What is a Receiver-in-Canal (RIC) Hearing Aid?
Receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aids are one of the most popular hearing aid styles around. RICs are known for their discreet appearance and ability to help individuals with different levels of hearing loss. A receiver-in-canal hearing aid has a hard shell casing that sits behind your ear. A thin wire runs from the main body of the hearing aid to a receiver that sits in your ear canal. The hard shell casing holds most of the hearing aid’s electronic components that help you hear more clearly!
How is a RIC Hearing Aid Different From a Behind-the-Ear (BTE) Hearing Aid?
If you’re familiar with different styles of hearing aids, you may have seen behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids before. While both of these styles look very similar, there are a few key differences.
Both RIC and BTE hearing aids have a hard shell casing that sits behind the ear. BTE hearing aids tend to have larger hard shell casings than RIC hearing aids. In a RIC hearing aid the speaker, or receiver, sits in the ear canal rather than in the hard shell casing. Because of this, the casing is smaller and more discreet than a BTE hearing aid. A BTE hearing aid usually has a larger casing since the receiver is inside of it, rather than in the ear canal.
Another difference is the wire or tubing that runs from the casing to the receiver or ear tip in the ear canal. A RIC hearing aid typically has a smaller, thinner wire while a BTE hearing aid usually has slightly larger tubing running to the ear tip in the ear canal.
BTE hearing aids may be better suited for individuals with more severe types of hearing loss. RIC hearing aids are more versatile when it comes to helping those with mild to severe hearing loss.
What are the Advantages of a RIC Hearing Aid?
RIC hearing aids have several advantages for those looking for a less visible, more versatile hearing solution.
- RICs have fewer issues with feedback than in other styles of hearing aids (such as in-the-ear (ITE) or completely-in-canal (CIC) devices). This is due to the increased distance between the receiver and the microphone on the device.
- RICs provide more natural-sounding hearing than other hearing aid types. This is because of the semi-open fit of the receiver in the ear canal, which allows for lower-frequency sounds (such as your own voice) to escape more easily.
- RICs have a discreet design. The receiver of a RIC hearing aid is actually in the ear canal, allowing the casing that sits behind the ear to be smaller in size. Additionally, the tubing that connects this case to the receiver is smaller than other styles of hearing aids.
What are the Disadvantages of a RIC Hearing Aid?
While RIC hearing aids boast many advantages to the user, there are also some slight disadvantages to this style of hearing aid.
- RIC hearing aids may be more prone to damage from earwax or moisture since the receiver sits in the ear canal. This means that users of this type of hearing aid will need to regularly clean the different parts of their hearing aids to prevent issues.
- RIC hearing aids can still be visible to others depending on the color of the hearing aid and the hairstyle of the user. Other hearing aid styles, such as CICs tend to be less visible to others.
What is a Completely-in-Canal (CIC) Hearing Aid
Unlike RIC hearing aids, completely-in-canal hearing aids do not have a hard shell that sits behind the ear. Instead, CIC hearing aids house all of the components of the device in a casing that fits inside your ear canal. When fitted by an audiologist, these devices require an earmold impression to be taken so the device can perfectly fit to your ear canal. Other CIC hearing aids, such as those that are OTC, may not be custom-made.
What are the Advantages of a CIC Hearing Aid?
Completely-in-canal hearing aids are another hearing aid type that is rising in popularity with hearing aid users.
- CIC hearing aids are nearly invisible due to the entire hearing aid fitting inside the user’s ear canal. There are no outer components of this hearing aid that sit behind the ear. This makes CICs an attractive option for those who are concerned about the visibility of their device.
- Some CIC devices are custom fit to your ear canal, making a more precise physical fit to your ear. Keep in mind that not all CIC hearing aids are custom fit, however.
What are the Disadvantages of a CIC Hearing Aid?
From an initial look, CIC hearing aids can look very attractive to hearing aid users. The sleek, small design of CIC hearing aids is a definite advantage but may come at a cost to the user.
- Users of CICs may experience more issues with feedback. This is due to the microphone and receiver being near one another in the ear canal.
- Some CIC hearing aids have more problems with unnatural sound quality. Unnatural sound quality is caused by the closed fit in the ear canal for this hearing aid type.
- CIC devices are less powerful than other hearing aid types, and may only be suitable for those with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. For this reason, CICs are not usually the best option for those with severe hearing loss.
- Battery life on CIC hearing aids may be less than that of other hearing aid styles. This is because CICs are smaller and cannot fit a larger, longer-lasting battery.
- CIC hearing aids may require more maintenance and cleaning due to increased moisture and earwax near the device. CIC devices can be challenging to those with dexterity issues for this reason.
What’s the Right Hearing Aid for You?
Ultimately, choosing the right hearing aid style for you comes down to which features are most important to you as an individual and the type of hearing loss you have. If you are looking for a RIC device, consider trying the Concha Sol™ Hearing Aids, powered by Soundscope®.