Hearing aids help people with mild to moderate hearing loss regain their ability to process and react to sounds. These devices are outfitted with a receiver and speaker that converts external sound into amplified output so a person with low hearing can also hear these sounds. Modern hearing aids are easy to operate and use, making them a worthwhile investment in restoring hearing ability. Here is everything you need to know about the product.

Analog devices
Analog devices simultaneously amplify sound waves, both speech and ambiance. These devices also come with limited volume presets and settings so that you can change the amplification accordingly.

Digital devices
Digital hearing aids are more programmable, boast multiple presets, and convert sounds into digital signals to produce an exact duplication. They are more effective and feature-rich when compared to analog devices. In addition, many digital aids come with premium noise and sound management capabilities to produce the best possible result.

Key hearing aid features that you should compare:

Multidirectional amplification
Your natural ear automatically catches sound waves from all directions and indicates the source of the sound, making it easy for you to respond. So premium hearing aids that duplicate these effects make communication easier.

Suppression
Hearing aids pick up all types of noise. So, it is essential to have feedback suppression as an inbuilt feature to prevent these aids from producing a high pitch sound if the background noise is higher than the accepted decibel limit.

Active noise reduction
Active noise reduction is a feature that is generally deployed in all types of hearing devices that are designed to amplify sounds – from hearing aids to headphones. It’s an important feature that improves the quality of speech and ambiance.

Wireless connectivity
Digital hearing aids can be configured by wirelessly connecting the device to a smart app. This is an excellent feature, as the smart app can adjust amplification and volume automatically. Advanced hearing aids can also stream music and FM radio with wireless connectivity.

Most common hearing aid types:

BTE or Behind the Ear hearing aids
The primary device and all its components are encased in a plastic mold placed behind the ear. This is connected to a long transparent tubing inside the ear to amplify and transfer sounds. These devices are easy to clean and maintain, often recommended for children for their ease of use. Depending on the manufacturer or brand, these devices can cost $1,000 to $6,000 a pair. In addition, there are smaller versions of BTE aids that are more expensive and customized to order.

ITC In the Canal or CIC Completely in the Canal hearing aids
These relatively minor devices can be custom molded to fit inside the canal. The functions are more or less similar, but the devices are more cumbersome because of their size. For example, ITC aids cost $2,000 to $7,000, depending on the hearing aid brand.

RIC Receiver in the canal or RITE Received in the ear
These hearing aids are a design mix of BTE and ITC devices where a dedicated sound receiver sits behind the ear with the primary amplification device inserted into the ear. A small wire connects both. RIC hearing aids are typically cheaper, priced in the range of $1,000 to $3,000, owing to the simplicity of their design.