Open Fit Hearing Aids
Wednesday, February 18, 2009 – 0 Comments
Open fit hearing aids have now become the most popular style of hearing aid.
Open Fit Hearing Aids
Of all the hearing aid styles about which we receive consumer inquiries, the most common questions surround “Open-Fit” hearing aids. Easily the most popular style of hearing aid these days, I’ll discuss the different configurations and what makes them so popular amongst today’s patients and Hearing Professionals.
Open-Fit hearing aids are similar to standard behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids, but significantly smaller. Click microSavia_finger_LEFT.jpg to see a picture of one. The hearing aid body is noticeably thinner and the sound receiver tubing is very narrow and contoured along the front of the ear canal for a very discreet appearance. A small tip or dome at the end of the tube is inserted in the ear canal. This leaves the ear “open” and reduces problems with occlusion (stuffy or barrel feeling) leading to more natural sounding amplification. Most patients describe the sound quality as “transparent” or very natural.
As I stated earlier, this style of hearing aid has become increasingly popular over the last 5 years and now accounts for over 50% of the hearing aid market. Although originally designed for high-frequency hearing losses, newer models can now accommodate a wider range of hearing loss. Many of today’s models are so flexible that they can be reconfigured for a person’s hearing loss that changes over a period of time. It is a widely held belief among patients and Hearing Professionals that Open-Fit hearing aids are the most cosmetically appealing style of hearing aid available today.
Today’s Open-Fit devices come in two versions. The first is what we call a “tube-fitting” that uses very small diameter tubing in the ear similar to the standard BTE. The microphone, amplifier/digital processor, and receiver (speaker) are housed in the hearing aid and the sound is pushed through the thin tube and delivered into the ear canal. This style is easy to maintain because there is not a delicate electric part of the hearing aid inside the ear canal.
The other version of OTE is with the receiver in the canal (RIC) or canal receiver technology (CRT). This style looks almost identical to the other except that the speaker is separated from the hearing aid. This is accomplished by running a thin wire from the hearing aid down through the thin tubing and connecting it to a small receiver (speaker) that fits into the ear canal. The only drawback to the CRT style is the possibility of increased repairs due to moisture or wax damaging the receiver. People with known moisture or wax problems should not wear the CRT style. An advantage to this style is a wider range of hearing losses can now be fit with the availability of using a different “power” receiver for a more severe hearing loss.
There is no clinical evidence at this time that one Open-Fit style is better than the other. Hearing Professionals and patients may have subjective and/or clinical preferences, however, both work rather well. Due to their small size, manual controls are very limited. Some manufacturers offer remote controls, battery re-chargers, and Bluetooth options with OTE hearing aids. Because of their small size, batteries are smaller and may need to be changed more frequently. The three most common sizes are 13, 312, and 10A (largest to smallest). To see if you are candidate for this type of hearing aid, please consult with a Hearing Professional for a thorough hearing examination. The Open-Fit hearing aid style has dramatically increased patient satisfaction and almost eliminated any stigma due to cosmetics.
Steve
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