Hearing Aid Styles

Hearing aids are no longer one-dimensional instruments that all look the same. Today’s digital aids are available in a wide range of sizes and styles. You can even find them in colors other than beige! Regardless of your type of hearing loss, you are sure to find a style perfectly suited to your lifestyle needs, cosmetic preferences and budget.

Breakthroughs in technology have made hearing solutions smaller than ever before – many hearing aid styles are practically invisible.

The Choice is Yours

Curious about which styles are available? You may be surprised at what you find.
The different styles are categorized as follows:

Completely-in-the-canal (CIC):

This hearing aid is the smallest available. It is placed in the ear canal and takes advantage of the ear’s natural ability to collect sound. Its discreet size makes it virtually invisible to others. The tradeoff is a shorter battery life, and those with poor manual dexterity may have trouble adjusting the controls. This is a good choice for mild to moderate hearing loss.

In-the-canal (ITC):

This style is also designed to fit in the ear canal, but not as deeply as a CIC device. It rests securely in the lower portion of the canal instead. It’s a little larger, making it easier to insert and remove, which translates to an extended battery life. Best for patients with mild to moderate hearing loss.

In-the-Ear (ITE):

This hearing aid is designed to fill the outer portion of the ear and is larger than those worn in the ear canals. It is less discreet, but the size allows for additional features and makes it to adjust. A bigger battery equals a longer life. Patients with severe or profound hearing loss can benefit from this style.

Receiver-in-the-Ear (RITE):

A RITE hearing aid consists of a tiny housing that contains all the electronics except the receiver, which is positioned behind the ear. A thin tube connects the housing to the receiver, worn in the concha (bowl-shaped portion) of the ear. This style is small and discreet but powerful enough for treating mild to moderately severe hearing loss.

Behind-the-ear (BTE):

BTE hearing aids are the most popular style on the market due to their simple design and ease of use. They are curved to match the contour of the ear and rest directly behind the ear. The housing, which contains all the electronics, is encased in plastic and connects to the ear canal with a thin, clear tube or earmold. The BTE is powerful enough for all types of hearing loss and is especially popular with children and the elderly.

Open Fit:

The Open Fit hearing aid is a smaller version of the BTE. Like that device, it rests behind the ear and includes a transparent tube that delivers sound to the ear canal through a very small earpiece. Because the ear canal is left unobstructed, there is less occlusion and the smaller size appeals to many adults. Because it is prone to low frequency noise leakage, this style is best for mild to moderate hearing loss in high frequency ranges only.