The right hearing aid for you is the one that fits the lifestyle you want to live. During our home fittings, we aim to connect patients with a hearing device that enhances their lives in the way they love. Understanding and meeting your needs and lifestyle is the greatest satisfaction with hearing aid performance.
Consider Your Lifestyle
Different lifestyles will benefit from different types of hearing aids. Since hearing loss treatment aims to improve your daily life, it’s important to consider the activities and environments that make up your regular routine.
If you enjoy attending social gatherings, you might benefit from a hearing aid with advanced speech recognition. If you work in busy environments, noise reduction features may help you focus. Those who are active may need a hearing aid that is resistant to moisture and sweat, and people who are particularly tech savvy may appreciate devices that can connect to their smartphone.
Finding Your Style
At SmartStep Hearing, we offer nearly all technological makes and models and are ready to help you determine which is best for your needs.
Receiver-in-the-Canal (RIC)
The RIC device is the most popular style due to its concealment behind the ear and comfort with minimal components in the ear. The hearing aid body rests behind the ear, and the receiver sits with the speaker wire inside the ear. A thin wire connects the housing to the receiver, which is worn in the concha (bowl-shaped portion) of the ear. At the end of the wire, there is a unique tip that is either a medical-grade silicon dome or a custom-fit earpiece.
Behind-the-Ear (BTE)
BTE device is curved to match the contour of the ear and rests 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 wire. At the end of the wire, there is a unique tip that is either a medical-grade silicon dome or a custom-fit earpiece. This style usually offers the same features and comfort of a RIC but is designed for people with severe hearing loss due to it being slightly larger and more powerful.
Completely-in-the-Canal (CIC)
This hearing aid is placed in the ear canal and is one of the smallest available. It takes advantage of the ear’s natural ability to collect sound, and its discreet size makes the device virtually invisible to others.
Good dexterity is needed to insert and remove the device from the ear. Some manufacturers offer rechargeable CIC options. 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, resting securely in the lower portion instead. It’s a little larger, making it easier to insert and remove, and can include additional features such as volume control, rechargeability, and Bluetooth connectivity.
In-the-Ear (ITE)
This hearing aid is designed to fit 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 more features like Bluetooth connectivity and rechargeability and makes the hearing aid easier to adjust.
Call SmartStep Hearing for more information or to schedule an appointment.