The choice of hearing aids in 2007 far exceeds anything available even 15 years ago, and if you are in the market for a hearing aid you may find yourself bewildered by all the options. But your choice will be made somewhat easier because the hearing aids appropriate for you will be limited by the severity of your hearing loss, the style with fits you best, and your budget.
A behind the ear hearing aid, commonly called a BTE, is one of the most popular styles. Both versatile and user-friendly, it is produced in numerous designs, making it appealing to hundreds of thousands of hearing loss victims. Having been around for decades, and more popular than ever, the BTE has stood the test of time.
How Does A Behind The Ear Hearing Aid Work?
A BTE hearing aid is designed with a curved casing which holds the device's mechanics and fits over the ear's upper edge, with an earpiece conforming to the inside shape of the outer ear, ensuring a secure and comfortable fit. BTEs are clearly visible, and are what comes to mind for most people when hearing aids are mentioned. But contemporary behind the hearing aids are far more compact than earlier models, and not much more noticeable than hearing aids which can be inserted into the ear canal.
For people who either have physical problems which prevent them from using an inner ear hearing aid, or who simply do not like having any foreign objects in their ears, behind the ear hearing aids are ideal. They are also perfect for children; their earpieces are simply exchanged for newly-fitted ones to keep up with the children's growth.
Advantages Of Behind The Ear Hearing Aids
BTEs are, depending on the sophistication of their technology, some of the least costly available and therefore will within the means of those on limited budgets. And, because behind the ear hearing aids can be designed to hold powerful amplifiers and batteries, they work well even for those with serious hearing difficulties. The more compact models of behind the ear hearing aids are big sellers among people with mild or moderate hearing loss.
Because BTE hearing aid batteries are bigger than those used in some other models, people with arthritis or other dexterity problems find them much easier to replace. The advances in behind the ear hearing aid technology over the past ten years have made the BTEs simple to use, comfortable, and reasonably priced. Now available with digital engineering for superior sound quality and programmable adjustable volume, they are truly designed for the 21st century.
Behind the ear hearing aids have become so user-friendly, in fact, that they can now be purchased as non-prescription discardable items. But before you decide to try one, you owe it to yourself to consult with a professional audiologist to determine the nature of your hearing difficulty, and whether or not a behind the ear hearing aid is the best means of treating it.
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