Hearing Aids
There are seven main types (or kinds) of hearing aids, each suited to a different hearing profile, lifestyle and budget. Our audiologists help you find the right fit at your free consultation, and our RIC vs BTE vs ITE comparison sets the three most common styles side by side.
The whole hearing aid sits behind the ear, with a thin tube or a custom ear mould carrying sound into the canal. Sturdy, easy to handle and able to deliver the most power, it suits severe to profound loss, children and anyone who wants simple controls.
Best for: Mild to profound loss · easy handling
Custom-moulded to the shape of your outer ear from an impression taken at your consultation. The controls are easy to reach, making it a comfortable, dependable choice for most people.
Best for: Mild to severe hearing loss · easy handling
Stream phone calls, music, podcasts and TV audio straight into your hearing aids, and fine-tune settings from an app on your smartphone, with no extra earphones needed.
Best for: Active, connected lifestyles
A built-in lithium-ion battery gives you a full day of hearing on a single overnight charge, with no more buying, handling or replacing tiny disposable batteries.
Best for: Convenience · low maintenance
The Invisible-in-Canal style sits deep inside the ear canal, so it stays virtually undetectable to others while delivering clear, natural sound.
Best for: Discreet wear · mild to moderate loss
One of our smallest custom styles: the Completely-in-Canal aid fills the canal and is barely visible, using the ear's own shape to gather sound naturally.
Best for: Discreet everyday wear · mild to moderate loss
A tiny body rests behind the ear with a slim wire carrying a receiver into the canal. Comfortable, discreet and powerful, RIC is the most popular modern style and works for almost every hearing profile.
Best for: Most hearing profiles · our most-recommended style
The best style depends on your hearing test results, ear anatomy and daily routine. Our audiologists demonstrate the options and let you trial them free, across our clinics in Pune, Delhi & Bengaluru.
Behind-the-ear (BTE), receiver-in-canal (RIC), in-the-ear (ITE), in-the-canal (ITC), completely-in-canal (CIC) and invisible-in-canal (IIC). Rechargeable and Bluetooth are features available across several of these styles rather than separate shapes.
Receiver-in-canal (RIC). A small body rests behind the ear and a slim wire carries the receiver into the canal, which makes it discreet, comfortable and suitable for almost every hearing profile.
Behind-the-ear (BTE). It can deliver the most power, is easy to handle and clean, and suits severe to profound loss as well as children.
Invisible-in-canal (IIC), which sits deep in the ear canal. It suits mild to moderate loss and needs a suitably shaped canal and steady fingers.
No. The smallest aids hold smaller batteries, cannot power a severe loss and are fiddly for older fingers. Match the style to your audiogram and your hands, not to how discreet it looks in a photo.
Start with a hearing test. The best style depends on your results, the shape of your ears and your daily routine, and our audiologists let you try the options before you decide.
Take the first step
Book your full hearing test with our senior audiologists. Free of cost, no obligation.
