What is the Best Hearing Aid?

Pictured: Signia's Cellion rechargeable hearing aids

There’s an array of hearing aid styles and brands that are fit for people of all ages and ranges of hearing loss. 
 
Maybe you thought about getting hearing aids, or have been told by a loved one or trusted hearing healthcare professional that you need hearing aids. Maybe you have concerns about options that are available to you, how they look, or whether you can afford them. 
 
First, it’s important to understand that hearing aids cannot restore your hearing to normal. What they can do is help you hear clearer in different environments, keep the hearing abilities that you still have, and slow down cognitive decline. Secondly, there's no one hearing aid that's right for everyone. Hearing loss is unique for each person, so one hearing aid solution/style may work for some, but not for others. It is highly recommended that you try different hearing aids out before purchasing them.
 
Hearing aids can also significantly help slow down your hearing loss, which helps reduce the risks of cognitive decline and dementia. It’s important to wear your hearing aids from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to sleep. Learn more about the importance of wearing your hearing aids each day.   
 
How do hearing aids work?
 
Each hearing aid uses the same components to harness sounds from your surroundings into your ear to make them louder and clearer. Most modern hearing aids are digital, and all of them use a battery or are rechargeable. 
 
A tiny, built-in microphone gathers sounds in your environment. A computer chip featuring an amplifier translates the harnessed sound into a digital code. It interprets and adjusts the sound based on your hearing loss, listening needs, and the range of sounds nearby. The amplified signals are then converted back into sound waves and delivered to your ears through receivers (it’s like a speaker located on your hearing aid). 
 
Styles of Hearing Aids
 
Hearing aids differ in size, shape, features, how they rest in your ear, and price. Hearing aids are getting smaller and smaller, making them nearly invisible. Here’s a list of common hearing aid styles that are offered at Pure Sound Hearing.
 
Completely-in-the-canal 
 
The completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aids were created to rest inside the ear canal. It helps mild to moderate hearing loss in adults.
 
Features:
 

• It’s the smallest and least visible hearing aid style
• They are less likely to gather noises caused by the wind
• They use very small batteries, which might be difficult to remove and replace if you have poor hand dexterity
• In some instances, they do not include additional features, like volume control or directional microphones (directional microphones improve picking up sounds that are emanating from an area in front of you with some reduction of sound that comes from behind or next to you)
• Earwax is prone to block up the speaker 

 
In-the-canal 
 
The in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aid has a customized earmold that will rest perfectly in your ear canal. This hearing aid style can help adults with mild to moderate hearing loss.
 
Features:
 

• Less visibility when in the ear, compared to larger hearing aid styles
• Includes features that will not fit completely-in-the-canal aids, but might be difficult to adjust based on the small size
• Earwax is prone to block up the speaker

 
In-the-ear 
 
An in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid is customized in two styles -- one that covers most of the bowl-shaped area of the outer ear (known as a full shell) and one that only covers the lower part (known as a half-shell). Both can help individuals with mild to severe hearing loss and feature directional microphones (two microphones for a 360-degree range of noise).  
 
Features:
 

• Elements that do not fit in smaller hearing aids, such as volume control
• For some, it can be easier to handle
• A larger battery is utilized for extended battery life, with several options available for rechargeable batteries
• Earwax is prone to block up the speaker
• Might gather more wind noises than smaller hearing aid devices
• It’s visible to the naked eye than smaller hearing aid devices

 
Behind-the-ear 
 
A behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid has a receiver (dome/earmold) that goes inside your ear, and then the case that holds all of the wiring and technology, curves around the top of your ear, and rests behind the ear. Tubing connects the hearing aid to a customized earmold made by your hearing instrument specialist that is fitted to the unique shape of your ear canal. This hearing aid style can be worn by users of any age and nearly any range of hearing loss. 
 
Features: 
​

• This is normally the largest hearing aid style
• Directional microphones
• Can amplify more than other styles
• Might gather more wind noises than other styles
• Might be available as a rechargeable battery

 
Receiver-in-canal or receiver-in-the-ear 
 
The receiver-in-canal (RIC) and receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) hearing aid styles are similar to the BTE hearing aids, where the speaker or receiver rests in the ear canal. Instead of tubing, a small wire, attach the piece behind the ear to the speaker or receiver.  
 
Features:
 

• Generally has a more discreet behind-the-ear piece
• Directional microphones
• Options for manual control 
• Might be available as a rechargeable battery
• Earwax is prone to block up the speaker

 
Other General Hearing Aid Features
 
There are some other optional hearing aid features available, depending on the style or brand, that can improve your listening experience in particular environments:
 

• Noise reduction. Just about every digital hearing aid has some noise reduction available. The amount of noise reduction differs for each hearing aid. Wind noise reduction is also offered in some hearing aids.
• Telecoils (t-coils). Telecoils make hearing easier when using a telecoil-compatible telephone. The telecoil lowers the sounds in the area where you are located and gathers sounds from phones that are compatible with hearing aids. Telecoils also receive signals via public induction loop systems in auditoriums, places of worship, and theaters, which let users clearly hear a speaker, play, or movie.  
• Bluetooth® connection. Digital hearing aids can wirelessly connect to Bluetooth®-compatible devices, like computers, laptops, smartphones, and TVs. You may need an additional remote control to pick up the phone or other device’s signal to send it to the hearing aid. 
• Remote controls.  Some hearing aids have a remote control that comes with them. This allows users to adjust hearing aid features without touching the hearing aids themselves. As previously mentioned, some hearing aids connect to smartphones via Bluetooth®. There’s an app that lets you use your smartphone as a remote control.
• Direct audio input. This feature lets you plug audio from a computer, music device, or TV using a cord.
• Variable programming. Some hearing aids can store many pre-programmed settings for your various listening needs and environments. 

 
Contact us at Pure Sound for a free hearing test, consultation, and trial. Work with one of our hearing instrument specialists, and find out what works best for you.  

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