Hearing Aid Styles
Every Major Hearing Aid Style, Matched to You
Hughes Holistic Audiology fits every major hearing aid style in Zionsville, IN, from near-invisible in-canal devices to powerful behind-the-ear systems and the popular receiver-in-canal design. Because the practice carries ReSound, Signia, Phonak, and Oticon with no exclusive contract behind any of them, your style is matched to your audiogram, your daily listening, your dexterity, and your budget. Dr. Hughes walks through the trade-offs so you choose with full information.
Which Style Fits Your Hearing Loss and Lifestyle
The right hearing aid style depends on your degree of hearing loss, your ear anatomy, your dexterity, and how visible you want the device to be. Dr. Hughes reviews each trade-off with you so you leave the consultation confident in your choice.
Receiver-in-Canal (RIC)
The most popular hearing aid style today. A small housing sits behind the ear and sends sound through a thin wire to a speaker placed in the ear canal. RIC devices are lightweight, discreet, and offer excellent sound quality with Bluetooth streaming and rechargeable battery options, suitable for mild to severe hearing loss. Their comfortable, low-profile design makes RIC a go-to choice for active patients who want both performance and discretion.
Behind-the-Ear (BTE)
The most powerful hearing aid style. The housing sits behind the ear and delivers sound through a tube to a custom earmold or dome. BTE devices offer the longest battery life, the most amplification, and room for advanced features including Bluetooth streaming, making them a strong fit for moderate-to-profound hearing loss and an easy-to-handle option for patients who prefer a larger, more durable device.
In-the-Ear (ITE)
Custom-molded to fill the outer ear bowl, ITE hearing aids suit mild to severe hearing loss. Their larger shell is easier to handle and insert, a practical advantage for patients with arthritis or reduced dexterity, and they can include volume controls, directional microphones, wireless connectivity, and rechargeable battery options.
In-the-Canal (ITC)
Custom-fit to sit partially inside the ear canal, ITC hearing aids are smaller and more discreet than ITE models while still accommodating directional microphones and wireless features. They work well for mild to moderate hearing loss and are a popular choice for patients who want a low-profile device that keeps its connectivity and manual controls.
Completely-in-Canal (CIC)
Fitting entirely inside the ear canal, CIC hearing aids are very discreet, with only a small removal handle visible at the opening. They're a popular choice for mild to moderate hearing loss when cosmetic appearance is the priority. Their compact size limits some advanced features, though many CIC models from the manufacturers we fit still support Bluetooth connectivity.
Invisible-in-Canal (IIC)
The smallest hearing aid available, IIC devices sit deep inside the ear canal and are virtually invisible to others. Best suited for mild to moderate hearing loss, they're removed daily with a small pull string. Candidacy depends on ear canal anatomy, which Dr. Hughes confirms during your evaluation. If maximum discretion is your top priority, this is the style to ask about.
A 45-Day Hearing Aid Trial, Not 30
Every set of hearing aids fitted at Hughes Holistic Audiology comes with a 45-day trial, longer than the 30 days most clinics offer. Thirty days is rarely enough time to adapt. Wear them where your life happens, at work, at the dinner table, and out around Zionsville. If they are not right, bring them back to be adjusted, exchanged for another model, or returned.
Catch Every Word on Your Next Walk Through Zionsville
Appointments run Monday through Thursday, and every visit is with Dr. Jordan Hughes herself.
Serving Zionsville & Boone County
Visit Us in Zionsville
Our office sits on West Oak Street in Zionsville, a short drive from Whitestown, Lebanon, and northwest Indianapolis.
- Independent, doctor-owned solo practice
- Every visit with Dr. Jordan Hughes, Au.D.
- Real ear measurement on every fitting
“My son was born with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. After years of delivering that diagnosis, I sat on the other side of the chair and heard it. I opened this practice so patients get the appointment I would have wanted that day.”Dr. Jordan Hughes, Au.D., Owner
Hughes Holistic Audiology
Audiology Clinic1505 W Oak Street, Suite 200, Zionsville, IN 46077
| Monday | 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
| Thursday | 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
| Friday | Closed |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hearing Aid Styles FAQs
Common questions about hearing aid styles in Zionsville: which sit deepest in the canal, where rechargeable options fit, CROS and BiCROS systems, and how the right style gets chosen.
Invisible-in-canal (IIC) and completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aids are the smallest and most discreet styles fitted at Hughes Holistic Audiology. They sit deep in the ear canal and stay virtually undetectable to others, with only a tiny removal handle showing past the canal opening.
Both suit mild to moderate hearing loss. The small housings leave less room for a directional microphone or aggressive noise reduction, and their tiny batteries need changing more often.
ITC and ITE styles sit higher in the canal and ear bowl, are easier to handle, and hold more amplification, which makes them appropriate for more severe hearing losses. They also take larger batteries that last longer, or rechargeable cells.
Rechargeable options cover most RIC, BTE, and ITE styles across ReSound, Signia, Phonak, and Oticon. ITC models are starting to offer them as battery technology shrinks. CIC and IIC styles still rely on disposable zinc-air cells, because the housings are simply too small to hold a rechargeable battery and its charging contacts.
For patients who travel often, have reduced dexterity, or would rather drop the devices in a charger overnight than handle a tiny tab, a rechargeable RIC usually ends up the practical answer. Dr. Hughes goes through the power trade-offs for each style your hearing loss allows. Call (317) 973-8098 to talk it over.
CROS (Contralateral Routing of Signal) hearing aids are built for adults with single-sided deafness or hearing loss in one ear only. A microphone on the non-hearing side picks up sound and transmits it wirelessly to a receiver worn on the better ear, so conversation coming from your weaker side stops disappearing.
BiCROS systems add amplification for patients whose better ear also has some loss of its own. CROS- and BiCROS-compatible models are available from the manufacturers this practice fits. If another provider has told you one ear is unaidable, that's worth a second look. Call (317) 973-8098 and ask about candidacy.
Style selection here is a clinical decision rather than a sales process. Dr. Hughes reviews your audiogram to establish the degree and shape of your hearing loss, then factors in where you spend your listening hours, your dexterity, how visible you're willing to let the device be, and what you can afford.
With multiple manufacturers on the shelf and no supplier quota to hit, the style gets matched to your life instead of to whatever one company happens to sell. Whatever you choose then gets programmed and confirmed with Real Ear Measurement, so the device performs the way it's supposed to. Call (317) 973-8098 to get started.