Quick Guide to Hearing Aid Terms and Acronyms

If you wear hearing aids or are learning more about hearing loss, you may hear a lot of hearing and hearing aid terms and acronyms. They can be confusing, but don't worry—we’re here to help you understand what they mean in simple words.

May is Better Speech and Hearing Month, so there is no better time to take a look at some common hearing aid terms and acronyms you might see at the doctor’s office, in brochures, or online.

Hearing Aid Styles and Features

• HA – This means Hearing Aid.
• BTE – Behind-the-Ear. This kind of hearing aid sits behind your ear with tubing and an earmold in your ear.
• ITE – In-the-Ear. This hearing aid fits inside your ear.
• RIC – Receiver-in-Canal. Similar to a BTE, but the sound is delivered to your ear directly without traveling through any tubing
• OTC – Over-the-Counter. You can buy these hearing tools without a doctor.
• ALD – Assistive Listening Device. These help you hear better in places like church or the theater.

Tests and Hearing Levels

• ABR – Auditory Brainstem Response. A test that checks how your brain hears sounds.
• PTA – Pure Tone Average. This shows how much hearing loss you have.
• SRT – Speech Reception Threshold. This test finds the softest speech you can hear.
• dB HL – Decibels Hearing Level. This is how we measure how loud a sound is for hearing tests.
• Hz– Hertz. This tells us how high or low a sound is.
  • Low sounds, like thunder, have fewer Hertz.
  • High sounds, like birds chirping, have more Hertz.

Types of Hearing Loss

• SNHL – Sensorineural Hearing Loss. This is the most common type. It is caused by nerves not working as they should in the hearing system.
• CHL – Conductive Hearing Loss. This means sound has trouble getting into or moving through the ear because of issues with the bones, ear canal, or eardrum.
• MHL – Mixed Hearing Loss. This is a mix of both types.

These hearing aid terms and acronyms may seem like a lot at first, but take your time. Knowing them can help you feel more confident when talking to your audiologist, reading hearing aid manuals, or joining a hearing loss support group.

Want a simple, printable version of these hearing aid terms—and even more bonus terms?

Subscribe below and get your FREE Quick Guide to Hearing Aid Terms and Acronyms,
plus a bonus list of extra helpful hearing and communication terms you won’t want to miss!

• Easy-to-read
• Includes extra bonus terms for even more confidence
• Perfect to keep handy for appointments, new devices, and everyday life

Sign up now to get your free guide and bonus terms delivered to your inbox!