Hearing Aid Styles
Behind the Ear (BTE)
Behind the Ear hearing aids are the most popular style of hearing aids as they fit a wide variety of hearing loss types while remaining discreet. The speaker (or receiver) sits in the ear canal so it delivers sound directly to the ear drum. The speaker wire is hair thin and connects to the hearing aid body sitting behind the ear. The body is ergonomically shaped to sit securely behind the ear and stay in place.
In the Ear (ITE)
In the Ear hearing aids are custom molded to fit inside of the ear canal. They are a good introduction to wearing hearing aids as they are easy to handle and don’t get in the way of glasses and stay in place more easily. ITC hearing aids fill the entire ear, while smaller versions called In the Canal (ITC) hearing aids fill only the canal space.
Invisible in the Canal (IIC)
Invisible in the Canal hearing aids are the smallest style yet. They fit deep into the ear canal so they are cannot be seem from the outside. Although IIC hearing aids come with benefits like reduced wind noise, no external wires and easy use of over the ears headphones, there are also some drawbacks. They may not be suitable for all ear canal shapes, or those with dexterity issues, as well have a shorter battery life and limited access to technology such as rechargeability and Bluetooth streaming.