Hearing aids

One concern with all new hearing aids is the physical fit. Hearing aids need to be comfortable, not too tight and not too loose, they should fit just right. Do not wear the hearing aids if they cause discomfort or irritations. Do call your audiologist to schedule an appointment to remedy the problem as soon as possible. Do not wear hearing aids if they are uncomfortable.

Here are some common hearing aid styles 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.

Hearing aids serve different purposes and needs. The goal of most hearing aid fittings is to make more speech sounds available to the listener. However, simply making sounds louder does not accomplish the goal! In 2005, most hearing aids process sounds to present specific speech information (sounds) to the listener, while reducing unwanted noises and sounds. In fact, with some hearing aid technology, such as; T-coils, FM systems, Directional Mics and Noise Reduction circuits, sometimes people wearing hearing aids can actually perceive a better speech signal than people not wearing hearing aids!