom casings for your ITE hearing aid to ensure a comfortable fit.

Advantages of In-the-Ear Hearing Aids

• ITE hearing aids are very discrete and many models are barely visible

• Easy to insert

• Comfortable due to the custom moulding of the outer casing

• Bluetooth connectivity available on many models

Disadvantages of In-the-Ear Hearing Aids

• Usually only suitable for clients who are experiencing mild to moderate forms of hearing loss

• Ear canal shape may make this model unsuitable for some clients

• Non-rechargeable options need their battery replaced more frequently

• Generally fitting with smaller batteries which reduces device battery life

So, which hearing aid is right for me?

Anyone concerned about hearing loss should make an appointment with their local audiologist to undergo the correct testing and assessments to determine which type of hearing aid device will best suit their needs. Our team at Abi Hearing has been helping Melbourne locals manage all aspects of their hearing health. We offer hearing tests and hearing aid fitting as well as servicing and repair for all hearing aid models.