Many hospitals, physicians, and individuals are purchasing their medical equipment from online medical supply stores. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most popular hearing aids available at those online stores.
CIC (fully in channel): These hearing aids are molded in such a way that they fit snugly into the area inside the ear. If you are an adult with mild to moderate hearing loss, a CIC hearing aid is an excellent choice. CIC is often referred to as a mini CIC due to its extremely small shape; it is the least visible and smallest type of hearing aid. To use these little devices, you will need to have extremely small batteries, which can be quite difficult to handle. If arthritis or handling small items is difficult for you, these following options may be a better option.
ITC or in the channel: These devices are custom molded and partially fit into the ear canal. This style is also designed to help people with mild to moderate hearing loss. An ITC hearing aid may not be as small as CIC devices, but it is definitely much less visible than larger models. Plus, it comes packed with features that you won’t get in CIC units. One problem with these units is that their speakers are very susceptible to clogging with earwax. A good hearing aid cleaner will be necessary with this device.
ITE or in the ear: ITE units can be custom built in two different styles, full shell and half shell. Full-shell hearing aids fill almost the entire bowl-shaped part of our outer ear. Half shells, on the other hand, fill only the lower part of the outer ear. If you have mild to severe hearing problems, you can use either of these two ITE devices. Older people prefer this type of hearing aid as it is much easier to handle than the two types mentioned above. Due to its larger size, it comes with some features that you will not find in small headphones, for example, ITE units have volume control. Also, you will be able to use larger batteries in these devices, which means that you will enjoy a much longer battery life and will have no problem putting the battery in the camera.
BTE or behind the ear: These pieces hook over the top of the wearer’s ear and rest behind it. They come equipped with a thin tube that connects them to custom headphones known as earmolds. These ear molds are basically the structures intended to fit into the user’s ear canal. BTE units are traditionally oversized, but in recent years some modern manufacturers have made some miniature models of BTE hearing aids for a more discreet style.
