How Do I Choose a Hearing Aid?

If you are considering purchasing a hearing aid, you are probably wondering how to go about choosing one. Hearing care professionals are an important part of the process, because they are specially trained to provide personalized and specific recommendations so that customers get the most out of their hearing aids. Your hearing care professional will work with you to find the style that best fits your lifestyle, budget and degree of hearing loss. Thanks to continual research and technological development, today’s hearing aids are comfortable, discreet and offer a variety of features. There’s a hearing aid out there for everyone. But how can you choose the hearing aid that’s right for you? By examining your unique requirements, you and your hearing care professional can determine the best fit for your needs.

Hearing aids vary in size, color, special features and the way they fit in your ears. Hearing care professionals can help you choose the hearing aid style that best fits your

lifestyle and needs. There are two main types of hearing aids: Outside the Ear, and Inside the Ear. Here is a brief overview of the different kinds of hearing aids available:

Outside the Ear

1. Behind-the-Ear (BTE)This style rests comfortably behind your ear. The sound travels through a tiny tube to a custom earpiece called an earmold that fits in your ear canal. This style is appropriate for people of all ages and fits the widest range of hearing loss.
2. Receiver-in-Ear (RIE)
   The main section of this hearing aid is hidden behind your ear.Unlike a standard BTE, the receiver has been removed from the housing and mounted externally in a tube fitted into the ear with a soft dome. You will therefore find that RIE hearing aids are usually smaller than standard BTE hearing aids.

Inside the Ear

1. Invisible-in-Canal (IIC)
   IIC is the smallest custom product available. It sits deep inside theear canal, so it’s almost invisible. It’s the perfect solution for those who want a discreet hearing aid and have a mild-to-moderate hearing loss.
2. Completely-in-Canal (CIC)
   The CIC is a small custom style. It’s available with options such asvolume control and buttons that change environmental programs. Since there are opportunities for customization, it is popular for those with a mild-to-moderate hearing loss who want a little more control over their hearing aids.
3. In-the-Canal (ITC)
   ITC is the most popular form factor within custom hearing aids. Inaddition to more options available such as dual mic (directionality), ITC is Made For Apple® and has wireless functionality, which can connect with smartphones and stream phone calls and music directly to the hearing aids.​ A ReSound Phone Clip+ is required for Android users.
4. In-the-Ear (ITE)
   ITE is the biggest form factor within custom, but is available forthose with severe hearing loss. It has advanced features such as ear toear communication, wireless connectivity, Made For Apple, etc.
5. Mic-in-Helix (MIH)

MIH is a unique solution which only offered by ReSound. MIH was designed to provide the most natural sound quality and collects sound in the most efficient ways using your own ears. MIH is also Made For Apple. In MIH the microphone is taken out from the device giving several advantages, including: the devices can be built much smaller; there is a lower risk of feedback as the distance between microphone and receiver is further apart than other custom products; provides a perfect solution for the wind in noise.

When are considering which hearing aid style is right for you, it is important to take into account factors such as your lifestyle, budget, and degree of hearing loss. Not every hearing aid available on the market is right for every customer, that is why it is so critical to discuss your options with an experienced hearing health professional.