Fitting Hearing Aids

When choosing a hearing aide, its fit around your ear should be a major consideration.  An uncomfortable hearing aid will take away from any amount of hearing amplification that it gives to you.  Once again, your decision should account for your ear shape and size, as well as your personal preference.  The myriad of hearing aid styles that are available will foster a comfortable entry into the world of hearing aids.  These different constructions and styles will give you different fittings, some of which can be further customized.  The mechanisms within the hearing aid will not matter when fitting hearing aids; for the most part they all have similar parts to move sound from the environment into your ear. As with many electronic devices, hearing devices get more expensive the smaller and more compact they are. 

The hearing aid fitting is the common denominator in choosing a hearing aid and maintaining a hearing aid.  Read on to see what hearing aid styles you can generally choose from:

Completely inside the canal hearing aid

If you are looking for a hearing aid that is all the way inside your ear, virtually undetectable to the public, then this hearing aid is for you.  With the smaller sized hearing aid come smaller batteries, so make sure that you are able to manipulate smaller objects.  Also, your hearing aid will lack extensive features or adjustable parts due to its size.

Partly inside the canal hearing aid

An in-the-canal hearing aid is custom molded and fits partly in the ear canal, but not as deeply as the completely-in-the-canal aid. This hearing aid can improve mild to moderate hearing loss in adults.

Full shell hearing aid

A full shell hearing aid tends to be more powerful and last longer than smaller, in-the-canal hearing aids.  They are custom fit to perfectly contour the folds and crevices of your ear, giving a sense of security and attachment.  With its size comes an ease of installation, the ability to add volume controls, and a larger, long lasting battery.  Those with mild hearing loss, all the way to severe hearing loss, will have success with full shell hearing aides.

Behind the ear hearing aid

Behind the ear hearing aids cater to a large spectrum of people.  Formerly the most common type of hearing amplification device, hearing aids worn behind your ear are secured by a contoured hook and connected by a mold inside of your ear.  This type of hearing aid is the largest and most visible to the public, but offers the most hearing amplification available.  Newer models have become more and more streamlined as the technology debuts.