If you or a loved one are experiencing hearing loss, we know it can be overwhelming to navigate the world of hearing aids. But don’t worry – our Markham audiologists have you covered.
Not only do we have over a decade of combined experience in hearing healthcare, but one-half of our clinic, Boris Chang, recently became a hearing aid user himself. In this post, we’ll be sharing our insights with you!
Read on to learn more about choosing the best hearing aid for your needs.
What factors should I consider when choosing a hearing aid?
Before we dive into hearing aid styles, let’s cover some of the factors that will influence your choice. When selecting a hearing aid, you’ll want to consider:
- Your lifestyle and preferences
- The severity of your hearing loss (mild, moderate, severe, or profound)
- The type of hearing loss you have (i.e., high-frequency hearing loss, low-frequency hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, conductive hearing loss, mixed hearing loss)
- Your manual dexterity (i.e., ability to use your hands and fingers) and visual acuity
- The shape and size of your ear
- Your budget
What are the different types of hearing aids?
There are two main categories of hearing aids, behind-the-ear hearing aids and custom in-the-ear hearing aids. There are multiple styles within each of these two categories.
Behind-the-ear hearing aids
Traditional behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids
As the name suggests, all electronic components of a BTE hearing aid are housed in a shell that sits behind the ear. This shell is connected by a tube to a custom earmold that fits inside the ear canal and conducts the sound into the ear. Traditional BTE hearing aids are most commonly used by people with severe to profound hearing loss, pediatric patients, and patients with recurrent ear infections.
Pros of traditional BTE hearing aids:
- Work for mild to profound hearing loss
- Are appropriate for all ages, including children (at Archer Hearing, we commonly dispense BTE hearing aids for kids)
- Are effective for nearly any type of hearing loss
- Are more powerful than in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids
- Can connect to smart devices through Bluetooth
- Are much less noticeable and more comfortable than those of the past
Cons of traditional BTE hearing aids:
- Can be challenging for people with dexterity issues because there are several parts to the hearing aid
- More visible than other options
Receiver-in-the-canal hearing aids
Receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aids, also referred to as receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) aids, are the most popular type of hearing aids today. RIC hearing aids are the best solution for most patients; in fact, 9 out of 10 hearing aid users are wearing RIC hearing aids.
RIC hearing aids are very similar to traditional BTE hearing aids, and to a layperson, simply look like a “mini” BTE. All parts of a RIC hearing aid are smaller than those of a traditional BTE - the shell that sits behind the ear is smaller, the connecting wire is thinner than traditional BTE tubing, and the tip inside the ear canal is less bulky than a traditional earmold.
The difference is that the receiver (also called the speaker) sits inside the ear canal, rather than being housed in the main shell of the hearing aid, hence the name “receiver-in-canal.” RIC hearing aids have an open-fit style, meaning they don’t seal or occlude the ear canal the way that other styles of hearing aids do, creating a more natural sound quality.
Pros of RIC hearing aids:
- Work for mild to severe hearing loss
- Offer a more natural sound
- Minimize the perception of your own voice sounding hollow or being “plugged up”
- One of the most discreet hearing aids on the market
- Can be fitted instantly in some cases
- Have rechargeable battery options
- Can connect to smart devices through Bluetooth
- Many patients find these to be the most comfortable style of hearing aid
Cons of RIC hearing aids:
- Require manual dexterity
- In rare cases, the small shell behind the ear can be bothersome
Custom “in-the-ear” hearing aids
The other main category is custom hearing aids, which consist of a custom shell made from an impression of each patient’s ear. Unlike BTE or RIC hearing aids, custom hearing aids sit in the ear canal and/or outer “bowl” of the ear, with nothing behind the ear.
There are a range of sizes for these devices, with the smallest ones being practically invisible and the largest ones being significantly bulkier. The pros and cons depend on the size of the device. Read on to learn about the general pros and cons of custom hearing aids, as well as some considerations for smaller vs. larger ones.
Pros of custom hearing aids:
- Nothing sits behind the ear. This can be important for people with very small or “pinned back” external ears, or for people who use supplemental oxygen and have the oxygen tube sitting behind the ear. Note that wearing eyeglasses is rarely an issue for any kind of hearing aids.
- Can be easier to insert and remove compared to BTE or RIC hearing aids, as there is only one piece to manipulate.
Cons of custom hearing aids:
- The piece inside the ear canal is bulkier and more occluding compared to RIC hearing aids - as a result, the patient may feel like they are more “plugged up.”
- The patient may find their own voice sounds loud and has an echo.
- Not usually recommended for kids, because the shell would need to be replaced as the ear grows and changes shape.
- Not appropriate for very severe-to-profound hearing loss.
- More susceptible to damage from wax or moisture in the ear canals compared to BTE or RIC hearing aids.
Various sizes of custom aids:
- Invisible-in-the-canal (IIC) or completely-in-the-canal (CIC) are the smallest custom hearing aids. They’re hidden in the ear canal, making them just as discreet as RICs – or even slightly more discreet for people with no hair. The downsides of the tiny size? They have small batteries that must be changed every few days, no Bluetooth, and they’re not appropriate for severe hearing losses. They may also be difficult to manipulate for patients with poor manual dexterity.
- In-the-canal (ITC) hearing aids are slightly bigger than IICs or CICs, fitting mostly within the ear canal but protruding slightly. These can sometimes accommodate Bluetooth and rechargeable batteries, depending on the size of the patient’s ear.
- In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids are the largest custom hearing aids. They protrude from the ear canal and rest in the “bowl” of the outer ear cartilage. While less discreet than the smaller hearing aids, these can accommodate Bluetooth and rechargeable batteries, and are easier to manipulate for people with poor dexterity.
CROS/BiCROS hearing aids
Most CROS/BiCROS hearing aids are the BTE or RIC styles, but there are custom options as well. The comfort, technology, and power will depend on the style.
Contralateral routing of signals (CROS) or bilateral contralateral routing of signals (BiCROS) hearing aids are designed to help people who have profound, “unaidable” hearing loss in one ear. CROS hearing aids consist of a transmitter that fits behind the poor hearing ear and a receiver and microphone that goes behind the good ear. The device transmits sound from the “bad” ear to the good ear.
A BiCROS hearing aid is the same idea except it’s meant for people who also have some degree of hearing loss in their good ear.
Pros of CROS/BICROS hearing aids:
- Can be the best solution for people with severe-to-profound hearing loss in one ear - specifically if the hearing loss is so profound that a typical hearing aid can’t provide much benefit
- Reduce the head shadow effect (i.e., your head blocks the sound coming from your poor hearing side)
- Are most effective when someone is talking to you on the side with more severe hearing loss
Cons of CROS/BICROS hearing aids:
- Takes time to get used to wearing
- Will not fix all hearing problems you may have
What features should I look for in a hearing aid?
Hearing aid technology has come a long way! There are a number of features that can help you hear better in specific situations and/or make wearing a hearing aid easier, such as:
- Noise reduction. Hearing aids now use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to scan the environment more than 500 times a second, analyzing all of the sounds around you and categorizing them into different buckets.
They emphasize sound they classify as human speech, and reduce sound they determine is background noise like cafe music, the clatter of dishes and utensils, or unintelligible distant conversation. This is the biggest feature to consider if you’re a social person.
- Sound quality. A hearing aid with feedback suppression and advanced sound processing capabilities will make hearing and communicating much more comfortable. Speech enhancement is also important. The feature detects speech sounds and amplifies them to reduce strain.
- Adaptive microphones. Newer technology will have adaptive microphones that use advanced algorithms to change the direction of the microphones in real-time, so you can follow sounds you want to hear as it moves around. For example, if someone is talking in front of you, it will pick up sound from that direction while reducing sound from other directions. This helps you hear better and more easily hold conversations in noisy environments like crowded restaurants or events.
- Bluetooth connectivity. You can stream audio from Bluetooth-enabled devices to many hearing aids. This helps you hear TV shows, your phone, and music clearly without having to crank the volume all the way up. It can also be used to connect your hearing aids to a phone app that works like a remote control for your device.
- Comfort and fit. You’ll want a hearing aid that fits well and is comfortable to wear. Our audiologists can help you find the perfect fit.
- Rechargeable batteries. Many modern hearing aids have rechargeable batteries. You won’t have to purchase extra batteries and regularly change them.
- Variable programming. This feature lets you preprogram and store settings for different environments, eliminating the need to manually make adjustments for every situation.
- Durability. Today, there are hearing aids that are water-resistant and dust-proof, which is especially important for active wearers.
- Telecoils. A telecoil is a small wire that, when activated, picks up signals from a loop system and turns them into sound while leaving out background noise. It works with telecoil-enabled phones and picks up signals from public induction loop systems, which you’ll often find at churches, theaters, airports, and other public places. However, telecoils are fading out in favor of Auracast, a newer bluetooth capability for broadcast audio.
Which brand of hearing aid is the best?
Narrowing down the best hearing aids in Canada would be tough. There are several excellent, reputable manufacturers. Some patients may do well with any of these, while other patients may have specific needs that are best served by a particular manufacturer. Because we’re an independent hearing aid clinic, we have the flexibility to work with all hearing aid manufacturers. We will always recommend the best brand of hearing aid for your specific needs.
What options are available if traditional aids don’t meet my needs?
Traditional hearing aids aren’t always enough, especially if you have severe or profound hearing loss. The good news is there are other options, including bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHA) and cochlear implants (CI).
Archer Hearing Centre is an authorized BAHA provider and can help you on your BAHA journey. If you are a potential candidate for a CI, our audiologists can direct you to the next steps in exploring this option.
The bottom line
Wearing hearing aids can significantly improve your quality of life by enhancing your ability to hear and communicate. The devices will help you stay connected with loved ones, fully participate in social activities, and enjoy the sounds you might otherwise miss.
There are a variety of hearing aid styles to choose from and many of the top hearing aids in 2024 are equipped with a host of advanced features. If you or a loved one are exploring options, consult with an audiologist to find the best choice for your needs.
Looking for hearing aids in Ontario? We can help!
Archer Hearing Centre offers a full selection of state-of-the-art, comfortable, discreet hearing aids for people of all ages with all types of hearing loss. Our expert audiologists, Boris Chang and Jaimie Archer, will make personalized recommendations. They can fit and dispense hearing aids at our hearing clinic in Markham or even in your home.
We offer a 90-day trial period, ensuring you love your hearing aids. If you’re not happy, you can return them for a full refund and try a different model if appropriate.
Book an appointment today to get started!
.png)
.svg)
.svg)