Benefits of open ear hearing aids
There are more and more types and styles of hearing aids available today, as technology becomes more advanced and hearing aid components become ever smaller.
This is a considerable advantage to those with hearing loss and means that however severe the loss, the hearing aid need be nowhere near as large as the hearing aids of past.
There are four main types of hearing aid: Open ear hearing aids, which can also incorporate RITE (receiver in the ear) technology, BTE (behind the ear), ITE (in the ear), and CIC (completely in the canal) digital hearing aids. There are benefits and disadvantages of each type, but the one with the fewest disadvantages is the open ear RITE.
Advantages of open ear hearing aids
There are many advantages of open ear fittings or open ear hearing aids, both from a cosmetic and an audiological point of view, and also a benefit when looking at cost.
Open ear hearing aids, such as those made by Oticon, Phonak, & GN Resound are small, inconspicuous and very light and comfortable. People don’t even know they are wearing them!
The only part of an open ear hearing aid is the part that sits in the ear, which is a small rubbery dome which feeds the sound directly into the ear. It doesn’t need a bulky earmould, so it doesn’t block the ear completely. Conventional hearing aid earmoulds can cause sweating and can also be very uncomfortable.
Most people with hearing loss can benefit from an open ear hearing aid, but severe and profound losses may find a BTE hearing aid more suitable. If you are concerned about your hearing go for a free hearing test from a local hearing aid dispenser first. He or she will tell you how bad your hearing loss is, and should also offer you a free hearing aid demonstration, and obviously will tell you about hearing aid prices. There are some amazing new digital hearing aids being produced by Phonak, Oticon and GN Resound. Phonak Yes is an amazing new open ear hearing aid, Oticon Dual takes over from Oticon Delta as one of the world’s leading open ear hearing aids.
Open ear hearing aids are beneficial since there are fewer problems with blockages from ear wax. Also, as the ear is left open, it has the chance to ‘breathe’ naturally, thus preventing excessive perspiration.
If you are thinking about getting a hearing aid, you probably want one that is small, that no one can see. Equally important, is that the hearing aid is comfortable and light. Obviously the way your digital hearing aids perform is of paramount importance and that’s why the open ear hearing aids are often the best choice.
Open Ear hearing aid technology has dramatically improved hearing capabilities as well as given vastly improved comfort and discretion and are increasingly becoming the digital hearing aid of choice for many users with all types of hearing losses.