There are several styles to choose from. Your Audiologist will work with you to determine the most appropriate style for your hearing loss, preferences, and lifestyle.
The Invisible in the Canal (IIC), the Completely in the Canal (CIC), and the Mini-Canal (MC) are the smallest hearing aids that are molded to fit into your ear canal.
The in the canal (ITC) hearing aid is custom molded and fits partly in the ear canal and partly in the bowl (concha) of your ear.
The in the ear (ITE) hearing aid is custom made in either a full shell, one that fills most of the bowl of the outer ear, or a half shell, one that fills only the lower part.
A behind the ear (BTE) hearing aid hooks over the top of your ear and rests behind the ear. Amplified sound travels from the hearing aid to the ear via a tube that connects with an earmold or dome seated in the ear canal.
The Receiver In The Ear (RITE) hearing aid is a very popular style due to its inconspicuous nature and open fit. The portion that goes behind the ear is much smaller than a typical BTE style hearing aid. A thin wire extends from the behind-the-ear portion and carries the amplified sound to a receiver (speaker) seated in the ear canal. The receiver is housed in a soft open dome or small earmold.