What are ITC Hearing Aids?

In-the-canal (ITC) hearing aids are similar to in-the-ear (ITE) models, except they come in even smaller varieties and are worn in the ear canal. Like other styles of hearing aids, they are made using a custom mold of your ear, providing you with a comfortable fit and a small, inconspicuous design. Available in three different sizes, ITC devices are slightly larger than their miniature counterparts, completely in canal (CIC) and invisible in canal (IIC).

The Differences

The smaller sizes of the hearing aid can mean that they are less visible than other styles, but it does mean that they are not able to be as powerful as larger or behind-the-ear hearing aid styles. However, if you are living with only mild to moderate hearing loss and want a small, comfortable, and easy-to-use hearing aid, then ITC could be the best choice for you. 

What are the advantages of ITC hearing aids?

Comfortable 

As the ITC style is made to a custom mold of your ear, they are very comfortable to wear. The small size of ITC hearing aids also means that it is much easier to forget that you are wearing a hearing aid at all, apart from the fact that your hearing is better than it used to be. 

Discreet

ITC hearing aids are only just big enough to fill the entrance to the ear canal; they are a lot more discreet than other more robust hearing aid styles. A lot of models are also available in a variety of different colors, so they can be easily matched in with your skin tone for added discreetness. In fact, it’s often difficult for other people to notice that you are wearing a hearing aid at all. 

Easy to control and adjust

Although the name would suggest otherwise, ITC hearing aids don’t actually sit all the way inside the ear canal, so there is still some room on the casing itself for a number of different control buttons, switches, or sliders to control the hearing aid. This makes adjusting the volume of the program of your hearing aid very quick and easy to do without having to take the hearing aid out. The reduced size can mean that more intricate adjustments can be fiddly, so you may need to do this with a smartphone app or external remote control. 

Simple to insert and remove

After you’ve done it a couple of times, you should be able to quickly and easily take your ITC hearing aid in and out with minimal fuss. Because they’re made to a custom mold of your ear, you should immediately be able to tell if you haven’t positioned them correctly and should be able to adjust them, so they fit comfortably.