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Click Sleeve Orientation

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I just switched from the double dome to the closed click sleeve due to feedback issues. The pictures on the click sleeve package seems a bit confusing. The sleeve has a little “spike” on one side. Does that spike face my front or rear when installed? The sleeves have a slight curve so positioning must be important.

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Edited

If I remember, and Sierra is probably much more current on this, but I think the little “thing” should face the front. The drawing on the back of the package seemed opposite to me. When they are oriented correctly they are very comfortable.

By “face the front” I mean the dome sits up and down in your ear, so the little notch or whatever is either on the front side, facing forward, or on the back, facing the back of your head. I think the notch should be on the front side.

I have not used them for a month or so now, but what I recall the fitter telling me is that the little tab goes on the side of the receiver that is marked with a 3M or whatever for the wire length and receiver size is.

Edited

Looks like you are both right. The 4M marking is to the front as the aid sits on your head. And the little “spike” then is at the front. Makes sense when you see a horizontal plane of the ear canal in that the canal curves to the rear slightly. Thank you Don and Sierra.

I have the click sleeves, when wearing the hearing aids, the spike thing goes towards your eyes like the direction you are looking when looking straight ahead.

My take is that it probably doesn’t matter. I think the important thing is that the sleeves be oriented with the longside oriented vertically. I just checked mine and I had the “spike” in different locations in each ear–I couldn’t tell a difference.

There is a slight curve to the sleeve which I presume is to follow the curvature of the ear canal. Depending on one’s ear anatomy it may not make any difference. I found it a bit more comfortable with little tab to the front.

I definitely agree that there’s a difference in appearance. I just can’t tell a difference when they’re in my ears.

Edited

imaging-of-temporal-bone-18-638
This view of a horizontal cross section clearly shows the routing of the ear canal. Top of the diagram is the front. Notice that the opening to the ear canal faces slightly to the rear. That is why when using a stethoscope the ear piece faces the front as do ear buds. Once inside the opening the canal takes a turn to the rear. This I presume is the reason for the slight curve in the sleeve. Unless one’s anatomy is that the bend to the rear is really severe, not likely that the receiver opening in the sleeve would hit the wall of the ear canal in most people. About the only downside I can see is that it might be more apt to contact earwax if the curve on the sleeve is forward.

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