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According to WHO, more than 1.5 billion people worldwide have hearing loss. The organization even projects that number to rise to 2.5 billion come 2030.
Millions of those individuals, in turn, are in none other than the United States. Indeed, about 15% of U.S. adults have hearing difficulty.
Fortunately, hearing aids provide many of those folks with the chance to hear again.
So, if you have auditory woes yourself, it’s time to learn about the most common types of hearing aids. We’ve listed and explained them below, so read on.
Behind-The-Ear (BTE)
A behind-the-ear hearing aid has a hook-like design that molds to the shape of the top of your ear. The rest of the device then sits behind your ear.
A tube connects that exterior component to an ear mold, a custom-made earpiece. The mold then slides into your ear canal.
BTE hearing aids are some of the most common choices as they help improve most forms of hearing loss. They’re also among the best hearing aids for individuals of all ages, including kids.
Receiver-In-The-Ear (RITE)
A receiver-in-the-ear or receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aid is a two-part device. One part sits behind the ear, connecting to a tiny wire. That wire links the exterior component to the speaker or receiver inside the ear canal.
RITE hearing aids, being open-fit, might be more comfortable for users. They also provide above-average sound quality.
In-The-Canal (ITC)
An in-the-canal hearing aid sits partly in the ear canal, partly in the outer ear bowl. In addition, it’s a custom-molded device made specifically for each patient. It can help improve mild to moderate adult hearing loss.
Because a section of an ITC hearing aid is within the ear canal, it offers some degree of discreetness.
Invisible ITC
An invisible ITC hearing aid differs from a typical ITC in that it sits entirely inside the canal. Thus, you can expect it to be far smaller than the standard ITC models. In addition, it often has better sound quality, thanks to its placement within the ear.
An example, according to Wichitafallshearing.com, is the Phonak Lyric hearing aid. It’s 100% invisible because it’s incredibly tiny and placed deep in the ear canal.
So, if you need hearing aids to fit your narrow ear canals, consider an invisible ITC. It’s also an excellent choice if you want the highest level of discreetness.
In-The-Ear (ITE)
An in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid is also a custom-made device you can find in two different designs.
The first one is the full-shell ITE. The term “full” refers to how its exterior shell takes up most of the outer ear bowl’s space.
The second one is the half-shell design. It only takes up space in the lower part of the outer ear bowl.
Both full and half-shell ITE hearing aids can help people with mild to severe hearing loss.
Choose Among These Types of Hearing Aids
Please keep in mind that untreated hearing loss can contribute to depression. Fortunately, studies have found that using hearing aids can help reduce depressive symptoms. That shows how the benefits of hearing aids go beyond improving auditory woes.
So, if you have auditory problems yourself, please seek an ear expert ASAP. The sooner you do, the sooner they can help you choose among the best types of hearing aids.
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