Shopping for Hearing Aids

Hearing aids are used to improve the hearing and speech comprehension of people who have hearing loss from damage to the hair cells in the inner ear.  This hearing loss is known as sensorineural hearing loss. The damage occurs because of disease, aging, injury from loud noise or certain medicines.

Hearing aids magnify the sound vibrations that come into the ear. Hair cells (which are small nerve fibers, not hair) detect the vibrations and the change them into neural signals that get transmitted to the brain. The more hair cell damage, the more severe the hearing loss.  The greater the hearing loss, the more amplification the hearing aid must provide to make up the difference. The amount of amplification that a hearing aid can provide is not unlimited. If the amount of damage is too much, a hearing is not recommended.

Hearing Aid Styles

External hearing aids (as opposed to cochlear implants) fall into 3 basic categories:

Behind-the-ear (BTE) style hearing aids are made up of a hard plastic case that fits behind the ear and is connected to an earmold that fits inside the outer ear. The electronic parts are held in a plastic case that is worn behind the ear. These aids can be worn by people of all ages. They are prescribed for mild to profound hearing loss.

In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids fit inside the outer bowl of the ear and ear canal.  ITE aids usually are not worn by children. This is because as a child grows, the aids would constantly need to be replaced to get a good fit. This type of hearing aid is used for mild to severe hearing loss and is very popular because it is not very visible.   ITE aids may have a telecoil installed.  This allows sound to be received through the hearing aid circuitry instead of the microphone. Telecoil technology can be used with telephones and induction loop systems used by churches, schools, airports, and auditoriums.

In-the-canal (ITC) style hearing aids fit into the ear canal. These are made to fit the size and shape of a person’s ear canal. A completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aid is hidden in the ear canal. Both canal types of hearing aids are used for mild to moderately severe hearing loss. They usually are not recommended for young children due to the same growth issues presented by the ITE hearing aids. Because of their limited power and volume, they are also not recommended for people with severe to profound hearing loss.

Your audiologist will recommend the right style hearing aid for your age, level of hearing loss and lifestyle. If you have questions about why a certain style is recommended for you, talk to your audiologist.  Think of your audiologist as your hearing aid advisor.

Questions to Ask When Shopping for Hearing Aids

Your audiologist will make a style recommendation, but within a style, many models can be available. What should you do? Hearing aids are costly; you want to make sure that you get the model that will work best for your lifestyle.  Here are a few questions to ask before you buy:

• What features do I need and which ones will be most helpful?
• Do the benefits of any new technology outweigh the higher costs?
• Do you offer a trial period to test the hearing aids? (Most manufacturers offer a trial period that allows for hearing aids to be returned for a refund.)
• If you offer a trial period, are there any nonrefundable fees?
• What is the total cost of the hearing aid?
• How long is the warranty? Exactly what does the warranty cover?
• Who will make adjustments?
• Does the audiologist provide instructions for using and caring for the hearing aid?
• Does the audiologist provide service and minor repairs?
• Are loaner aids available if repairs are necessary?

No matter what style hearing aids you buy and what features your model has, you must take care of your hearing aids.  Your audiologist should provide information about the specific care for your hearing aids.