Behind-the-ear hearing aids are supportive, versatile and easy to handle hearing aids. This may very well be why the behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids are our most popular style. The BTE hearing aid can be adjusted to fit a wide range of hearing losses from slight to profound. The BTE hearing aid is placed both behind and in the ear. The shell of the hearing aid rests behind the ear and is connected by a thin tube or wire to the earpiece that fits in the ear. There are various earpieces available for your selected BTE hearing aid, both customized earmolds and instant fit earpieces, often called domes.
Once you have selected the best BTE hearing aid for you, the hearing aid is fitted by the hearing care specialist to best match your hearing loss and hearing needs. The microphone, located within the main shell behind the ear, picks up the sound and converts the sound waves into electrical signals which are processed by the chip. These signals move to the amplifier, where it increases the sound’s volume. This amplified sound is transferred to the speaker and through the plastic tube and earpiece into your ear.