Types of hearing aids – basic features

CIC – completely in canal – or mini CIC

In-canal hearing aids are molded to fit perfectly into the ear canal. It can bring improvement in the case of mild to moderate hearing loss.

Its main advantage is, of course, its small size and it is hardly visible. It is also not very sensitive to interference caused by wind noise. However, they use small batteries with a relatively lower performance. They also cannot be adjusted in volume and make it difficult to keep the ear canal clean.

ITC – in the canal

They are slightly larger than CIC (they fill the ear canal more). Their advantage is the possibility of using a better quality microphone and additional functions not available for CIC hearing aids, such as the function button for muting.

ITE – in the ear

Available in two basic versions: full shell (FS) and half shell. Recommended for mild to severe hearing loss.

Such cameras have volume control and directional microphones. They also use larger batteries (than those used in CIC and ITC), so their useful life may be longer (it also depends on the nature of use). They can be susceptible to disturbances such as wind noise. They are more visible than CIC and ITC devices.

BTE BTE hearing aids – behind the ear

They are attached to the upper part of the auricle and rest behind the ear. The sound, through the microphone, goes to the main unit, and then, through a tube, to an earmold individually adjusted to the ear canal.

The most technologically advanced type of hearing aid. Recommended for everyone, regardless of hearing impairment and age. They amplify sounds better than their smaller counterparts, but they are also susceptible to wind noise. The large battery allows for relatively long use. It is also the cheapest type of hearing aids.

BTE hearing aid RIC – receiver in canal or RITE – receiver in the ear

Similar in structure to BTE hearing aids, but in their case the receiver is placed not in the earbud, but in the ear canal. For this reason, they are less visible than BTE cameras. These are the latest generation cameras. It combines the advantages of ITC/ITE and BTE devices.