Different Types of Hearing Aids: How to Choose the Right One

If you went back a couple of decades, you would quickly see that hearing aids were not nearly as advanced as they are now. That is great news for anyone with partial hearing loss. There are hearing aids today that can amplify the hearing that a person has left. This can be a tremendous help to many individuals, particularly as they get older.

Hearing loss solutions usually involve hearing aids, but how can you be sure which one is best for you? We will talk about that in detail right now. 

CIC Hearing Aids

The term “CIC” hearing aid means one that goes entirely in your ear canal. This means that if you look at someone who has one in, you may not be able to notice it unless you look closely. This is particularly true if the hearing aid is also the same color as the person’s flesh who is wearing it.

CIC hearing aids are the smallest kind that are on the market today. Most people who wear them like them because they are the most inconspicuous. 

ITC Hearing Aids

ITC stands for an in-the-canal hearing aid. These are ones that go in the ear canal, but they’re still visible to some extent. They also include some features that will not necessarily fit on CIC-style hearing aids.

This kind is sometimes the subject of a bit of contention among those with partial hearing loss. Some people love them, but others don’t care for them as much because of the possibility of them getting clogged with earwax.

How to Choose the Right Hearing Aid

There are some additional hearing aid styles as well. The main point when you’re looking at the different ones that are on the market is that you should speak to a doctor who deals specifically with hearing loss. These doctors can likely tell you which one is best for you based on a number of different criteria. 

The right doctor, like one of these Hearing Aid Doctors in Willowbrook Texas, can explain what style is most inconspicuous, which one costs the most, which one is the most comfortable, and which ones are covered by your particular health insurance. Usually, scheduling a consultation with such a doctor is the first step toward getting the best possible hearing aid for your unique condition.

Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids vs. Customized Ones

You might also see commercials on TV sometimes for hearing aids that you can buy without ever needing to consult with a doctor. The hearing aid companies that create these commercials will often mention how you can get them at a good price, and that usually, your insurance will pay for them.

It’s often best to avoid the ones you buy off of TV or that you get over the counter. That is because hearing aids generally work best when they are customized. 

There is no way to customize a hearing aid that you buy off of TV or get off a store shelf without consulting a doctor. That’s why a consultation is always the first logical step.