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About 48 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss, but only one in five people who would benefit from a hearing aid actually uses one, according to the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA). Some people may worry about the appearance or sound quality of a hearing aid, recalling a bulky hearing aid once worn by a parent or grandparent. However, today’s top hearing aids are a vast improvement in terms of both style and function.
“In the mid-nineties, hearing aids started using digital processors that allowed cleaner, improved sound,” says Georgine Ray, an audiologist and owner of Affiliated Audiology Consultants in Phoenix. “Another big change is the ability to stream and use Bluetooth technology to connect wirelessly to audio on smartphones, television and other electronic devices.”
In simple terms, a hearing aid is a small, electronic device with a microphone, amplifier and speaker that helps make sound louder. A hearing aid picks up acoustic sound waves through its microphone, converts those sound waves into electrical signals, processes those signals and sends an enhanced signal to the speaker. The speaker then converts the signal back into sound waves, providing a louder, clearer sound that improves hearing and makes speech easier to understand.
Most hearing aids require a prescription from an audiologist or other hearing health professional, although a classification for over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids could be on the way soon. At this time, however, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to publish proposed OTC hearing aids regulations for public comment or final regulations as outlined in the FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017. Meanwhile, Bose paved the way for a new self-fitting, direct-to-consumer hearing aid class in 2018 to bring its SoundControl hearing aids to market.
Currently, there are several types, or styles, of hearing aids, each offering its own benefits and drawbacks depending on the user’s preferences, degree of hearing loss and physical abilities.
The behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid can help people with mild to profound hearing loss. BTE hearing aids hold all the components—a battery compartment, microphone and controls, for example—in a plastic case worn behind the ear. The case is connected to a disposable plastic ear tip or custom earmold that delivers sound via a piece of clear tubing.
A receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aid is one of the most popular styles and delivers sound through a tiny speaker that rests inside the ear canal. Sound is electronically transmitted from the hearing aid to the speaker via a discreet plastic-encased speaker wire. The speaker, sometimes referred to as the “receiver,” allows sound to flow into the ear canal. RIC hearing aids are designed for people with mild to severe hearing loss.
In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids are for people with mild to severe hearing loss and fit completely inside the outer part of the ear. The ITE components are all contained in a hard plastic case.
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In-the-canal (ITC) hearing aids are custom-made to sit inside the ear canal and some of the outer part of the ear. They can accommodate people with mild to severe hearing loss. An ITC contains all hearing aid components inside a lightweight plastic shell.
Completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aids are also custom-made to sit inside the ear canal but are smaller and less visible than ITC hearing aids (depending on the size of the ear canal). CIC hearing aids are designed to help people with mild to moderate hearing loss, and maybe even severe hearing loss, depending on the power of the amplifier.
Invisible-in-canal (IIC) hearing aids are similar to CIC aids in that both fit entirely in the ear canal. The IIC is the smallest hearing aid available, and sits deep in the ear canal, so it’s largely undetectable to others (depending on the size of the ear canal).
This type of hearing aid is worn 24/7 and is placed deeply into the ear canal by a hearing care professional. The device has a solid core that contains the battery and other components surrounded by flexible material that conforms to the curvature of the ear canal. The extended wear hearing aid is available in seven sizes to fit most ear canals and can stay in place for up to four months. Lyric is the only extended-wear hearing aid product on the market to date.
Depending on the type and style, a hearing aid may include various features, such as:
Because there are so many facets to diagnosing and treating hearing loss properly, it’s important to consult a hearing care professional when choosing a hearing aid.
“You are in great hands when you seek the expertise of a hearing care professional when pursuing a treatment plan for your hearing loss or other ear-related issues,” says Ray. “If you take this journey on your own without input from experts, you may very likely miss a critical diagnosis or find a less-than-adequate solution to your hearing challenges.”
To find the best hearing aids in a variety of categories, we created a Forbes Health Hearing Aid panel of three audiologists. We also scored each hearing aid model based on average price and product features that are typically important to hearing aid buyers. See how popular hearing aids stack up in our list of the Best Hearing Aids From Audiologists in 2023.
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Hearing Loss Facts and Statistics . Hearing Loss Association of America. Accessed 5/12/2021.
Hearing Aids . U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Accessed 5/12/2021.
FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017 . 115th Congress. Accessed 5/12/2021.
Hearing Aids . Hearing Loss Association of America. Accessed 5/12/2021.
Types of Hearing Aids . U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Accessed 5/12/2021.
Seniors and Hearing Loss . American Academy of Audiology. Accessed 5/12/2021.
Types of Hearing Aids . Hearing Industries Association. Accessed 5/12/2021.
Hearing Aids . National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Accessed 5/12/2021.
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Deb Hipp is a freelance health and medical writer and editor who lives in Kansas City, Missouri. She is a former investigative reporter with more than 25 years of experience as a journalist and writer. She specializes in health and wellness, medical aging, long-term care, caregiving, retirement and a variety of other health and retirement topics.
Hearing Aids Rechargable Abram Bailey is a leading expert on consumer technology in the hearing care industry. He’s a staunch advocate for person-centered hearing care and audiological best practices, and he welcomes any technological innovation that improves access to quality hearing outcomes. Bailey holds a doctoral degree in audiology from Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Bailey is the chief executive officer of Hearing Tracker, Inc., an independent shopping resource that helps consumers find better hearing aids and better hearing professionals.