Pros and Cons of BTE Hearing Aids

When choosing a hearing aid with the help of your audiologist, there are two major categories you will find that all devices fall into. One is the in the ear hearing aid and the other, which we will look at here, is the behind the ear hearing device. As the name suggests, the majority of the device rests behind the ear, with the microphone and receiver positioned alone inside it. But what are the benefits and drawbacks of such a device?

Pros

BTE devices are highly popular and for good reason. They have a range of advantages worth considering:

• First of all, it’s worth considering that BTE hearing aids are often the most affordable option on the market. Different devices come with different costs, regardless of type, of course.
• BTE devices are in general comfortable and easy to wear. Some people are not comfortable with a device having direct contact with their ear, making BTE a better option for them.
• Since BTE devices have no direct contact with the ear, as mentioned, they are not as prone to exposure to earwax as in the ear hearing aids are. This means that there’s a lot less maintenance, cleaning, and care to consider.
• Feedback is a prevalent issue with many types of hearing aids. It’s an unpleasant ringing noise that occurs when the receiver and microphone are placed too closely together, and an issue that’s much less common in BTE devices.

Cons

Of course, where there are advantages, there are disadvantages. No hearing aid choice is without some drawbacks so here are a few factors worth considering:

• Discretion is important to a lot of people when they are choosing their hearing aids. BTE hearing aids sit outside the ear, so they are much more likely to be spotted by others. You can make some effort to make them less noticeable using your hair, for instance.
• BTE hearing aids do not tend to work as well for people with higher levels of hearing loss. You may be able to find one that works perfectly for you, but in general, they have less power than ITE devices and so don’t offer as much amplification.
• Though this is something of a generalization, BTE hearing aids do not have as much power to recreate the levels of sound quality you might find with in the ear or invisible in canal devices.
• While feedback might be much less common with BTE devices, wind noise is more common in general when you’re outside or in open spaces. There are options with wind reduction features worth looking into, but this might increase the price of your hearing aid by some degree.

Choosing your hearing aid is not a decision that should be made lightly. You will be relying on it a lot, after all. No device is 100% perfect for every user, there are some that may fit your needs better than others. The pros and cons above might help you decide but choosing with the help of an audiologist who knows your circumstances is always wise.