Hearing Aids Types and Prices
Hearing aids are one of the greatest inventions in this century as they have helped millions of people who have hearing issues.
In the US alone, it’s estimated that there are over 15 millions people who are plagued by hearing loss and hearing aids have come to the rescue of these people by alleviating their hearing problems.
There are many types and models of hearing aids in the market with each of them having different features and specifications.
These hearing devices also price differently according to the features and specs.
Therefore, buying a hearing aid might be a overwhelming task for some people and the following paragraphs will help you to understand the costs and types of hearing aids.
In The Ear (ITE) Hearing Aids
In The Ear (ITE) hearing aids are commonly available and are inexpensive custom-made hearing aids. They work by fitting into the patient’s ear canal and are suitable for people with mild to severe hearing loss. ITE hearing aids can be customized to fit perfectly into a person ear canal since they are comparatively small. But they are still noticeable to other people.
The disadvantage of ITE hearing aids is they have high maintenance requirement. They need to be cleaned regularly since the ear wax or drainage from the ear can easily damage and degrade the performance of the device. ITE hearing aids cost relatively cheap and can be purchased for about $300 to $800.
Completely In The Canal (CIC) Hearing Aids
CIC hearing aids are the most expensive hearing aids since they are the smallest and tend to be cosmetically pleasing. Most CIC hearing aids are hardly visible to other people as they are small enough to be fitted entirely into the ear canal. CIC hearing aids are useful for people with mild to severe hearing loss.
In terms of sound quality, CIC hearing aids offer the best sound quality as the distortion and noise interference are the lowest. The downside to CIC hearing aids is they are susceptible to ear wax and drainage damage and need to be regularly cleaned.
Besides, it’s a hassle to change the battery of CIC hearing aids as the battery compartment is very small. Most people need to take the device back to the vendors when change battery.
A pair of CIC hearing aids can set you back by roughly $1,000 to $1,500.
Behind The Ear (BTE) Hearing Aids
BTE hearing aids are the most general type of hearing aids. They work by fitting behind the ear with a plastic tube. An ear mold that fits into the ear canal is connected through a wire to the hearing device.
BTE hearing aids are extremely useful for people with mild to profound hearing loss. They are especially useful for children since the ear mold can be changed regularly and is cheaply available. The hearing aid shell can also be customized to fit the size of the ears. As a result, BTE hearing aids are economically viable for most family.
A pair of BTE hearing aids cost roughly from $700 to $1500 for high end models and can be purchased directly from most online merchants.
