The world of hearing loss can seem complicated when you’re new to it. There can be so much medical jargon and new terminology to learn, not to mention the vast number of products available!
At BAHA Accessories we want to help make things simple and easy to understand so today we’re looking at the different types of hearing aids and implants, how they work and who they’re suitable for.
Hearing Aids vs Hearing Implants: What’s the Difference and Which Is Best?
Hearing aids and hearing implants are both devices that can be used to improve a person’s hearing. However, how they work and who they’re suitable for, differs.
Hearing aids are a non-invasive way to improve hearing, meaning they don’t require surgery, and are suitable for people with mild to moderate hearing loss. Hearing implants, on the other hand, are surgically fitted (i.e. implanted) and offer improved outcomes for people living with moderate to profound deafness.
Whether hearing aids or an implant is best for you depends on many factors, such as the type of hearing loss you have, how severe it is and your preference.
Your audiology team will be able to advise you on whether hearing aids or hearing implants are suitable for you and which will be the best option for your particular circumstances. This may also change over time. Some people might initially wear hearing aids and later go on to have a hearing implant.
Types of Hearing Aids
There are several different types of hearing aids to choose from. Here are the most common types.
Behind the Ear (BTE) Hearing Aids
Behind the ear (BTE) hearing aids consist of a microphone, which as the name suggests, is worn behind the ear. This is attached to a thin, plastic tube that is moulded to sit just inside the ear, through which the amplified sound can travel.
BTE hearing aids are suitable for people with mild to severe hearing loss and are available on the NHS or privately.
When people talk about hearing aids, this is the most common type they will imagine.
Receiver in the Ear (RITE) and Receiver in the Canal (RICE) Hearing Aids
These are very similar to BTE hearing aids, but the part of the hearing aid that sits behind the ear is much smaller and is connected to a thin wire just inside the ear. This makes them less visible.
This type of hearing aid is suitable for people with mild to profound hearing loss but is not currently available on the NHS.
In the Ear (ITE) Hearing Aids
This type of hearing aid sits entirely in the ear opening. This means it cannot be seen from behind but is visible from the side. They’re suitable for mild to severe hearing loss but can be fiddly to control and aren’t suitable for people who suffer from frequent ear infections.
Completely in the Canal (CIC) and Invisible in the Canal (IIC) Hearing Aids
These are tiny hearing aids that sit in your ear canal, rather than the opening, making them barely visible (in the case of CIC hearing aids) or invisible (in the case of IIC hearing aids). These types of hearing aids are only available privately and aren’t suitable for people who are prone to recurrent ear infections or struggle with fiddly tasks (due to the size of the hearing aids). They can be used by people with mild to moderate hearing loss.
CROS and BiCROS Hearing Aids
These hearing aids are specifically for people who only have hearing in one ear and are available in behind-the-ear or in-the-ear versions.
A CROS (contralateral routing of sound) hearing aid will pick up sound from the deaf side and feed it into the hearing ear. This type of hearing aid is for people who have good hearing in their hearing ear.
Whereas a BiCROS (bi-contralateral routing of sound) hearing aid amplifies the sound from both sides, routing it into the ear with better hearing. This hearing aid is for people who have some degree of hearing loss in their ‘good’ ear.
These types of hearing aids are available both on the NHS and privately.
Types of Hearing Implants
Hearing aids aren’t suitable for everyone living with hearing loss, and in this case, an implant may be recommended instead.
Bone Anchored Hearing Aids (BAHAs)
Rather than transmitting sound through the ear canal like a traditional hearing aid, a bone anchored hearing aid transmits sound through the large bones in the skull. This makes them suitable for people living with moderate to severe hearing loss who have issues with their external ear or ear canal that would make hearing aids unsuitable.
There are two different types of BAHA implants.
An abutment BAHA
This is where an implant is surgically fitted to the skull bone. The abutment comes through the skin of the scalp and the sound processor can then be physically attached to it.
A BAHA Attract
This is where a magnetic device is surgically implanted beneath the skin and the sound processor is connected to it via a powerful magnet,
BAHA Headbands
There is also a third way to wear a BAHA, which isn’t actually an implant at all but is more similar to an external hearing aid or device. This is where a BAHA processor is worn on a headband, and transmits sound via vibration through the large bones of the skull in the same way it would if it had been implanted.
If your audiologist thinks a bone anchored hearing aid implant might be suitable for you or your child, an external BAHA will usually be offered first as a trial to discover whether or not you find it useful and are happy to go ahead with the operation. BAHA headbands are typically worn by babies and young children who aren’t yet old enough to undergo the surgery but are also worn by older children, teens and adults who don’t want to or aren’t able to have the surgery to have a BAHA implanted.
Cochlear Implants
Cochlear implants turn sound into electrical signals which are then transmitted directly to the cochlear in the inner ear.
The implant consists of two parts – a microphone processor that is worn externally to pick up sound and convert it and then the implanted device inside the skull that receives the converted signals and sends them to the cochlear.
Cochlear implants are suitable for people with severe or profound hearing loss with a working auditory nerve (as this is what sends the signals to the cochlear).
Other Types of Implants
Bone-anchored hearing aids and cochlear implants are the most common types but there are other types of hearing implants available, including Auditory Brainstem Implants (ABI), which is similar to a cochlear implant, and Middle Ear Implants (MEI that don’t restore hearing but can improve clarity.
Get In Touch
We hope this blog has helped to explain the different types of hearing aids and implants that are available.
You’ll also find lots of useful information, tips and advice over on the BAHA Accessories blog, including articles explaining how bone-anchored hearing aids work and the difference between a BAHA and a cochlear implant.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and we’ll do our best to help. You can email us at sales@bahaaccessoriesuk.com or call us on 07432 620644. We look forward to hearing from you!