Hearing Services of Colorado – Hearing Aids

Hearing aids are delicate, carefully-crafted electronic devices that require programming to function properly. With proper care and regular maintenance, your hearing aid should last about 3 to 5 years. This page is to help acquaint you with some of the styles of hearing aids offered at Kaiser Permanente’s Hearing Centers. At your appointment with one of our hearing aid audiologists, they will carefully examine your hearing loss and lifestyle to recommend a style best suited for you.

Hearing Aid Types

CIC (Completely in the Canal)

CIC aids are the smallest type of hearing aid and one that is barely visible once placed in the ear. In most cases, CIC aids are recommended for people who have a mild to moderate hearing loss and an ear canal large enough to accommodate the device.

ITE aids are larger than completely in the canal aids and can be used for a wider range of hearing loss. They are also available with more features, such as a telephone switch. All of the components fit inside of the plastic case which is made to fit the user’s ear. ITE aids can either fill up half of the ear bowl (half shell) or the whole ear bowl (full shell). ITE aids are suitable for people who have a mild to moderately-severe hearing loss.

There are two components in the BTE aid: a hearing aid and an earmold. The earmold is connected to the hearing aid through a tube. The earmold itself sits in the ear bowl and the hearing aid sits over the ear. The hearing aid amplifies the sound and delivers it to the ear through the earmold. BTE hearing aids are often recommended for children and people with certain middle ear conditions or severe to profound hearing loss. However, with an “open fit” BTE option, the solid earmold is usually replaced with a small ear-tip to amplify the high frequencies without plugging up the ear canal.