RIC Hearing Aids: Learning About The Pros And Cons
Over time, people’s hearing ability can decrease due to a variety of reasons. Whether it is because of old age, prolonged exposure to loud noise, or as a consequence of a severe health condition, hearing impairment can certainly affect the overall quality of a person’s life. While it cannot be restored completely, there is one effective way to help improve it and that is with the help of a hearing aid.
In general, there are several types of hearing aid styles available to help you hear better. One of the most preferred choices among people with hearing impairment is the receiver in canal hearing aid, commonly known as a RIC hearing aid. It shares lots of similarities with behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids, but it offers more benefits.
In this post, we explore the key advantages and disadvantages of using the RIC hearing aid style.
The advantages of RIC hearing aids
One of the main reasons why many people opt for RIC hearing aids is because of their structure. Unlike the BTE hearing devices where all components are housed inside a single case, RIC hearing aids separate the components into two main sections.
One section holds the device’s amplifier and microphone and another contains the receiver that sits in the ear canal. Both sections are connected by a thin clear tube.
This separation of the receiver into its own compartment comes with a few benefits. One advantage is that the feedback and occlusion pose less of a problem with RIC devices compared to other types of hearing aids.
This additionally provides users with a more natural sound which makes the listening experience more enjoyable and comfortable. It is because of these reasons that RIC hearing aids are an excellent choice for people suffering from mild to moderate hearing issues as they amplify high-pitched tones really well.
Another great advantage of RIC hearing aids is that they are the least noticeable devices because of their split configuration. The wire from the body of the hearing aid to the ear canal is really small and rests along the crease of your ear as well, making it invisible to others.
Other advantages of RIC hearing devices include longer battery life, the ability to minimize sounds of your own voice, and customization of the color of the case to match your hair and skin tone.
The disadvantages of RIC hearing aids
Despite all the benefits that come with using RIC hearing devices, there are also a few disadvantages every user should know about.
One drawback is that this hearing aid style requires frequent repairs to the receiver compared to BTE hearing aids. The thing about the receiver section of the device is that it is considered vulnerable to moisture in the ear canal, which can easily decrease the hearing aids’ efficiency.
Luckily, this issue can be avoided and is relatively easy to fix simply by maintaining the device from time to time. All you have to do is clean the hearing aid from any wax buildup or moisture thoroughly to prevent damage to the receiver. If the receiver is completely dead, consider replacing it by pulling the old one out and pushing a new one in.
Another disadvantage of using the RIC hearing aid is that many users often feel like they are going to lose it. This hearing aid style is relatively small and lightweight, so you may not realize when it is missing.
Lastly, probably the biggest reason why some people avoid purchasing RIC hearing aids is because of their high cost compared to other hearing aid styles. This is mainly due to the different canal designs of the receiver which can be average to above average in cost.
Final thoughts
If you are having problems with your hearing ability, you can use a hearing aid to help you hear better. There are several types of hearing aid styles you can choose from, with the receiver-in-canal hearing aid being the most preferred device among users.
However, in order to know whether this is the right option for you, make sure you refer to our post and read about the advantages and disadvantages of using RIC hearing devices.
