What Are the Different Types of Hearing Aids That Exist Today?

Did you know that 7.1% of people over the age of 45 use a hearing aid? If you or a loved one have recently been told that you need to wear hearing aids because you have been having hearing issues, we are here to share more information on the types of hearing aids available.

This short guide below will come in handy while you are choosing the best hearing aids for your needs. Read on to learn more.

In-The-Ear Hearing Aids

This type of hearing aid is worn in the ear canal. A hearing care professional will take an impression of your canal and have your hearing aids custom-fit for your ear. There are different styles available to match your skin tone and blend in with your outer ear.

There are in-the-ear hearing aids that are closer to the outer ear and others that fit deep inside the ear canal. Your doctor will recommend the best option for you.

Behind-The-Ear

Another common hearing aid option is the behind-the-ear hearing aid. This type of hearing aid sits on top of the outer ear or behind the outer ear. There is tubing that routes the sounds into the ear canal through a custom-fit earmold.

The earmold doesn’t block the whole ear canal opening. There are also different colors available to match either your skin tone or your hair color. If you really want a personalized flair, there are flashier designs available as well.

You can find more information here about affordable hearing aids whether you have mild, moderate, or severe hearing loss.

Low Profile Hearing Aids

This hearing aid style ranges from half-shell designs to full-shell designs. The half-shell design fills half the bowl of the outer ear. Full-shell designs fill almost the entire outer ear bowl.

One of the advantages of these aids is that they are larger sized, so it makes it easier to insert and remove them. They also have more user controls and more features.

Keep in mind that they are less discreet than some other in-the-ear style options available.

Receiver in the Ear

This hearing aid style is a common behind-the-ear option. It is sometimes called a receiver in canal, depending on whom the manufacturer is. It is an open-fit hearing aid that has a speaker built into an insertable ear dome, vs it being in the main body of the hearing aid.

The hearing aids’ speaker rests inside the ear canal, and the processor and microphone sit inside a small case behind the ear. There is a thin wire that connects the inside and outside parts.

An advantage of this hearing aid option is that it’s one of the few styles that comes with a rechargeable battery option. Many also come with options to connect to smartphones or other Bluetooth devices.

Because the speaker is inside the ear, it is more susceptible to ear wax damage and moisture issues. The good thing is that if the speaker is damaged, this can easily be replaced at a hearing aid center instead of having to ship the entire aid to the manufacturer to repair it.

Behind-The-Ear With Earmold

Whether you have mild hearing loss or advanced loss, the earmold option can help any type of hearing loss. They have a longer shape that goes along the contour of the outer ear. This hearing aid style has more features and controls than other styles.

Most of the time this option is used for kids because they can be reprogrammed as needed in the future and the earmold can be replaced as the child grows.

For those that wear glasses, this might not be the best option because of the earmold that sits behind the ear. Also, if you are looking for a more discreet option, this might not be the right style for you because it is not cosmetically hidden.

Analog Aids

Analog hearing aids make continuous sound waves louder because they amplify all sounds the same way. There are some analog hearing aids that are programmable via a microchip that’s in it.

You can program for different listening environments like noisy places, larger areas, or quiet locations. Multiple programs can be stored so that you can change them with a push of a button depending on where you are.

Digital Hearing Aids

These hearing aids have all the same features as analog aids, but they convert all the sound waves into digital signals. There are computer chips inside digital hearing aids that analyze the sounds and speech happening. This allows for better processing of sounds wherever you are.

For example, if you are at a party and there is a lot of background noise, the hearing aids are able to distinguish that extra noise and not amplify it as much. Or, if someone whistles in the background, it can catch it before transmitting it into your ear really loud.

You can also save multiple programs based on where you go. Because of their technology, digital hearing aids are a lot more popular than analog hearing aids.

Now You Are a Pro on the Different Types of Hearing Aids

Now that you have learned about the types of hearing aids you can choose from, we hope you are feeling confident enough to make an informed decision. Once you have the perfect hearing aid for your needs, make sure you wear it regularly to get used to them.

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