Whilst some hearing aids fit most hearing loses, it isnt always the case.
There are some loses, some ears and some patients that require a system with specific attributes.
Custom Made In The Ear (ITE)
As well as EVERY make and model of battery operated custom made hearing aid, All Ears offers the world's ONLY rechargeable in the ear hearing aid in 3 different sizes and colours.
mild to severe losses
battery or rechargeable
from invisible to full size
Receiver in Canal / Receiver in the Ear
Different styles, makes and power levels make this the most popular and reiable aid type on the market today. All Ears has access to EVERY make and model available.
mild to severe loss
battery or rechargeable
standard and mini size
Behind The Ear
Designed for power performance and easy handling the BTE market is smaller than the other aid types but yet the perfect solution for those with a greater need for volume and clarity.
mild to servere to profound losses
battery or rechargeable
medium and larger size
Specialist Devices
For some hearing losses we have to go into the highly specialised market. Don't worry though because All Ears are experienced in fitting EVERY aid type on the UK market
Air conduction
Bone conduction
Optical expertise on hand for glazing
Noise Protection
Sometimes it isn't about getting more sound, its about getting less. Whether it's industrial noise, shooting or just the other half's snoring, All Ears can supply the hearing protection you need.
passive or active circuitry
custom made or modular fit
From the UK's leading manfacturers
Receiver in Canal or RIC is the most common device fitted in the UK today. it also goes by other names - Receiver in (the) Ear, RIE/RITE, but whatever the name the technology is similar and differs from the NHS aids in that the speaker (receiver) is placed in the ear canal so it can deliver the sound directly to the eardrum as nature intended.
This retains the valuable information lost as the sound travels down the tubing, especially thin tubing, of a BTE aid.
Although most are the same size as each other All Ears Hearing can also supply a mini RIC which gives a great balance of practicality and a discreet fit.
Behind the Ear devices might look similar to the RIC shown above but use a tube a to deliver the sound to the ear canal.
Typically we use a BTE where we require additional power and locate the tubing in the ear using a custom made earmould.
Since RICs are so versatile, we would not normally consider a smaller BTE (NHS style) device unless there is a specific underlying problem that necessitates such a fit, so these aids are far less common than they used to be.
Recharegable, standard and power BTEs available.
Custom made to fit the indivual ear, In the Ear hearing aids are still a popular option for some users.
The key advantage is that there are no electronics on top of the ear and so no interference with glasses, hats or face masks.
The compact form of the ITE makes fitting easier for some users, especially where dexterity is a problem.
They come in various sizes according to ear shape and hearing loss requirements.
All Ears Hearing has every make and model available including the several options for rechargeable custom made hearing aids including CIC fittings.
Invisible In the Ear and the slightly larger Completely In the Canal are by their very nature designed to be as small and discreet as possible, however whilst this is very desirable for those looking for an instrument that is as hidden as possible, there are a few things you should know before committing to this style over other styles we may have recommended.
Fit
Not all ears suit the CIC/IIC fit, and although the lab will make them as small as possible to ensure discretion, even aids advertised as ‘invisible’ may be visible if the ear and ear canal shape does not allow components to be fitted into the canal area. In some cases it may be impossible to build CIC/IIC aids at all.
Retention
Ears come in all shapes and sizes. Some are perfect for CIC/IIC fitting; however some are too straight, too slippery (wax) or have a ha it of moving as you talk or eat. Any or all of these factors will tend to allow or actually help the aid slide out of the canal. At best it is frustrating to have to keep pushing your aid back in; at worst you may lose it completely if it falls out!
Occlusion
In most losses, the low frequency hearing is better than the high frequency loss (noise loss as one example),Thus can mean that you need to hear low frequency sound naturally.
The CIC/IIC fit will almost certainly prevent this and make you own voice very difficult to speak without your voice echoing back at you.
Reliability
Because of their location in the ear canal, especially the IIC which is designed to fit further down the canal, there is a greater risk of the aids being contaminated by mobile wax.
The ear canal is generally warmer making the wax more mobile and whilst all aids will have a ‘wax solution’ more fluid wax can and does flow through the wax guards and restrict the speaker’s performance.
In addition it is quite common for the microphone to get blocked as you push the aids into the canal, again restricting performance.
CIC/IIC aids will require very a diligent cleaning regime, and even then almost certainly require at least one if not multiple repairs by the laboratories each year.
Performance
All of this type of device have single microphones. Although some directionality retained by concha and pinna, modern systems use twin microphones for processing Therefore distinguishing different sounds from in front or behind is less successful.
These aids are less powerful than other styles and prone to more feedback -whistling issues.
Battery Life
Depending on the loss, you can expect to change batteries at least twice a week, sometimes the more powerful and technically advanced versions will need 3 batteries a week. Rechargeable custom made aids are not available in IIC/CIC sizes. There is one modular rechargeable IIC currently on the market.
Connectivity
Again due to the size, there is no room for these types of aids to contain the full range of connectivity options, so whilst limited functionality is available on some CIC/IIC aids, audio streaming and phone call processing is not available.
