Prior to contacting a licensed hearing care professional, familiarizing yourself with the different types of hearing aids is helpful, especially if you’re new to the world of hearing devices.
Learning about different technologies ahead of time will make the process seem less daunting. Furthermore, being an informed consumer will help you gains insights, prepare a list of questions, and select the best option for your needs. Below is a brief summary of the different types of hearing aids that are currently available, with pros and cons for each style. Modern hearing aids are wireless and most are smartphone compatible.
This type of hearing aid has largely replaced in-the-ear (ITE) models. A smaller speaker located directly in your ear canal enables sound to travel a shorter distance from the speaker through your ear canal and eardrum. This results in clearer and more intact sound, while the larger distance between the receiver and microphone leads to less feedback. Appropriate for mild to severe hearing loss.
Pros:
* Occlusion can occur when the outer ear is blocked (e.g. by an unvented hearing aid ear mold) that completely fills the outer portion of your ear canal, thereby causing distortion in how you perceive your own voice.
Cons:
This traditional device consists of a small, hard-plastic case worn behind the ear connected to a customized plastic ear mold that fits inside your outer ear. Appropriate for moderate to severe hearing loss.
Cons:
These small and discreet hearing aids are inserted in your ear canal, making it difficult for other people to see you’re wearing a device. CIC hearing aids are typically equipped with a small handle or cord that aids in removal. Appropriate for mild to moderately severe hearing loss.
Cons:
This hearing aid is custom molded to your inner ear canal, allowing sound to be funneled through the device. Appropriate for mild to moderate hearing loss.
Cons:
An IIC hearing aid must be positioned by a hearing care professional deeper in the canal near the eardrum. LyricTM from Phonak is the only 100% completely invisible hearing aid currently on the market. The device relies on the natural anatomy of your ear to amplify and deliver a full, natural listening experience. Appropriate for mild to moderate hearing loss.
Cons:
This innovative hearing aid uses a laser light that transmits power and data to a small customized lens placed on your eardrum, thereby directly activating natural hearing. This technology bridges the gap between an air conduction hearing aid (an acoustic receiver amplifies the sound that vibrates the eardrum) and a middle ear implant (a surgically implanted transducer vibrates the middle ear bones). The output calibration is individualized for each user through a process called light calibration. Appropriate for mild to severe sensorineural hearing loss.
Cons:
CROS (Contralateral Routing of Signal) hearing aids are designed for individuals with single-sided deafness or severe hearing loss in one ear. These devices use a microphone on the non-hearing ear to pick up sound and wirelessly transmit it to a hearing aid worn on the better ear. This allows users to hear sounds from their deaf ear, improving spatial awareness and speech understanding in challenging listening environments. CROS hearing aids are ideal for people who experience significant hearing loss in one ear while maintaining normal hearing in the other.
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