The technology of hearing aids has vastly improved and advanced over the years. Hearing aids are no longer big, clunky, bulky devices with noticeable wires that attract attention from everyone around the user. If you have hearing loss, you now have so many choices available to you. One of the most popular and commonly used are behind the ear hearing aids, also referred to as BTE hearing aids.

What are BTE Hearing Aids?

BTE hearing aids are exactly what they sound like; they are the type of hearing aid that sits snugly behind the user’s ear. A tiny earpiece, attached by a tiny, thin wire, goes directly into the individual’s ear as well. These are the most popular types of hearing aids on the market due to the numerous benefits they bring to users.

Benefits of BTE Hearing Aids

Many people with hearing loss opt for behind the ear hearing aids and swear by them. This type of hearing aid is often considered to be the best available on the market today. Certain users can better benefit from using BTE hearing aids due to their specific type of hearing loss and their range of loss in each ear. The benefits of these devices are as follows:

  • Good for varying hearing loss in each ear: Individuals with worse hearing loss in one ear versus the other can have a Bluetooth-connected microphone receiver in the worse ear. This allows sounds from the worse ear to be transmitted directly into the better ear while using the hearing aid, negating the need to stand or sit on one side of a person to hear them.
  • Fewer repairs needed: BTE hearing aids require fewer repairs compared with other types of hearing aids, specifically those that are in the ear or ITE. One reason is that BTE devices don’t come into direct contact with earwax as much as the in the ear variety.
  • Better for individuals with limited mobility: BTE hearing aids are easier to handle due to their size. While they are very small, they are considerably larger than other types of hearing aids.
  • Longer-lasting batteries: The batteries used in BTE hearing aids last longer than those in the type that fit directly in the ear, which means you can save money and get more usage out of them.
  • Little to no feedback: BTE hearing aids produce very minimal to no feedback sounds. Other types can produce more, which can be annoying to the user.
  • Easy to clean: BTE hearing aids are easy to clean and usually only require a quick brushing off of the basket that fits in the user’s ear. This can be done easily and quickly with the special tiny wire brush that comes with the kit.

How to Get BTE Hearing Aids

Speaking with your audiologist is the best way to get BTE hearing aids. You can discuss your options and get the right behind the ear hearing aids for your hearing loss based on the results of your most recent hearing test. The sooner you have your devices, the better you will feel.