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Choosing the Right Hearing Aid For Your Needs

Our hearing aid specialists in the Sarasota-Bradenton area can help you make the right choice.

Hearing loss is a treatable condition, but many people would rather live with the problem than cope with the solution. Many patients are afraid to buy hearing aids because they see them as unattractive medical devices, getting in the way of their lives rather than improving them. The staff at Medical Hearing Systems is pleased to say that this is far from true—and we routinely amaze patients as a result.

Types of Hearing Aid Styles

New technology has made heavy, bulky hearing aids a thing of the past. Our audiologists can show you a variety of hearing aids, as well as assistive listening devices that connect to the telephone and television via Bluetooth wireless technology. At Medical Hearing Systems, we match patients with the perfect device to correct their condition and fit into their everyday lives.

Our wide range of hearing aid styles includes:

  • Behind-The-Ear (BTE). A BTE device is a popular choice for patients with mild hearing loss. The device itself sits behind the ear, while a thin tube connects the device to a mold placed inside the ear. As the housing is placed outside the ear canal, it is easy for wearers to control the settings and volume without removing the device.
  • Receiver-In-Canal / Receiver-In-The-Ear (RIC/RITE). An RIC hearing aid is similar to a behind-the-ear device, but with a few key differences. Rather than place the receiver in the housing behind the ear, an RIC device places the receiver (which transmits and amplifies the sounds) in a custom earpiece that sits inside the patient’s ear canal. Also, RIC models tend to be lighter, as the receiver and device are connected with a thin wire instead of tubing.
  • In-the-Ear (ITE). These hearing are entirely contained in a single plastic earplug made to match the patient’s skin tone. An ITE sits in the outer portion of the patient’s ear canal, is less visible than two-piece models, and makes it easier for patients to wear glasses without adjusting the device.
  • In-the-Canal (ITC). An ITC device is smaller than an ITE model (about the size of standard earplugs) and is custom molded to sit inside the ear canal comfortably throughout several hours of wear. Only the end of the device is visible outside the ear canal, and comes with customizable faceplate colors to blend with a patient’s skin.
  • Completely-in-the-Canal (CIC). A CIC is a high-tech device that is molded to fit completely inside the wearer’s ear canal, making it virtually undetectable to others. Since these devices deliver high-quality sound in a nearly-invisible package, CIC models are popular with younger and more active patients.

 

More Information: How To Select the Right Hearing Aid For You

We Not Only Find the Perfect Device, We Find a Perfect Solution

We believe a hearing aid is only one part of lasting hearing rehabilitation. Our audiologists will not only help you choose a new hearing aid, but will perform hearing tests (with and without the device), suggest whole-family strategies for adjusting to your new hearing aid, and schedule follow-up appointments for testing and cleaning your device. In addition, we offer a 30-day trial period to make sure you are completely satisfied with your decision.

As a division of the Silverstein Institute, Medical Hearing Systems has several office locations across Florida, making it easy for patients to get the care they need within a few miles from home. We accept many types of insurance and offer multiple payment options, and work with the Ear Research Foundation to provide low-income patients with free donated hearing aids from our Hearing Device Bank. Call us at (866) 517-4415 to find out your options today!