Hearing Aid Styles

There are several basic styles of hearing aids. The styles differ by size, their placement on or inside the ear, and the amount of volume they are capable of providing.

• Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids consist of a hard plastic case worn behind the ear and connected to a plastic earmold that fits inside the outer ear. The electronic parts are held in the case behind the ear. Sound travels from the hearing aid through the earmold and into the ear. BTE aids are used by people of all ages for mild to profound hearing loss.
• Open-Fit BTE A newer, very popular kind of BTE aid is an open-fit hearing aid. Small, open-fit aids fit behind the ear completely, with only a narrow tube inserted into the ear canal, enabling the canal to remain open. These hearing aids are used by people of all ages and are designed for those with mild to moderate hearing loss.
• In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids fit completely inside the outer ear and are used for mild to severe hearing loss. An impression is taken of your ear to make this style fit your ear. ITE aids usually are not worn by young children because the casings need to be replaced often as the ear grows.
• Canal aids fit into completely into the ear canal. They range in size from an In-the-canal (ITC) to a completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aid. Both types are used for mild to moderately severe hearing loss. Because they are so small, canal aids may be difficult for a person to adjust and remove. They usually are not recommended for young children or for people with severe to profound hearing loss because their small size limits the amount of volume they are able to provide.