How to Choose a Hearing Aid

Some things to consider when choosing hearing aids:

Lifestyle

How and where you spend most of your time will greatly affect your hearing aid choice. We’ll want to understand more about your activities when we discuss your options.

Fast - Paced

This lifestyle finds you on the go, with a need to interact with people throughout the course of a day. You probably spend time in noise-filled spaces, like pubs or restaurants, or in wide-open settings for conferences, sporting events or concerts.

Ordinary

Socializing in a small-group setting is an important part of your life. You like to get together over coffee, spend time together shopping, golfing or going to the movies.

Uncomplicated

You are likely to spend the bulk of your time at home or in a quiet outdoor setting. Reading, watching television, woodworking and gardening may be some of your pastimes. It’s still important to be able to communicate in face-to-face situations.

ITE (In The Ear)

The ITE hearing aids are typically made from an impression made at your audiologist’s office, are custom-fit to your ear and usually available in a range of skin tones to match your own.

ITE Hearing Aid Styles:
1. IIC (Invisible in the Canal) and CIC (Completely in the Canal): These styles are the smallest available, fit deep within the ear canal, and are typically fit for people with mild to moderate hearing loss, who have excellent finger dexterity (to replace the batteries on this tiny instrument).

2. ITC (In the Canal): This hearing aid style sets in the bottom of the outer ear bowl. It has longer battery life due to the larger size, and can fit a wider range of hearing losses than the IIC or CIC hearing aids. Volume wheels and directional microphones are also some available features.

3. Low Profile: These hearing aids are available in a range of designs, from half-shells that fill the about half of the outer ear bowl to models that nearly fill the bowl. Their size allows for added features, like directional microphones and manual controls, which make them a good choice for clients with dexterity issues, as well as those with severe or profound hearing loss.

BTE (Behind The Ear)

Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids are a popular choice for today's hearing aid wearer, as they offer the widest range of technological features, degrees of power, battery types and sizes.

Modern BTE hearing aids are available in slim & discreet designs, in colors ranging from common skin & hair tones to more expressive and creative colors.

They are worn comfortably behind the ear with a tube that connect to an ear mold or ear tip inside the ear.

Behind-the-ear hearing aids are available in different styles, including: Receiver-in-Canal (RIC), Behind-the-ear (BTE) with earmold, and Mini BTE's.

Types and Styles

Hearing aids are available in several different styles.

Brands we carry

We carry a variety of brands for you to choose from, so you can find your best fit.

Have you ever wondered which hearing aid you should choose?

Some things to consider when choosing hearing aids:

Lifestyle

Types and Styles

Brands we carry

Sioux Falls Audiology Associates