subject: Is A Behind-the-ear Hearing Aid Right For You? [print this page] A behind-the-ear hearing aid may be what your audiologist or specialist may recommend for your situation. There are many types of devices available to improve your ability to hear. Not all devices work on all people. The first step is to determine what your needs are. This is done through a series of tests. The doctor will determine just how severe the loss is and then identify which, if any, types of devices may work to improve your situation. For many men and women, the right aids can make all of the difference in their quality of life improvement.
What Is This Type?
The behind-the-ear model is just what it sounds like. This type of hearing aid does not fit in the inner ear canal as the other models do. Rather, it will hook over the top of the outer portion of your ear. Then, it will rest just behind the ear. As you move through your day, the device will pick up the sounds around you. As it picks up those sounds, it works to make them louder or amplifies them significantly. Then, the sound is carried into the ear mold that is fitted within the ear. This does fit into the ear canal, but it does not offer the same depth as other types of completely in-the-canal models.
Nearly all people who have some level of loss of the ability to hear will benefit from the behind-the-ear method if improvement is possible. This means it can work for individuals who have mild loss and those who have severe loss. Unlike other models, this option can also work well for people of all ages, including children. For this reason, it is a commonly sought device.
Visibility
One of the most common reasons people do not like the behind-the-ear model is because it is often very easy to see. If you were hoping to hide your loss of the ability to hear, this device is not going to be the one to do that. However, for those who may need more sound improvement, this is a good option.
The Benefits
There are many benefits to the behind-the-ear hearing aid. It is larger, which means it can amplify sound better than most other models. Additionally, these tend to have more features than others. Since they are larger, those features including things like volume control are easier to manage by people who have difficulty with smaller devices.
