​I recently saw a new patient (let’s call him David) who was wearing custom in-the-ear style hearing aids in both ears. His concern was simple: they don’t stay seated in his ear properly and he is very worried about losing them. Because of this, he avoids wearing his hearing aids when he is out of the house.

Previous Audiologist Couldn’t Help

David had returned to his previous audiologist several times to try and obtain a better fit, but was told it was due to the curve of his ear canal and there was nothing that could be done.

A Different Type of Hearing Aid

At the initial consultation, we discussed his concerns and the nature of his ear canals’ shape and size. David decided to pursue an updated pair of hearing aids that fit behind the ear (Receiver-in-Canal or RIC) with a custom mold attachment in the ear canal. With this style, the mold should hold in the ear tightly but also be secured by the behind-the-ear component.

Got Manufacturer Recommendations

I called the manufacturer prior to placing the order to discuss all of our concerns and the patient’s previous frustrations. We decided to move ahead with the manufacturer’s recommendation.

Better Fit, Better Sound

David has been very happy with the fit and feel of his new hearing aids. He is feeling much more confident wearing his hearing aids in public because they are more secure in his ears. He also feels like he is hearing better due to the proper seating of the instruments in the ear canal.

* Patient name and image changed to protect patient identity.

- By Dr. Julie Boiano Ambrose