Choosing a suitable hearing aid can really be an overwhelming challenge. One of the most common concerns of patients is associated with how it will look like while being worn. While wearing a hearing aid is absolutely nothing to be conscious about, it may help ease your discomfort to know that there is a particular style available in the market that aims to solve this specific issue.
What Are Completely-in-Canal Hearing Aids?
Completely-in-canal hearing aids, or CIC, are one of the smallest styles that you can find today. A CIC hearing aid sits completely inside the ear canal, with its speaker at the back and microphone on the face—the only part of the device that can be seen when worn. It’s made with a clear and tiny cord to help you insert and remove the hearing aid inside your ear.
CIC hearing aids are designed to fit the unique anatomy of your ears. Because of its size and structure, completely-in-canal hearing devices allow discreetness and maximum comfort.
Benefits of Completely-in-Canal Hearing Aids
To help you figure out if this the style suitable for your needs and lifestyle, here’s a summary of the benefits provided by CIC hearing aids to wearers. Keep in mind though that what you’re about to read is just a general overview. The best way to go about choosing the perfect hearing aid is by consulting a hearing healthcare expert.
Usually suitable for mild to severe hearing loss cases
CIC hearing aids are much more powerful than its size suggests. This type of hearing devices offers impactful improvement to the hearing of patients suffering from mild to severe hearing losses.
Low-profile
As CIC fits inside the wearer’s ear canal, it can’t be easily detected by the naked eye. This style is best for patients who want to wear a discreet hearing device without compromising the quality of the device.
Allows clearer phone conversations
Because of its position inside the ear, CIC hearing aids are less likely to produce feedback or squealing noises during phone conversations. This also enables wearers to pick-up sounds clearly over the phone.
Lower chances of picking up environmental noises
Again, due to its position inside the ear, CIC hearing aids are less susceptible to environmental noises such as wind.
Customised for fit and comfort
Because skilled audiometrician or audiologist takes very good and accurate ear impressions to build the hearing aid shell, much like a dentist doing dentures or molds, what you get is a pair of tailor-fit CIC hearing aids.
Potential Issues with Completely-in-Canal Hearing Aids
Let’s uncover more information about CIC hearing aids. What are the general limitations of these tiny but ultimately powerful hearing devices?
More likely to pick-up ear wax and moisture
CIC hearing aids require more meticulous maintenance to avoid damage caused by moisture and earwax clogging. Though there are hearing aid maintenance services you can avail to help you maintain it.
Not appropriate for patients with poor vision or manual dexterity
Its compact built demands small batteries. Because of this, patients with poor vision or manual dexterity may find a hard time tinkering CIC hearing aids.
Are you interested in getting yourself or your loved one a CIC hearing aid? Visit any of our branches in Malaysia for hearing aid fitting.