Hearing Aids in Coimbatore

Types and styles of hearing aids

All digital hearing aids contain at least one microphone to pick up sound, a computer chip that amplifies and processes sound, a speaker that sends the signal to your ear and a battery for power. These components are the “guts” of the hearing aid, and they are packaged into several different styles of hearing aids. When you consult with a hearing care professional, they will consider many factors and help guide you toward the best hearing aid style for you.

Hearing aids can be classified into two main groups: in-the-ear (ITE) styles and behind-the-ear (BTE) styles. Within each group are several different sizes.

The following hearing aid types are considered ITE styles. Their sizes range from virtually invisible when worn to filling the entire bowl of the ear.

Invisible-in-the-canal (IIC) and completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aids: IIC and CIC styles are the tiniest hearing aids made. They fit very deeply in the ear canal and are typically fit for mild or moderate hearing losses. Their size and ability to “disappear” when worn depend on the size of the ear canal. Because of their tiny size, they offer high cosmetic appeal for people who desire a discreet solution.

In-the-canal (ITC) hearing aids: ITC styles sit in the lower portion of the outer ear bowl, making them comfortable and easy to use. Because they are slightly larger than IIC and CIC styles, they have a longer battery life, are easier to handle and can fit a wider range of hearing losses.

Low profile hearing aids: Low profile styles range from half-shell (HS) designs that fill half the bowl of the outer ear to designs that fill almost the entire outer ear bowl. The size of a low profile style makes it desirable for people with dexterity issues because it is easier to handle than the smaller sizes.

Low profile hearing aids are large enough to accommodate helpful features like directional microphones, volume controls and program buttons.
Hand holding a very small, elegant hearing aid
Modern hearing aids are discreet and attractive.

Behind-the-ear styles have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity over the last decade thanks in part to innovations that make the tiniest BTE hearing aids some of the most cosmetically appealing with very thin ear tubes and ear tips that fade discreetly into the ear canal. They have enough physical space to house features for a variety of hearing losses, have ample battery life and are easy to handle.

Mini BTE hearing aids with slim tubes and tips: Mini BTE styles are designed to hide behind the outer ear and have ultra-thin tubing to discreetly route sound into the ear. This style is so popular that a greater variety of ear tips have become available in order to accommodate a greater degree of hearing loss with the mini BTE.

Receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) or receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aids: RITE and RIC styles have the speaker built into the ear tip instead of the main body of the hearing aid. This allows the speaker of the hearing aid to be positioned closer to the eardrum while the microphone and processor sit in a tiny case behind the ear.

BTE hearing aids with earmolds: BTE styles that come with earmolds can fit any type of hearing loss, from mild to profound. Their longer shape follows the contour behind the outer ear and can generally house more features, controls and power than any other style of hearing aid.