Is a custom hearing aid for me?

It’s no big news that people are often anxious about going ahead with their first pair of hearing aids due to an out-dated stigma that is attached to them. We’ve spoken at length previously about why this line of thinking needs to join the rest of us over here in the 21^st century, but we do understand that some people will want to keep their hearing loss to themselves for a while. Enter the invisible hearing aid…

If discretion is your thing, you’ve more than likely considered a custom hearing aid. Custom hearing aids are designed to fit inside your ear which is why they’re often described as invisible hearing aids. If this is the way you’d like to go, your Audiologist will take an impression of each ear. These will be used to design a pair of hearing aids that are specific to the inside of your ear.

Custom Hearing Aid Types

There are 4 types of custom hearing aid that you can choose from:

In-the-ear (ITE) – This type sits inside your ear and will fill it so is more easily noticed than the other types.

In-the-canal (ITC) – These are very similar to ITEs but are slightly smaller in size due to them being designed to sit in the ear canal rather than the outer ear. They are still slightly visible in the ear.

Completely-in-the-canal (CIC) – These aids are what we class as invisible and sit all the way inside the ear canal. If you have especially narrow ear canals, you may not be able to opt for this type of aid.

Invisible-in-canal (IIC) – These aids are very similar to CICs, but they fit deeper into the ear canal. They are also invisible. Those with narrow ear canals may not be suitable for these aids.

Once you have had a hearing test with your Audiologist, they will be able to talk you through the options you have for your specific hearing loss and ear size / shape.

A pair of invisible hearing aids.

The Benefits of Custom Devices

There are lots of benefits if you decide to opt for custom hearing aids. They are often more comfortable because they have been created specifically for your ear shape. There is also less of a worry when removing glasses or face masks as there is nothing behind the ear to dislodge. They are much more discreet than behind-the-ear (BTE) devices. Users of these types of hearing aids report that they feel the sound they hear is more “natural”. There is also less of a worry with wind noise as the aid is protected inside your ear. Some custom devices are also Bluetooth equipped meaning you can still stream your calls / TV.

Dexterity Concerns

If you are someone who struggles with dexterity issues, we would suggest talking this through with your Audiologist before going ahead with custom hearing aids. They are generally a little smaller than BTE or receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing devices. Therefore, those with dexterity issues may find it a struggle putting them in and taking them out. Your Audiologist will be able to advise if custom devices are the right fit for you.

If you would like any further information on this type of hearing aid, or are ready to get yourself booked in for a hearing consultation, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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