If you have a severe hearing loss or small ear canals, behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids are a great solution.

In the BTE hearing aid, all electronic components are tucked neatly in a shell or housing behind your ear and you can choose from a large range of sizes, shapes and colours.

You can easily control volume and select programs on most BTE hearing aids.

If you want a smaller housing than a behind-the-ear hearing aid, then receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) hearing aids may be the solution.

Whether or not RITE hearing aids are suitable for you, depends on the shape of your ear and your degree of hearing loss.

Receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aids are similar to behind-the-ear hearing aids in shape and style. But they are smaller because the receiver (or the loudspeaker) is placed in the ear-tip instead of the housing. These hearing aids are most suitable if you have mild to severe hearing loss.

You can talk with a hearing care professional about hearing aid types, and if you could benefit from behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids, receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) hearing aids or receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aids.