The five best hearing aids in 2024. Story by Tom Horton • 10mo. I n the U.S., hearing loss affects around 30 million people over the age of 12 each year.

Hearing aids vary by function, ... Here are common acronyms for the five style types of hearing aids: Behind-the-ear (BTE): This type is worn behind or on top of the outer ear.

There are a ton of over-the-counter hearing aids out there. We did the math on price, ... Prescription hearing aids can last a person anywhere from five to 10 years, Reed said.

And since hearing aids have a three- to five-year life span, Dr. Lin said, users will eventually need to go through the process again, perhaps several times.