RIC hearing aids are exactly what they sound like hearing aids with a sound receiver that wraps around the outer ear and is inserted into the ear canal. They are a kind of behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid, but a more specific type of model.
To fully define RIC hearing aids, we will first need to go over BTE hearing aids. BTE hearing aids are the most common form of hearing aid they are widely considered to be the easiest hearing aids to use, and come with easily accessible battery ports (or even recharge ability).
However, with an RIC hearing aid, the receiver can be removed and replaced with little time or money lost. Since receivers govern the sound output, the possibility to remove and change receivers allows for a bit more flexibility in case the users level of hearing loss changes.