Understanding Hearing Aid Earmolds

Hearing aids are innovative devices, which can have incredible benefits for those who suffer from hearing loss. If you’ve been advised to consider wearing hearing aids by your audiologist, you may have heard them talking about earmolds. Earmolds are components of a hearing aid, which fit inside either the bowl of the ear, known as the concha or the ear canal. If you haven’t heard of earmolds before, or you’d like more information before you decide which type of hearing aid to choose, here’s everything you need to know about earmolds.

What are earmolds?

If you’ve seen a behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid before, you will have seen an earmold. The earmold is the section of the device, which fits inside the ear. Often, the earmold is flesh-colored to ensure maximum discretion.

Everybody has different ears and to provide comfort, audiologists produce and fit customized earmolds. Your earmolds should fit inside the ear perfectly.

Types of earmolds

There are various options available when it comes to choosing an earmold for your hearing aid. The first thing to do is to select a conch or a canal mold. Conch earmolds fit inside the bowl part of the ear, which is called the conch. Canal earmolds fit inside the ear canal. Conch earmolds are suited to a wider range of clients, but they are more visible than canal molds. Canal molds are less versatile and they are usually only recommended for clients who have a long ear canal. There are subcategories of conch earmolds, which include shell, half-shell and skeleton molds. Shell molds fill the concha, while half-shell molds are smaller, occupying around half of the concha. Skeleton molds have a hole in the middle, making them more discreet.

Choosing the right earmold

Every person is unique and what works for one individual may not suit another. With hearing aid molds, it’s wise to explore the options, weigh up the pros and cons and try some different styles for size. Your audiologist will be able to give you tips and recommendations based on your individual preferences and also the anatomy of your ears.

Why is fit so important?

When your audiologist places an order for your bespoke hearing aids, they will create an impression of your ear, which will be used as a template for your earmolds. When your custom-designed earmolds are ready, your audiologist will arrange an appointment to fit your hearing aids. It’s crucial to get the fit just right so that you feel completely comfortable. It’s also important to ensure a perfect fit to achieve optimum sound quality. If the earmolds don’t fit well, this can cause feedback. Feedback results in screeching and whining sounds, which can be irritating and unpleasant and prevent you from hearing properly.

If you have any queries or you’re not sure which type of earmold to go for, don’t hesitate to speak to your audiologist.