Hearing Aids

Hearing Aid styles

Style refers to the shape and size of the hearing aid, not the technology inside the hearing aid. There are several factors that should be considered when determining which style is appropriate for you: the degree of hearing loss, the shape and size of your outer ear and ear canal, your manual dexterity, the amount of wax you ear produces and whether you have problems with ear drainage or other medical conditions that make it difficult to have a device in the ear canal.

Five styles of hearing aids are currently available. In CIC, ITC and ITE hearing aids, the receiver, microphone and amplifier are contained in a shell which is worn in the ear. In BTE hearing aids, the receiver, microphone and amplifier are contained in a unit which is worn behind the ear. The sound is carried from the receiver (loudspeaker) via the ear hook and a flexible plastic tube, to the earmold that is worn in the ear canal.

CIC – Completely-In-The-Canal

It is the smallest custom hearing aid available. They fit deep inside your ear canal so that they’re practically invisible. It has a small removal cord attached to it to assist in removing it from the ear.

ITC – In-The-Canal

In-the-canal instruments fit down into the ear canal with a smaller portion that faces out into the outer ear. They are discreet, yet partially visible within the outer ear.

ITE – In-The-Ear 

It fits entirely in the ear. They house their technology components in a custom-formed earmold that fits within the outer portion of the ear. The easy-to-use controls are ideal for those with limited manual dexterity. They are the largest of the custom products.

OTE – On-The-Ear

With soft, flexible earbuds and an extra-small casing, our on-the-ear model is light and comfortable. It’s a perfect solution for first-time wearers and patients with moderate hearing loss. The circuitry of this type of hearing aid is specifically designed for high frequency hearing loss.

BTE – Behind-The-Ear

BTE instruments have a plastic casing that rests behind the ear and houses the device’s technology. An earmold is fit into the ear and is attached to the hearing aid by a thin, clear tube holding the hearing aid in place. Behind-the-ear instruments are often the most durable hearing devices, a few are even waterproof. Compared to smaller, in-the-ear instruments, they hold more circuitry and offer greater amplification.
 
We offer a comprehensive range of hearing aids including a variety of sizes and circuit options. Our wide selection of amplifier types and parameters allows us to optimally meet your amplification needs. We are not a franchise that limits your selection to one manufacture. This allows us to offer you a much greater selection and price flexibility to fit your hearing needs.


Hearing Aid Features

Analog hearing aids
In an analog hearing aid, a microphone picks up the sound waves and converts them to an electrical signal. This signal is amplified and filtered in analog form. The receiver, or loudspeaker, converts the amplified electric signals into sound waves by means of a vibrating membrane and transmits the sound to the ear.

Digitally programmable hearing aids
These instruments are programmed using an external computer, or programming device, and special software. The signal is processed in the analog mode. Modifications to the signal processing are made using a digital programming interface.

Fully digital hearing aids
In a digital hearing aid, the analog signal is converted to a digital signal. The conversion to digital format allows the signal processor to modify the signal in very sophisticated ways. Once the digital signal has been modified by the digital signal processor it is converted back to an analog format and transmitted to the ear as sound.

The digitization process makes it possible to analyze and filter the signal to improve speech perception in noisy environments. The incoming signal is measured, or “sampled,” at certain intervals. The more frequently the signal is sampled, the better the reproduction of the input signal.

Increasingly complex sound processing, such as speech recognition technology, requires digital signal processing. This technology actually recognizes the unique patterns of speech and reduces the volume of frequencies where no speech is detected. When the competing signal is continuous noise, such as fans or car noise, the noise reduction algorithms become an important part of the signal processing that improves understanding.

Prices

The price of hearing aids is determined by the particular model selected by the patient and the audiologist. Price is dictated by two factors. The first is the size of the hearing aid. The smaller the model, the more expensive the aid. The size is determined by the degree of hearing loss and the patient’s cosmetic preferences. The second factor is the sophistication of the digital chip used within the hearing aid. The more sophisticated the digital chip, the more expensive the aid. The sophistication of the digital chip is determined by the patient’s hearing needs and goals. These are the two specific areas that will be discussed at a hearing aid consultation. The price range for one, basic digital hearing aid to the most advanced is approximately $1,000-3,200. Hearing aids with analog technology can be purchased for as low as $650.


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