Hearing Aids

Choosing an appropriate hearing aid depends on several factors, including the degree of your hearing loss, your personal lifestyle requirements, your preference, and your ear anatomy. It is a decision that is completely customized, and the process is guided by your personal preferences (ie. size, style, etc…) and budget. The Halton Hearing Centre will provide you with the most suitable hearing aid options!

If you are interested in information regarding funding available for hearing aids, Click Here.

Mini RITE (Receiver-In-The-Ear) Hearing Aids

Benefits:

  • Small, discreet & almost invisible
  • The most popular style of hearing aid
  • Comfortable to wear
  • Good battery life
  • Suitable for mild to profound hearing losses

Limitations:

  • Good manual dexterity needed

IIC (Invisible-In-Canal) Hearing Aids

Benefits:

  • Smallest and most discreet hearing aid
  • Invisible as it fits very deeply in the ear canal
  • Easy telephone use
  • Reduced chance of feedback and occlusion (ie. plugged up feeling)
  • Suitable for mild and moderate hearing losses

Limitations:

  • Good manual dexterity needed
  • Smallest battery but shorter battery life
  • May not be suitable for people with smaller ear canals

CIC (Completely-In-Canal) Hearing Aids

Benefits:

  • One of the smallest aids, fits deeply in the ear canal
  • Easy telephone use
  • Reduced chance of feedback
  • Suitable for mild to moderately-severe hearing losses
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Limitations:

  • Good manual dexterity needed
  • Smallest battery but shortest battery life
  • May not be suitable for people with smaller ear canals

ITC (In-The-Canal) Hearing Aids

Benefits:

  • Small aid, fits at the opening of the ear canal
  • Good battery life
  • Easy telephone use
  • Suitable for mild to severe hearing losses
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Limitations:

  • Slightly more visible to others

ITE (In-The-Ear) Hearing Aids

Benefits:

  • Larger aid, easier to handle and insert
  • Good battery life
  • Suitable for mild to severe hearing losses

Cons:

  • More visible to others
  • May be more difficult to use with the telephone

BTE (Behind-The-Ear) Hearing Aids

Benefits:

  • Larger, easier to handle and insert
  • Larger battery and longer battery life
  • Durable and less prone to repairs
  • Suitable for mild to profound hearing losses
  • Suitable for people prone to infections, discharge and perforations of the tympanic membrane

Limitations:

  • Hearing aid and earmold are more visible to others
  • May require periodic earmold tubing changes

CROS and Bi-CROS Systems

Benefits:

  • CROS: Suitable if you are deaf in one ear, and have normal hearing in the “better” ear
  • Bi-CROS: Suitable if you are deaf in one ear, and have some hearing loss in your “better” ear (mild to profound)
  • Discreet in appearance
  • Larger battery, and improved technology allows for much longer battery life

Cons:

  • Good manual dexterity required
  • Shorter than average battery life due to constant wireless transmission between the devices