| There are many styles of hearing aids, and modern aid | | | | users. |
| styles vary greatly, as do prices. In this article we will | | | | Half Shell or Half Concha Hearing Aids |
| describe for you, all the basic styles, and this should | | | | This type only fills part of the ear, and for an energy |
| mean that you will be able to select the best for you | | | | source it uses smaller batteries than for the behind the |
| when you speak to the hearing aid company's | | | | ear types. It is smaller and more visually acceptable |
| salesperson or representative. | | | | than a full concha hearing aid. All that can be seen in |
| There were until recently 4 basic styles of hearing aids, | | | | normal use is a small skin coloured blob in the users |
| but we now think that there are five. There are | | | | ear |
| variations on the basic styles, but they are quite easily | | | | Many people go for this style of hearing aid, on the |
| categorised as follows:- | | | | basis that it has good style, has few compromises in |
| - Behind the Ear (BTE) Hearing Aids | | | | its design, and has a very good performance and |
| - Full Shell Hearing Aid | | | | appearance. However, reduced size does not come |
| - Half Shell Hearing Aid | | | | with any downsides, other than this style is not usually |
| - Canal Hearing Aid | | | | found to be suitable for severe hearing impairment. |
| - Completely-In-the-Canal | | | | Canal or Mini-Canal Hearing Aids |
| We will now describe them all one by one, starting with | | | | 'Canal' hearing aids rely on the fact that they are |
| the cheapest and largest and ending with the smallest | | | | inserted into the ear canal, and stay in that position |
| and most expensive. | | | | throughout. An unavoidable sacrifice is the small |
| Behind the Ear (BTE) Hearing Aids - also known as | | | | volume (output power) reduction that has to be made |
| Postaural | | | | to achieve size reduction, also some features found in |
| These instruments were the first type developed after | | | | larger hearing aids may be lost. But many will make |
| the original battery hearing aids which requireed a bulky | | | | this trade-off happily in order to ensure that this style |
| battery and amplifier unit, which was kept in a pocket. | | | | of aids are really small. A small skin coloured button |
| They are the largest aid type commonly available and | | | | over the ear canal is all that will be visible to the |
| they do have the advantage of being suitable for | | | | onlooker. |
| those with all kinds of hearing loss from mild to severe. | | | | For those concerned about their good looks, these aid |
| The aim of technological development has been to | | | | types are an excellent compromise between cost and |
| reduce size in recent years, while improving clarity and | | | | functionality, and this aid type is very suitable for mild to |
| volume. | | | | moderate hearing loss patients. |
| BTE aids are the aid style most commonly provided | | | | Completely-In-the-Canal or CIC Hearing Aids |
| free issue or with a subsidy, by health authorities | | | | Now we are almost at the end of the line fo |
| worldwide. | | | | technological development. We have arrived at the |
| Full Shell or 'Concha' Hearing Aids | | | | smallest most expensive and cutting-edge hearing aid |
| These aids largely fill the ear, and do not require straps | | | | style which we think exists. We understand that the |
| behind the ear. This makes them less visible, and less in | | | | CIC aid style is suitable for a wide range of mild to |
| the way when playing sports. | | | | moderate hearing loss patients. |
| This style of aid is suitable for most hearing impairment | | | | There is very little to see to alert others to the fact |
| types, although due to the reduced size of the hearing | | | | that you are wearing a hearing aid with one of these. It |
| aid the amount of volume the instrument can provide is | | | | is easily also the most concealed type and favoured |
| less than for the larger behind the ear type. | | | | hearing aid style of all of the model types available at |
| This is both the largest and the most economical style | | | | present. |
| of in-the-ear hearing aid, although it is also less | | | | Many also say that the smaller the hearing aid, the |
| cumbersome and more comfortable than most behind | | | | more it is likely to be suitable for sporting lifestyles. In |
| the ear aids. | | | | the end you make your own choice, and we hope that |
| However, immediately the aid goes into the ear, the | | | | now you have read this article you will do it more |
| instrument becomes less visible, and cosmetically they | | | | quickly, and with better results, than you would have |
| are much liked by younger more image conscious | | | | done without having read this. |