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What are the most common hearing aid styles?
There are many styles of hearing aids. The most
common styles are listed below: |
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- ITE: In-The-Ear units are often
the most comfortable, the least expensive and the
easiest to operate. They are also the largest of the
custom made styles.
- ITC: In-The-Canal units are usually
more expensive than ITEs. They require good dexterity
to control the volume wheel and they are smaller than
ITEs.
- MC: Mini-Canals are the size between
ITC and CIC. A mini canal is a good choice when you
desire the smallest possible hearing aid with a tiny
volume wheel.
- CIC: Completely-In-the-Canal units
are the tiniest hearing aids made. They require a
"removal string" due to their small size
and the fact that they fit deeply into the ear canal.
CICs can be difficult to remove without the pull string.
CICs do not usually have manual controls attached
to them because they are too small.
- BTE: Behind-The-Ear hearing aids
are the largest hearing aids, often the least expensive,
and they are very reliable. BTEs have the most circuit
options and they typically offer more power than custom
made units. BTEs rest on the back of your ear. They
are connected to the ear canal via custom-made plastic
tubing; the earmold. The earmold is usually custom
made from an ear impression to perfectly replicate
the size and shape of your ear.
- PAC: Post-auricular-canal instrument.
This is a new hearing aid design which physically
separates the processor from the receiver/speaker.
This design offers comfort and acoustic options as
the tiny processor is placed behind the ear, and the
receiver/speaker is placed deep in the ear canal.
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