Hearing Aid Styles

The “right” hearing aid depends largely on the person wearing them – when recommended a hearing device for you, we take a number of factors into consideration including your degree of hearing loss, unique daily listening environments, dexterity, importance of size and visibility of devices, and budgetary concerns.

Choose the Right Hearing Aid

Which hearing aid is the “right one” for you is a very personalized decision. The audiologists at Clarity Audiology & Hearing Solutions, LLC will help guide your hearing device selection by taking into consideration these important factors:

Style If you have cosmetic concerns, the Lyric hearing device (completely invisible), or completely in the canal (CIC) hearing aids (nearly invisible), may be your best option.
Ease-of-Use If you have hand dexterity issues and handling and putting on the hearing aids are a concern, a custom, in-the-ear model may be a better match.
Performance Is there any specific technology or feature you could benefit from? For example, if you use your cellphone often, you may want your hearing aids to be Bluetooth compatible.
Battery Life The larger the hearing aid model, the longer the battery life, as a rule.
Price What’s the right value for you? Not every person requires the most expensive technology to meet your hearing needs. We also offer financing programs to help make the investment more affordable.

Hearing Aid Styles

Custom Styles

Custom style hearing aids are created for your ear’s unique anatomy, using a casting of the ear. They can be made in different skin tones to blend in with the outer ear.

Completely-in-the-Canal (CIC) Hearing Aids

The smallest custom style, completely-in-the-canal hearing aids fit deep within the ear canal and are nearly invisible. They can be used to treat mild to moderate hearing loss.

In-the-Canal (ITC) Hearing Aids

In-the-canal hearing aids fit in the lower part of your outer ear (concha bowl). Slightly larger than completely-in-the-canal hearing aids, they have a longer battery life, and can offer additional features, including volume controls and directional microphones for noisy environments. They can be used to treat mild to severe hearing losses.

In-the-Ear (ITE) Hearing Aids

In-the-ear hearing aids look similar to in-the-canal hearing aids, but slightly larger, from half shell designs to full shell designs which fill the entire outer ear bowl. Like in-the-canal hearing aids, in-the-ear hearing aids can offer features like controls to activate special settings for different environments.

Behind-the-Ear Styles

BTE Hearing Aids Behind-the-Ear (BTE) hearing aids are tucked behind the top of the outer ear, with slim, nearly invisible tubing that directs sound into the ear. An ear tip or earmold is used to secure the tubing in the ear canal. BTEs are available in a range of colors to blend in with skin tones or hair color. They can even come in bright colors and funky print designs to suit personal styles. The range of sizes offer different levels of visibility, as well as different features, controls, and battery lifespans.

Receiver-in-the-Ear Hearing Aids

Receiver-in-the-ear hearing aids, also called receiver-in-canal, are smaller mini BTEs with the speaker incorporated in the ear tip, instead of in the main body of the hearing aid. Receiver-in-the-ear hearing aids can be used to treat mild to severe hearing losses.

Mini BTE with slim tube and tip

Mini BTEs hide behind the outer ear, with ultra-thin tubing to direct sound into the ear. This hearing aid style looks similar to the receiver-in-the-ear style. The tubing ends in a soft tip that sits within the ear canal without blocking it, for an open feeling as sound enters the ear naturally along with amplified sound from the tip. This open fitting method is recommended for mild to moderate high-frequency losses.

BTE Earmold Hearing Aids

The longer shape of BTEs with earmolds can hold more features and power than other designs. The color and style can be made to match the wearer’s hair or skin tones. BTEs with earmolds can be used to treat mild through profound hearing losses.

Clarity Audiology & Hearing Solutions, LLC provides hearing evaluations and tinnitus evaluations to patients in Ellicott City, Columbia, Catonsville, Baltimore, Sykesville and all of Howard, Carroll and Baltimore County. Contact Clarity Audiology & Hearing Solutions, LLC at 410-698-6594 to schedule a tinnitus evaluation or hearing evaluation.

Lyric Hearing Aids Clarity Audiology & Hearing Solutions, LLC is among a select group of offices in the United States offering Lyric Hearing Aids. Lyric is the first 100% invisible, 24/7 wearable hearing device which can be worn continuously, for months at a time. Lyric is easily and comfortably placed deep in the ear canal by your audiologist with no need for surgery or anesthesia.