Hearing aids have come a long way - even in the last five years!
Today's advanced hearing instruments are smaller and most discreet than ever before. They provide a level of sound reproduction and quality that is unmatched.
THE RIGHT CHOICE
At Tsawwassen Hearing Centre, we carry the most advanced brands of hearing aids. They come in a variety of styles and models, with some being worn inside the ear, and some outside the ear. They are also designed to treat a wide range of hearing loss – from mild to severe. The illustrations and descriptions below will give you a general overview of the types of hearing aids available. Should your hearing test results confirm that you need a hearing aid, we will help you choose the technology that's right for you.
HEARING AID MODELS
Open-Ear/Open-Fit Technology: These hearing aids typically consist of small housing that sits behind the ear, with a very fine, clear tube running over the top of the ear, into the ear. This results in an open design without a "plugging" of the ear. Although similar to behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids, these are smaller and more discreet than traditional BTEs.
Receiver-In-Canal/Receiver-In-The-Ear (RIC/RITE) Technology: With these hearing aids, the speaker/receiver is placed inside the user's ear canal, therefore reducing the size of the housing behind the ear. RICs/RITEs are now considered the most discreet and aesthetically pleasing of all hearing aids.
Completely-In-Canal (CIC) Technology: These hearing aids are designed to fit entirely within the ear canal, and are custom-made to fit the ear canal.
In-The-Ear (ITE) Technology: ITE is a custom hearing aid which fits in the outer ear bowl.
In-The-Canal (ITC) Technology: In-The-Canal hearing aids are custom-built to fit almost completely within the ear canal. ITCs are appropriate for mild to moderately severe hearing loss.
Behind-The-Ear (BTE) Technology: As the name implies, these hearing aids are worn behind the ear and require a custom ear mould.