Beyond the Pictures- Features of Each Style of Hearing Aid
At you will see that we have every style, shape and design of hearing aid available
in the market today.Clearly the best way to understand what is right for you is through an in depth consultation.
While diagnosing the problem and finding the best solution are our responsibility - yours becomes part of making
wearing a hearing aid a part of your daily life. Knowledge, not only on our part but yours, leads to the most
informed decision. Here you will find the pros and cons of the various hearing aid styles.
The following are common hearing aid styles:
Completely in the Canal
Completely-in-the-canal hearing aids are molded to fit inside your ear canal and can improve mild to moderate hearing loss in adults.
A completely-in-the-canal hearing aid:
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Is the least noticeable in the ear
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Is less likely to pick up wind noise because the ear protects the instrument
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Is easy to use with the telephone
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Uses smaller batteries, which typically don't last as long as larger batteries
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Doesn't contain extra features, such as volume control or directional microphones
In the Canal
An in-the-canal hearing aid is custom molded and fits partly in the ear canal, but not as deeply as the completely-in-the-canal aid.
This hearing aid can improve mild to moderate hearing loss in adults.
An in-the-canal hearing aid:
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Is the least noticeable in the ear
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Is easy to use with the telephone
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Includes features that won't fit on completely-in-the-canal aids, but the small size can make the features difficult to adjust
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May not fit well in smaller ears
Half-shell
A smaller version of the in-the-canal hearing aid, the half-shell is custom molded and fills the lower portion of the bowl-shaped
area of your outer ear. This style is appropriate for mild to moderately severe hearing loss.
A half-shell hearing aid:
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Is bigger than an in-the-canal hearing aid
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Is a little easier to handle than are the smaller hearing aids
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Includes additional features, such as directional microphones and volume control
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Fits most ears
In the Ear (Full-Shell)
An in-the-ear (full-shell) hearing aid is custom made and fills most of the bowl-shaped area of
your outer ear. This style is helpful for people with mild to severe hearing loss.
An in-the-ear hearing aid:
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Is more visible to others
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May pick up wind noise
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Contains helpful features, such as volume control, that are easier to adjust
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Is generally easier to insert into the ear
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Uses larger batteries, which typically last longer and are easier to handle
Behind the Ear
Behind-the-ear hearing aids hook over the top of your ear and rest behind the ear. The hearing aid picks up sound,
amplifies it and carries the amplified sound to an ear mold that fits inside your ear canal. This type of aid is appropriate for
almost all types of hearing loss and for people of all ages.
A behind-the-ear aid:
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Is the largest, most visible type of hearing aid, though some new versions are smaller, streamlined and barely visible
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Is capable of more amplification than are other hearing aid styles
Open Fit
These are very small behind-the-ear-style devices. Sound travels from the instrument through a small tube or wire to a tiny dome or speaker
in the ear canal. These aids leave the ear canal open, so they are best for mild to moderate high-frequency losses where low-frequency hearing is still
normal or near normal.
An open-fit hearing aid:
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Is less visible
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Doesn't plug the ear like the small in-the-canal hearing aids do
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Uses very small batteries
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Lacks manual adjustments due to the small size
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