Alternatives to BTE Hearing Aids

The words "hearing aid" often conjure an image of a big banana-shaped piece of pink plastic on top of your ear with a thick tube connected to another piece of plastic in your ear. That is a standard behind-the-ear or BTE hearing aid.

That not-to-appealing image is enough for some people to put off the opportunity to hear well and live a happier life. Fortunately, there are many styles of hearing aids to choose from. It is just a matter of doing a little research and consulting with your hearing-care professional.

Full-shell

• The full-shell hearing aid fills the entire shell of your ear. Unlike the standard behind-the-ear (BTE), it is a single unit with the electronics housed in the interior of the hollow shell.

  The full-shell is appropriate for mild to severe hearing loss. It can accommodate a variety of manual controls, multiple microphones and sound processing options.

Half-shell

• The half-shell is constructed in the same manner as the full-shell. However, it only fills the lower half of the bowl of your ear.

  The half-shell is appropriate for mild to moderately severe hearing loss and can accommodate the same features as the full-shell, space-permitting.

In-the-Canal (ITC)

• The canal or ITC is significantly smaller than the full-shell and half-shell. It fills the ear with only a small portion visible at the entrance to the ear canal.

  The ITC has less space to house the electronics, so smaller components are required. ITC hearing aids are less powerful than larger hearing aids and will accommodate up to a moderate hearing loss. Furthermore, fewer manual controls and sound-processing features are available.

Completely-in-the-Canal (CIC)

• The CIC is the smallest of the custom hearing aids. It has cosmetic appeal because it is barely visible due to the deep fit into the ear canal.

  All the electronics are packed into the tiny shell, so the range of hearing loss that the CIC can accommodate is restricted. Fewer features are available with this type, which may limit the effectiveness of the device in noisy environments.

Thin-Tube

• The thin-tube hearing aid is a version of the standard behind-the-ear (BTE). The device tucks behind the ear and a thin tube extends into the ear canal.

  The thin-tube "open ear" design reduces the plugged sensation typically associated with CIC, ITC, half-shell, full-shell and standard BTE styles. It has a more natural sound, is more comfortable and more cosmetically appealing.

  The thin-tube hearing aid is suited for high frequency hearing loss, but can accommodate up to moderate hearing loss. Many of the same features are available as in the standard BTE.

Receiver-in-Canal (RIC) or Receiver-in-the-Ear (RITE)

• The RIC is also a version of the standard BTE. However, the system is designed with a thin plastic-coated wire that runs from the behind-the-ear device to a receiver or speaker that fits into the ear canal.

  The RIC has the greatest cosmetic appeal of all hearing aids because it is smaller than the thin-tube hearing aid and the thin wire is nearly transparent. The RIC is an excellent "open ear" design for high frequency hearing loss and can be fitted up to moderately severe impairments. It can also accommodate many of the same features as the standard BTE.

Personal amplifiers

• Personal amplifiers are small systems about the size of a pack of cigarettes or Blackberry cell phone. They are for general use and cannot be tuned to your particular hearing loss. They usually come with regular earbuds or headphones and have a control to adjust the volume.

  Some personal amplifiers use an FM microphone transmitter and an FM receiver. The FM microphone transmitter is worn by the person speaking, and you wear the FM receiver. This allows you to hear your communication partner from across the room or in background noise.