Hearing Aids

There are essentially four styles of hearing aids:

There are essentially three types of technologies:

Completely-in-the-Canal (CIC)
This style is completely hidden, deep inside the ear canal. CIC hearing instruments may reduce whistling as a result of wind noise because the hearing aid is closer to the eardrum, and fit snugly inside the ear canal. It also means that less amplification is needed to fit a broader range of hearing impairments.
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In-the-Canal (ITC)
ITC hearing aids fit down in the ear canal and are relatively unnoticeable. Today's technology allows this type of hearing aid to meet a broad range of hearing loss needs.
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In-the-Ear (ITE)
This style is custom made to fit comfortably inside the concha of your ear. ITE hearing aids also meet a wide variety of hearing impairments.
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Behind-the-Ear (BTE)
This style places the circuitry and microphone behind the ear. BTE hearing aids meet a wide range of hearing needs and frequently are used for more severe hearing impairments or steeply sloping hearing losses where more power is needed and air ventilation is required.
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100% Digital Hearing Aid Technology
Digital hearing instruments are computer- programmed for a variety of listening situations, and appropriately for the individual's hearing loss needs. The microchip technology samples incoming sounds millions of times per second translating sound waves into a digital code of ones and zeros. There are many more attractive features incorporated into the circuitry of these new, high-tech hearing instruments. Aside from being completely automatic, some hearing aids include "directional intelligence" and "noise reduction." These improved capabilities enable digital hearing aids to enhance speech, cancel feedback (whistling), and help you hear better in background noise, while automatically and continuously locating, analyzing, and delivering clear comfortable sound. More advanced digital hearing aids are equipped with dual microphones that are calibrated to balance the shifting of sound sources as you go from one listening situation to another, such as when you walk out of a building into street noise or are engaged in one-on-one conversation amongst a group. Advanced digital hearing aids automatically adapt to the world around you. If your hearing loss changes over time, digital hearing instruments can be adjusted to accommodate those changes.
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Programmable-analog technology
A programmable hearing aid is basically an analog hearing aid by its design, but has digitally programmed instructions on the microchip, or in its memory. In the late 1980s, digitally programmable technology offered a whole new generation of instrumentation that would ultimately change the face of the hearing aid industry. To this day, many people still wear and enjoy programmable hearing aids. By hooking up the hearing aid to a computer, the audiologists can program instructions into the hearing aid to respond to specific sound environments based on the results of your hearing tests and your specific needs. Once programmed, the hearing aid can easily be reprogrammed in the event that your hearing needs change. However, after the hearing aid is disconnected from the computer it can only respond to those sets of listening instructions and environments it was programmed for. In other words, it's an analog hearing aid by its design, which amplifies sound, but makes adjustments for your listening needs.
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Analog K-AMP and Compression Circuit Technology
For many years, K-AMP and Compression "high fidelity" hearing aids was the industry standard and still offer a wide variety of dynamic range sound processing capabilities, and for a fraction of the cost of digital and programmable hearing instruments. The K-AMP was developed in the 1970s. It was state-of-the-art technology for individuals with mild-to-moderate hearing losses. The circuitry was designed to maximize clarity of speech, automatically selecting the gain and treble boost for each listening level. It enhanced soft sounds and adjusted for sounds that present an uncomfortable problem for hearing aid wearers such as dishes clattering, paper crunching, wind howling, or someone shouting. Today the K-AMP circuit comes in all the regular hearing aid styles, but can be placed in ITE, ITC, or CIC instruments as well so you get the cosmetic benefit along with high-fidelity sound processing.
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