Canal Hearing Aid

A canal hearing aid is a style of hearing device that fits partially or fully inside the ear canal. Canal devices include in-the-canal (ITC), completely-in-canal (CIC), and invisible-in-canal (IIC) styles, each differing in how deeply the device sits in the canal and how visible it is from the outside.

Canal hearing aids are custom-made from an impression of the wearer's ear canal and are suitable for mild to moderate hearing loss in most cases. Because they sit closer to the eardrum, they take some advantage of the natural shape of the outer ear, which can improve sound localization and reduce feedback. Their small size, however, limits battery capacity, restricts the space for directional microphone technology, and makes them more difficult to handle for people with limited dexterity. They are generally not recommended for children.

Regular cleaning is important because cerumen can block the microphone or receiver ports on canal devices.