Hearing loss is one of the diseases of the 21st century, hence regular testing is a must. And so is knowing which device is right for you, especially since assistive listening devices vary from one another. It all comes down to knowing what kind of hearing loss you have specifically and what hearing aid will benefit you the most.
To know which one might be the right fit for you, you need to first understand how they basically work. The device picks up any noises that might be happening in your environment and amplify them into your ear so you can hear them better. Most devices are digital and need batteries to stay charged up. They also come with a small microphone which is what picks up any noises, a small computer chip which amplifies and converts these noises to benefit your hearing loss. Below you will find a list of different types of assistive listening devices and a bit of information on each one hopefully making your choice a bit easier.
Completely In Ear Canal
This model has been designed to fit right inside your ear canal. It is the smallest and least visible from all the models available. It is a great choice as it doesn’t pick up any wind which is a problem most other models seem to have. The battery life can be short and it can easily get built up with ear wax.
In Ear Canal
This model fits partly into your ear canal and is once again quite invisible when compared to some larger styles. It has been designed to be a little larger than the last model so you can have more features. Although they have more features, adjusting them can be quite tricky because they are quite small. Also because they are in your canal, they too can easily get built up ear wax.
In Ear
This sits right in the bowl of your ear or the lower half and are slightly bigger than the previous models listed. They have a nice range of features and longer battery life thanks to the bigger size. They are more visible than the last two models and might pick up a bit more wind, the range of features seems to make up for this though.
Behind Ear
This hooks over the top of your ear with the main switches and function resting behind your ear. It is connected to an earpiece that sits inside your ear and seems to be one of the most popular choices. While they are quite big, bulky and visible, most people seem to prefer them because of the range of amplification and options you receive.
Receiver
This is quite similar to the last model with the way it sits on top of your ear. The main difference between them would probably be that instead of plastic tubing connecting the two pieces, it is only a small piece of wire. This makes them slightly less visible all while giving you the same options.