Hearing Aid Styles & Hearing Solutions
Hearing aids come in a variety of styles. There are several factors that are considered when selecting the style of the hearing aid:
Hearing Aid Styles
IIC
Invisible-in-Canal
For those that do not want anyone to see their hearing aid, the IIC was designed to be invisible. The smallest custom hearing aid made was first introduced by Starkey Hearing Technologies. Now all of the leading manufacturers make them.
CIC
Completely-in-Canal
CIC’s are custom-designed to fit completely inside the ear canal, making it nearly invisible! By putting the microphone deeper into the ear, the wearer does not have as many problems with background noise, feedback, and wind.
ITC/MC
In-The-Canal/Mini-Canal
ITC hearing aids are fairly cosmetic. Due to size constraints they are more suitable for a moderate hearing loss. The MC, shown on the right, accommodates a milder degree hearing loss and has a very small battery. The size of this hearing aid limits the features available.
ITE (full shell and half shell)
In-The-Ear
In-the-Ear (ITE) Comes in two sizes:
Full Shell (FS) hearing instruments fill the full ear and can be used for a wide range of hearing loss. Due to their size, ITE hearing aids allow for bigger batteries, stronger receivers (speakers) and features such as a program buttons, and directional microphones.
Half Shell (HS) hearing aids fill half of the ear. They are a little Half Shell in the Ear Hearing Aid Style. They are more cosmetic than the FS, yet large enough to add some extra features, like directional microphones, or multiple memories. They use smaller batteries than the ITE and are not recommended for a more severe hearing loss.
BTE
Behind-The-Ear
BTE hearing aids come in a variety of sizes and colors. They fit behind the ear and are attached to a custom earmold or a thin tube. Sound travels from the hearing aid, through the tubing, and the earmold into the ear canal. These can fit nearly every degree of hearing loss today.
RITE/RIC
Receiver-In-The-Ear/Receiver-In-Canal
RIC are RITE are the same style. This style of hearing aid fits over the ear and is attached to a wire connected to the receiver (speaker) in the ear. This offers a much clearer sound and less feedback by separating the microphone and speaker. Some are nearly invisible. With a super power speaker and a custom earmold, this style can accommodate a severe to profound hearing loss which a custom hearing aid cannot do.
Microphone in Helix (MIH) (Made by ReSound)
The MIH is a unique hearing solution that was designed to provide the most natural sound quality and collects sound in the most efficient ways using your own ears.
In the MIH the microphone is taken out from the main body of the hearing aid giving several advantages:
The Best Hearing Solution for You!
Maybe you have a very active lifestyle or live a quieter life at home alone. Your idea of fun might be reading Facebook posts on your smartphone, attending a symphony concert, going out to eat, watching the grandchildren’s basketball games, watching TV, or just reading a good book. No matter who you are and what you do– we have a solution for you. From basic models to totally integrated “Smart” hearing aids that use “Artificial Intelligence” and “Machine Learning”, and those that can stream phone calls directly into your hearing aids. In addition, we may recommend an amplified phone, a TV device, or perhaps a microphone to stream TV or speech directly into the hearing aids. We have it all.
Your ability to hear is as unique as your fingerprint. No two people have the same hearing loss and communication needs. As an independent provider, we are not tied to one brand of products. Therefore, we are better able to provide the best hearing solution for you. At Welsch Hearing Aid Company, it is our mission is to provide you with the best hearing possible, given one’s hearing loss, lifestyle, and budget. Take advantage of our Hearing Aid Test Drive™ to hear which is the best hearing solution for you!