According to recent statistics released by the Hearing Industries Association (HIA), “open-fit” hearing instruments now account for more than half of all hearing instruments sold in the United States. This category, which includes “receiver-in-the-canal” (RIC) and “receiver-in-the-ear” (RITE) instruments, has a microphone and sound processor housed in a casing that sits behind the ear, much like a “behind-the-ear” (BTE) instrument. However, unlike a BTE, the ear portion of an open-fit instrument has a small wire running around the ear and into the ear canal at the end of which is the “receiver” with a speaker. Because the sound processor and receiver are separate, an open-fit housing residing behind the ear is sleeker and the entire instrument is more comfortable to wear.
Modern hearing aids are small high-tech computers, which are constantly being refined and developed to provide a better reproduction of natural human hearing. Hearing aids help put people back in touch with their family and friends by letting them enjoy participating in social activities again. To schedule an appointment, please call BETTER HEARING CENTER. New Hampshire’s premier hearing care provider.
P.S. Separation of the open-fit instrument’s receiver into its own compartment has the advantage of rendering feedback and occlusion much less of a problem.