Behind the ear, also known as BTE, hearing aids are far and
away the most commonly used type of hearing aid. These
hearing aids are also what most people picture when hearing
aids are mentioned. The electronics which make a BTE
hearing aid function are housed in a plastic case which fits
behind the ear and has a tube that connects it to an ear mold
which fits in the ear canal.
They are designed to accommodate the entire spectrum of
hearing losses, from the mild to the severe. Although they
are more conspicuous then hearing aids that fit entirely in the
ear canal, they have a number of benefits that appeal to a
wide variety of hearing impaired individuals. In addition, BTE
hearing aids come in a number of sizes, shapes and colors.
So some behind the ear models are much less conspicuous
then others.
Since behind the ear hearing aids are larger then their
completely in the canal, or CIC, counterparts, they can more
easily house a bigger amplifier and much stronger battery
and therefore may be especially beneficial to individuals with
a more severe hearing loss. BTE hearing aids are also rather
versatile in that they come in the most traditional analog style
as well as in the recently popularized digitally powered style
of hearing aids.
When budgetary constraints are an issue, behind the ear
devices definitely win out over hearing aids which fit
completely in the ear canal. Due to their larger size, other
groups of people to whom BTE hearing aids have more
appeal then CIC models include the elderly, arthritis sufferers
and others with fine motor control disabilities and related
issues.
Finally since CIC models necessitate the wearing of a heavier
device in the canal then just the lightweight ear mold attached
to BTE hearing aids, there tends to be less ear canal irritation
with the former.
In the late 1800s the first commercially manufactured hearing
aids were patented and became available to the public. The
first behind the ear hearing aids came on the scene over fifty
years ago.
Prior to this, hearing aids were basically amplifiers worn
somewhere on the body and these were heavy and
expensive, due in part to rapid battery consumption. With the
advent of the smaller junction transistor in 1952, widespread
BTE hearing aid use became more of a reality.
Due to improvements in the technology of circuitry,1964 saw
another boom in use of BTE devices and the use of body
worn hearing aids dropped to less then twenty percent. By
1972 prototypes for hearing aids which could be
programmed to a variety of listening situations, were being
created. The following twenty years showed continued
improvements and advances in hearing aid technology.
Volume controls were added to most behind the ear devices
in the 1990s and digital hearing aids started appearing in the
mid nineties. There has been continued new arrivals in the
hearing aid world since then such as remanufactured hearing
aids, disposable hearing aids and over the counter hearing
aids. Who knows what the future of behind the ear hearing aid
technology holds, the possibilities are endless
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