Try a hearing aid at an audiologist near you!

1. Appearance

• In-the-ear hearing aids are a great option if you’re looking for a particularly discreet device. The tiniest of these – invisible-in-the-canal (IIC) and completely-in-canal (CIC) are virtually invisible to the naked eye!
• The behind-the-ear hearing aid (BTE) on the other hand rests on the back of the outer ear and transmits sound to the ear through a very discreet tube that leads into a customized earmold. Variations of BTE like RIC or receiver-in-canal use a loudspeaker or receiver that’s situated outside the casing behind the ear. Instead, the receiver is positioned at the end of a thin ear wire near the eardrum. This produces a superior listening experience. BTE’s today are typically quite tiny too.

1. Fit

• In-ear devices offer a secure fit because they’re customized to the shape of your ear. It’s almost impossible for them to fall out.

• It might be easier to lose the BTE model as compared to an in-ear hearing aid since the casing rests on the back of the ear.

1. Comfort and sound quality

• While an in-ear model might be 100% invisible, it may offer a “plugged up” feeling in some cases.
• BTE models – especially RICs – come in open-fit models that do not use earmolds. Sound is transmitted to the ear via a small tube with a tip at the end of it that sits within the ear canal. This small tip allows for air and sound to pass through the ear very easily and facilitates more natural hearing.

1. Maintenance

• Since the in-ear devices sit inside the canal for a long time, they’ll need to be cleaned periodically to remove dirt, ear wax, and moisture.

• Since a portion of the BTE model sits behind the ear, it accumulates less dirt.

Both in-the-ear and behind-the-ear models are great options. It comes down to your hearing needs, preferences, lifestyle, and the audiologist’s referral. It is best to speak with our professionals to ascertain which model is most suitable for you.

When hearing loss occurs, it is more profound in one ear. However, this doesn’t mean that you should just use a hearing aid in one ear. Human hearing is designed for both ears, and the technical term for this is “binaural hearing”. Both ears must work in conjunction with each other to identify and perceive sounds. You might be tempted to go against an audiologist’s recommendation and limit costs by purchasing a single hearing aid, but the reality is that if binaural hearing is not corrected with two hearing aids, your brain will have difficulty processing sounds. This will result in discomfort and fatigue.

If your concern is that wearing two hearing aids is too conspicuous, not to worry! Our audiologists will recommend the best in-ear hearing aids that comfortably sit deep inside the ear canal and are virtually invisible! Thanks to miniaturized technology, tiny in-ear hearing aids pack a ton of groundbreaking technology into a small device. Today’s hearing aids are so discreet that no one but you will even notice them! According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), only 20% of people who could benefit from hearing aids actually wear them. So take the plunge – wear both hearing aids – and join an elite group.

Today’s sleek, smart, and wireless hearing aids use Bluetooth, which will enable you to stream TV, music, and calls from all your smart devices directly to your hearing aid! With Bluetooth, your little helpers will double up as headphones as well! Bluetooth essentially allows your hearing aids to sync up with another device wirelessly, without the need for cables. Hearing aids equipped with Bluetooth will improve all your listening experiences.

Many Bluetooth-powered hearing aids also connect to a smartphone app that can be used to control your device. These apps allow you to easily adjust settings like volume at the tap of a finger. Such apps are quite user friendly, and many even have the option of remote fine-tuning, which means that your hearing aid can be fine-tuned according to your preferences by an audiologist remotely.