Do you or a loved one have difficulty hearing? Maybe you’re considering getting a hearing aid.
Hearing aid technology is constantly improving, which means there are more styles and features to choose from.
“Those who have used a hearing aid know that choosing one is not an easy task,” says Eric Mann, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer for the FDA’s hearing aid division. “People with hearing loss experience it in a variety of ways. As a result, it’s critical to select a hearing aid that is both appropriate for your condition and compatible with your lifestyle.”
Hearing aids singapore are regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration to ensure that they are both safe and effective. If you’re thinking about getting hearing aids, this article explains some of the most popular technology and words you’ll come across, as well as a forthcoming shift in how hearing aids are sold.
What Are Hearing Aids and How Do They Work?
Hearing loss is a condition that some people are born with. They may also develop it later in life, as the inner ear can wear out with age or be harmed by years of excessive noise exposure.
Hearing loss is sometimes transitory and can be repaired with medical assistance. In other situations, it is permanent, but hearing aids can help.
Hearing aids are medical devices worn behind or in the ear that help people hear better. They can increase hearing by increasing the volume of sounds. Hearing aids, on the other hand, will seldom restore your hearing to normal levels or quality, although eyeglasses can commonly restore eyesight to 20/20.
Hearing aids with air-conduction vs. bone-conduction
The majority of hearing aids rely on the principle of air conduction. They amplify sound and deliver it to the ear canal. Sound then travels to the inner ear, where it is processed and delivered to the brain, via the eardrum and three small bones in the middle ear.
People who have issues with their outer or middle ear can use bone-conduction hearing aids to bypass those areas. They transmit sound to the inner ear via the skull.
Hearing Aids Styles
Hearing aids come in a variety of styles, including behind-the-ear, in-the-ear, and in-the-canal In the canal or ear, there is a receiver. Completely in the canal, in the ear, and in the canal
BTE (behind-the-ear) hearing aids: BTE hearing aids are the most common type of hearing aid. The majority of the electronics are housed in a plastic case that rests behind the ear and is coupled to an earmold that fits into the ear canal. People of all ages can benefit from BTE hearing aids. For young children, this style is popular since it can be modified as they develop.
Aids for receivers-in-the-canal (RIC): Hearing aids that are RIC (or mini receiver-in-the-ear; mini RITE) sit behind the ear but are often smaller than BTEs. The RIC hearing aid is connected to a tube that houses a thin wire that rests in the ear canal and has a dome-shaped tip at the end (in some cases, earmolds are used). The RIC form is less apparent than the BTE style and allows more of the ear canal to remain open.
Hearing aids that fit entirely in the outer ear (the “bowl”) are known as in-the-ear (ITE) aids. A custom-fit casing houses all of the hearing aid circuitry.
ITC (in-the-canal) and CIC (completely-in-the-canal) aids: These are the tiniest hearing aids on the market right now. The electronics are housed in a compact custom-fit shell that slides into the ear canal partially or entirely. Some individuals prefer them since they are less apparent, while others find them more difficult to manage.
Hearing Aids Styles
Hearing aids come in a variety of styles, including behind-the-ear, in-the-ear, and in-the-canal In the canal or ear, there is a receiver. Completely in the canal, in the ear, and in the canal
BTE (behind-the-ear) hearing aids: BTE hearing aids are the most common type of hearing aid. The majority of the electronics are housed in a plastic case that rests behind the ear and is coupled to an earmold that fits into the ear canal. People of all ages can benefit from BTE hearing aids. For young children, this style is popular since it can be modified as they develop.
Aids for receivers-in-the-canal (RIC): Hearing aids that are RIC (or mini receiver-in-the-ear; mini RITE) sit behind the ear but are often smaller than BTEs. The RIC hearing aid is connected to a tube that houses a thin wire that rests in the ear canal and has a dome-shaped tip at the end (in some cases, earmolds are used). The RIC form is less apparent than the BTE style and allows more of the ear canal to remain open.
Hearing aids that fit entirely in the outer ear (the “bowl”) are known as in-the-ear (ITE) aids. A custom-fit casing houses all of the hearing aid circuitry.
ITC (in-the-canal) and CIC (completely-in-the-canal) aids: These are the tiniest hearing aids on the market right now. The electronics are housed in a compact custom-fit shell that slides into the ear canal partially or entirely. Some individuals prefer them since they are less apparent, while others find them more difficult to manage.
