Digital hearing aids
Digital hearing aids, fitted to your hearing test
We stock every style, from behind-the-ear down to invisible-in-canal, across eight manufacturers. Which one suits you depends on your hearing test, the shape of your ear and how you spend your day, so we fit and programme it here and adjust it as you get used to it.
In plain language
What this is
A digital hearing aid is a small computer that sits in or behind your ear. It picks up sound, works out which parts of it are speech and which are background noise, and boosts only the frequencies your hearing test says you are missing. It does not simply make everything louder, which is the difference between a hearing aid and an amplifier.
Because it is programmed to your own audiogram, the same model fitted to two different people behaves differently. That programming, and the adjustments afterwards, are most of what you are paying for.
Come and see us if
- You have had a hearing test that shows a loss in one or both ears.
- You can follow a conversation one to one, but not in a room with other people talking.
- You have been told by your family, more than once, that the television is too loud.
- You already wear a hearing aid but it whistles, sounds tinny, or has stopped suiting you.
How long it takes and what it costs
How long
Allow about an hour for the fitting appointment, and a shorter visit for each follow-up.
What it costs
Prices depend on the style and the level of technology. Call or send a WhatsApp to 0300-9359652 and we will tell you what is currently available in your range.
Compare the styles
Six styles, side by side
Every style trades something away. The smallest are the least visible and the least powerful; the largest handle the most hearing loss and are the easiest to look after. Here is the whole trade-off in one place.
BTE
Behind the ear
Sits behind the ear with a thin tube into the canal. The most powerful option and the easiest to handle if your fingers are stiff.
- Suits:
- Mild through to profound
- Visibility:
- Visible from behind
- Ear impression:
- Not needed
- Handles the most severe hearing losses
- Largest, so the easiest to pick up, clean and put in
- Longest battery life
- Most robust in dust and heat
- The most visible of the six
- Can catch on spectacle arms or a dupatta
- The tube hardens over time and needs replacing
RIC
Receiver in canal
A slim body behind the ear joined to the canal by a wire thinner than a noodle. The most common first choice.
- Suits:
- Mild through to severe
- Visibility:
- Barely visible
- Ear impression:
- Not needed
- Much less visible than a BTE for nearly the same power
- Leaves the ear canal open, so your own voice sounds natural
- Receiver can be swapped if your hearing changes
- Available rechargeable
- The wire and receiver sit in the canal and collect wax
- Slightly more delicate than a BTE
ITE
In the ear
Custom made from a mould of your ear and fills the outer bowl. Nothing sits behind the ear at all.
- Suits:
- Mild through to severe
- Visibility:
- Visible from the side
- Ear impression:
- Needed
- Nothing behind the ear, so no clash with glasses or a mask
- Larger controls than the smaller custom styles
- Made to the exact shape of your ear
- Visible if someone looks at you from the side
- Needs an ear impression, so it cannot be fitted the same day
- Blocks the ear more, which can make your own voice sound boomy
ITC
In the canal
Smaller, and sits at the opening of the canal rather than in the bowl of the ear.
- Suits:
- Mild to moderate
- Visibility:
- Hard to notice
- Ear impression:
- Needed
- Considerably less noticeable than an ITE
- Still large enough for a volume control on most models
- Custom fitted to your canal
- Smaller battery, so shorter life between changes
- Fiddly if your fingers or eyesight are not what they were
- Not enough power for a severe loss
CIC
Completely in canal
Sits inside the canal. Only a small pull-cord shows, and only if someone is looking for it.
- Suits:
- Mild to moderate
- Visibility:
- Almost hidden
- Ear impression:
- Needed
- Very hard for anyone to see
- Sits deep enough that wind noise is much reduced
- The outer ear still does its natural job of gathering sound
- Too small for most extra features and controls
- Short battery life
- Wax and moisture reach it easily, so it needs regular cleaning
- Needs a canal wide enough to take it
IIC
Invisible in canal
Sits deepest of all. Suits mild to moderate loss and a canal wide enough to take it.
- Suits:
- Mild to moderate only
- Visibility:
- Not visible
- Ear impression:
- Needed
- Genuinely invisible in normal conversation
- Sound reaches the eardrum the way it naturally would
- No wind noise at all
- The least powerful of the six
- Shortest battery life
- Hardest to insert and remove
- Many ear canals are simply not shaped to take one
| Style | Suits | Visibility | Good at | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BTEBehind the ear | Mild through to profound | Visible from behind |
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| RICReceiver in canal | Mild through to severe | Barely visible |
|
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| ITEIn the earNeeds an ear impression | Mild through to severe | Visible from the side |
|
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| ITCIn the canalNeeds an ear impression | Mild to moderate | Hard to notice |
|
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| CICCompletely in canalNeeds an ear impression | Mild to moderate | Almost hidden |
|
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| IICInvisible in canalNeeds an ear impression | Mild to moderate only | Not visible |
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Worth knowing
We stock eight manufacturers and we are not tied to any of them. If a cheaper model would suit your hearing just as well as an expensive one, we will say so.
Questions
About digital hearing aids
Will people be able to see my hearing aid?
That depends on the style. A behind-the-ear aid is visible from behind. A receiver-in-canal aid is very hard to spot. Completely-in-canal and invisible-in-canal aids sit inside the ear canal and are not visible unless someone looks into your ear. How small you can go depends on your hearing test and the width of your canal, and we will tell you honestly which styles will work for you.
Do I need one hearing aid or two?
If both ears have hearing loss, two. Your brain works out which direction a sound came from by comparing what the two ears receive, and with only one aid that comparison breaks down, which makes noisy places harder rather than easier. If only one ear is affected, one is enough.
How long does it take to get used to a hearing aid?
Usually two to six weeks. At first everything sounds too bright, because you are hearing sounds you had stopped hearing, and your own voice can sound strange. That settles. Wear it a few hours a day to begin with, build up, and come back so we can fine-tune the programming as you adapt.
Should I choose batteries or rechargeable?
Rechargeable models sit on a charger overnight and are much easier if your eyesight or your fingers are not what they were, since there is no tiny battery door to open. Disposable batteries are cheaper to buy into and keep working during a long load-shedding spell when you cannot charge. Both are good. It usually comes down to your hands and your routine.
Can a hearing aid connect to my phone?
Many models can, on both Android and iPhone. Calls and audio go straight into the hearing aid, which for most people is the single biggest improvement in phone calls they will ever get. Ask us which of the models in your budget support it.
How much do hearing aids cost?
There is a wide range, because the price depends on the style, the manufacturer and how much processing the aid does in noisy places. Rather than quote a number here that goes out of date, call or send a WhatsApp to 0300-9359652 and we will tell you what is currently available in your range. We will also tell you if a cheaper model would suit you just as well.
Is there a warranty?
Every hearing aid we sell comes with the manufacturer's warranty. The length varies by brand and model, so ask us about the specific aid you are considering and we will show you exactly what is covered before you decide.
Book about digital hearing aids
Call, message, or send the form and we will confirm a time that suits you.