CIC vs BTE

Hello all…I have had a pair of Seimans CIC’s for 8 years now. They have weathered some storms, including a good Maytag washing. I am probably at least a couple years slow in upgrading…now it is time. From my latest hearing test, my original audiologist claims that my loss is now flat across most frequencies, and therefore “CIC’s would work best.” Though he showed me some other BTE options, he ended up steering me to CIC options. Has anyone else been told this? Can the nature of some hearing loss be specifically addressed better by CIC’s?
Jeff

My BC-HIS audiologist told me just the opposite. It seems like I’m better off with BTE’s with the type of hearing loss I have.

Shi-Ku Chishiki ShiKu.Chishiki@Gmail.com

BTEs should last longer than CICs, but your hearing loss determines which type aid you need. If you trust your dispenser, go with his recommendation. Generally, if you have significant low frequency loss, BTEs are not a good solution.

I think you mean an open fit BTE may not be a good fit for a low frequency loss. A BTE with a custom mold is a completely different story.

Yes, I meant open fit BTEs.

I started with the CICs and thought they were great… until I moved to a nice BTE with the dual directional microphones. Using a BTE certainly has it’s own issues, but the quality of sound and features seemed to be better on the BTE if cosmetics aren’t an issue.

Still, if the dispenser says a CIC is the way to go, I’d seriously consider.

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Thanks for the responses. After some thought…I’ll probably stick with CIC’s because I’m simply use to them, so I know what to expect, including the drawbacks. Any experience or thoughts on Siemens Nitro 16 channel CIC? It was the #1 option presented to me.