Choosing the BEST Hearing Aid for Your [HEARING LOSS] | Hearing Aid Selection Simplified [Part 1]

Do you also think -

The most expensive hearing aid will give the best results?

Or

The smallest invisible hearing aid is always the most comfortable one?

If your answer is yes, you might want to rethink it.

Because hearing aid selection isn’t about price or looks; it’s about science. And at the center of that science lies "Your Hearing Loss."

In the previous blog, we introduced our 3-Step Scientific Framework for choosing the perfect hearing aid:

1. Choose the Type of Hearing Aid according to your Hearing Loss

2. Assess Your Listening Needs by analyzing your Lifestyle

3. Take a Final Call depending on your Budget

Step 1 - “How to choose the right hearing aid based on your Hearing Loss.”

Why Choosing Based on Hearing Loss Is So Important

Hearing aids do not all perform the same, and they are definitely not a "one-size-fits-all" solution.

Here’s why:

• If you have mild hearing loss and wear a powerful BTE (Behind-the-Ear) aid, the sound will feel uncomfortably loud.

• But if you have severe hearing loss and choose a tiny invisible (IIC/CIC) model, it simply won’t have enough power to give you clear speech.

  
  

That’s why before buying any hearing aid, you need to understand two essential things:

1. Your Audiogram : to know how much hearing loss you have and at which frequencies

2. Which Type of Hearing Aid supports what level of amplification

   
   

Let’s look at both in detail.

A. Understanding Your Audiogram

An audiogram is a graph that shows your hearing ability across different sound frequencies.

• The Y-axis (vertical) shows decibels (dB) — how loud a sound needs to be before you hear it.

• The X-axis (horizontal) shows frequencies (Hz) — from low-pitched sounds (like a drum) to high-pitched ones (like a bird chirp).

  
  

Here’s how hearing loss is usually classified:

Hearing Range	Average Hearing Loss	What It Means
Normal	0–25 dB	You can hear all everyday sounds clearly
Mild	26–40 dB	You miss soft sounds like whispers
Moderate	41–60 dB	You struggle with conversations in noise
Severe	61–90 dB	Even loud sounds are hard to hear
Profound	90+ dB	Very limited hearing, even for loud sounds

Once you know your hearing loss category, the next step is to match it with the right hearing aid type.

B. Matching Hearing Aid Types with Hearing Loss

Every hearing aid type has a different amplification capacity, i.e., how much power it can provide to compensate for your loss.

Let’s understand this through four common hearing aid types (using Signia models as an example):

Type	Placement	Power Range	Suitable for
CIC / IIC (Completely-in-Canal)	Fully inside the ear canal	Low to medium	Mild to Moderate loss
ITE (In-the-Ear)	Fits in the outer ear	Medium	Moderate loss
RIC (Receiver-in-Canal)	Behind the ear with a small wire receiver	Medium to high	Moderate to Severe loss
BTE (Behind-the-Ear)	Device behind ear with earmold	High to very high	Severe to Profound loss

Now let’s see how this works with real life examples -

Example 1

Mrs. Sharma, is 55 years old and has a active lifestyle. She is working in an office, where she has to participate in meetings, socialize with her team and be present for gatherings. She has Mild Hearing Loss (~35dB).

Best Fit: 

Invisible CIC or IIC models. It is compact, comfortable, and ideal for mild to moderate loss. These provide just the right amplification without any distortion.

CIC

Example 2

Mr. Gupta, is a 68 yrs old man, enjoying his retired life. He prefers staying at home and watching TV. He occasionally interacts with people and is more of an introvert. He has Moderate to Severe Hearing Loss (~60dB).

Best Fit: 

RIC or BTE models. A Hearing Aid with programmable features to provide powerful amplification and clarity for TV or speech.

RIC

BTE

Example 3

Mr Patel, is a 80 yrs old Retired man, who mostly spends time inside the house. He likes to spend time alone and has limited interaction throughout the day. He has Severe to Profound Loss (~100db)

Best Fit: 

High-power BTE models with strong amplification, suitable for very high hearing loss levels.

BTE

Need Personal Guidance?

If you’re still unsure which hearing aid suits your hearing loss, our Synva Audiologists can help.

Visit Synva’s Website( https://www.synva.io/)  to get a personalized hearing aid recommendation based on your audiogram and daily routine.

You can also email us at hear@synva.io with your reports and we shall get in touch with you within 24hrs.

What’s Next?

Choosing the type of hearing aid was just Step 1 in our journey. Even within each type, there are models ranging from ₹15,000 to ₹3,00,000, each with different features.

So how do you know which one you really need?

That’s where Step 2: Lifestyle Analysis comes in. In our next blog, we’ll discuss how your daily routine, work environment, and social life determine which hearing aid features actually matter for you.

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