What are BTE Hearing Aids?

If you have hearing loss or know somebody who does, hearing aids can make hearing easier in people with hearing impairment by amplifying quieter sounds. There are several types of hearing aids, the main categories being: behind-the-ear (BTE), in-the-canal (ITC) hearing aids and in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids.

What Are BTE Hearing Aids? 

They are hearing devices that are used to make hearing easier in people who have hearing loss. This hearing aid type sits behind the ear and collects sounds through a tube into your ear canal. The hearing aid consists of a case, amplifier and tubing that connects it to the earmold held in place by a headband or custom-made earmold. The hearing aid sits behind your ear and is connected by wire to small microphones called receivers which sit just inside your ear canal.

Features

These hearing aids have many different features including volume controls, noise reduction filters, directional microphones, radio frequency (RF) systems for use with hearing assistive listening devices such as telecoils and feedback management circuitry.

Hearing aids can vary in size from very tiny all the way up to over 50 decibels per level. BTEs are known to be quite visible hearing aids and are not usually well-liked. They do, however, offer superior hearing capabilities compared to other hearing aids, including ITCs. This is because of their bigger batteries and the way they’re worn behind the ear.

ITC Hearing Aid

Hearing instruments that are inserted into the ear canal instead of just sitting behind it. They’re most often recommended for people who have hearing loss in the low or high frequencies.

Advantages of ITC Hearing Aids:

They are small and cosmetically appealing, which means they blend in with your face more easily than BTE hearing aids. ITC hearing aids can also be easier to insert because there’s nothing really to stick behind your ear.

Invisible-in-Canal (IIC) Hearing Aid

An IIC hearing aid is worn completely in the ear canal. It fits tightly to keep out water while bathing, showering or swimming. IIC hearing aids may or may not be custom made for your ear.

Completely-in-Canal (CIC) Hearing Aid

They are worn inside the ear canal and deliver sound via a small tube to your ear. CIC hearing aids are used in mild hearing loss.

Custom Made Hearing Aids

ITCs, CICs and BTE hearing aids are all custom hearing aids, which means they are made specifically for each person’s hearing loss by an audiologist. This makes them better at hearing in difficult listening situations such as when there is background noise or one sound interferes with another. Hearing aid manufacturers also produce hearing aid accessories including remote controls, earmolds, neck loops and batteries.

Quality Of Life

It should be noted that hearing loss doesn’t necessarily mean hearing aids are needed. If you do need hearing aids, these hearing devices can make a big difference to your hearing ability and quality of life.

There’s a wide variety of hearing aids available in the market, so look for hearing aids that best suit your hearing loss and lifestyle requirements.