Different styles of hearing aids

There are five basic styles of hearing aids and, based on the extent of the hearing loss and patient preference, any of the five can be prescribed to treat mild to severe hearing loss. Traditional behind the ear hearing aids, for many years, were the only style available for patients with hearing loss. These hearing aids were usually expensive, bulky and uncomfortable to wear for the patient. Fortunately, advances in digital technology have provided hearing loss patients additional alternatives to the bulky traditional hearing aids.

Behind-the-ear hearing aids are still an option, though modern versions are smaller than ever before. These hearing aids have the electronics inside a rectangular compartment that fits behind-the-ear with a boom style speaker that fits inside the ear canal. The smaller open fit behind-the-ear hearing aid is also an option for patients; with the speaker fitting inside the ear canal but not leaving the patient with the feeling their ear is stuffed with cotton.

In-the-ear hearing aids are fitted to the shape of the patient’s outer ear and are of a one piece design. The whole of the hearing aid, including electronics, fits inside the outer ear and dips into the inner ear to amplify the sound into the interior of the ear canal. In-the-ear hearing aids can also be fitted with additional features, but are not usually prescribed for young patients with hearing loss. This is due to the fact the shape of the ear changes dramatically as a person grows and the hearing aid will need to be replaced frequently.

There are two additional types of hearing aids that fit inside the ear canal and are small enough to be almost invisible to others. In-the-canal aids are molded to fit just inside the ear canal and are similar to the in-the-ear aids. The smallest type of in-the-canal hearing aid is the type that fits completely inside the ear canal and is almost invisible to others. There are drawbacks to this smallest type of hearing aid, one of which is the size of the aid as it does not allow room for extra electronics like a telecoil. Regardless of the type of hearing aid a patient may select, only a hearing professional can diagnose hearing loss and prescribe the right type of hearing aid for the patient.

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