When you first found out that you had hearing loss, you probably imagined a life resigned to wearing one of those huge, plastic-y looking devices that your Great Aunt Ruth sported for the last 20 years of her life. But you are in for a pleasant surprise! There are actually a number of different models from which to choose, all of them designed with different age groups and lifestyles in mind. So before you panic thinking that you are going to look like an elderly person from here on out, check out these different styles of hearing aids that you could choose from.
1. In-the-canal
These are the least visible to the outside world, because they are molded to fit deep down inside your ear canal. These are great for people who have mild hearing loss, but not severe degrees, because the amplification of sound is less powerful than more visible types. This model is very compatible with telephone use. The batteries in these in-the-canal ones are smaller and less powerful, too, which means replacing them more often. Because these in-the-canal models are custom-molded, they can be a bit on the expensive side as well.
2. Half-shell
Half-shell styles are very small, and are custom-molded to fill the bowl in the lower portion of your ear. These, too, are great for mild and moderate hearing loss, and work well with hearing aids. One advantage over in-the-canal models is that these types include extra features like being able to control your volume, or pointing the microphones in different directions.
3. Full-shell
This is similar to the half-shell, but the mold fits the entire bowl area of your outer ear. This style works well for people with up to severe hearing loss. It is quite visible to others, and is more susceptible to picking up on wind noises, which the other smaller models are not because they are further inside the ear. These are easier to handle for those who are not particularly dexterous. They also tend to use larger batteries, which means that you do not have to replace them very often, which can help cut down on expenses in the long-term. They also boast convenience features like volume adjustment, which can make them more comfortable and enjoyable to use.
4. Behind the ear fit
These behind-the-ear aids are probably what you think of when you imagine the aforementioned Great Aunt Ruth turning up the volume on her dinosaur-style hearing device. Some models are made to be sleeker these days, but they are still generally quite visible. These styles feature the greatest degree of amplification, so they are great options for those with severe hearing loss, which is why you see them so often on elderly people, who also tend to be less concerned with aesthetics.
5. Open fit
These devices also go behind the ear, but they are much smaller than the standard behind-the-ear ones, and therefore are less visible to the public. But because of their size, they lack manual adjustment, and they also use very small batteries.
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