When shopping for hearing aids, comparisons should be made with regard to a few important points of interest.

First, you should know that analog hearing aids are largely being eliminated in favor of digital hearing aids. With the near infinite adjustability of digital hearing aids, your Audiologist will be able to program the device perfectly for you and re-open your ears to a world of sound.

Being educated on the 4 types of hearing aids beyond digital and analog is your next consideration. The list below outlines the 4 main types of hearing aids with pros and cons listed as well. In a broad sense, it comes down to the style you choose and how much you want to spend.

1. First is the BTE, or Behind the Ear, models, which sit on the back of the ear much like eyeglasses. These are on the low end of price and they are the most visible of the 4 types of digital hearing aids. People have had issues when using BTE\’s and the telephone, as the microphone is mounted on the outside of the ear canal.

2. In the ear (ITE) hearing aids are a little bit more discreet, without being much more expensive. The outer portion of the ear is where these reside, and are custom molded for you. Some find these tend to be uncomfortable, while others are quite happy with them. Your Audiologist can give you more information and use a test model to give you an idea of what these will be like.

3. In the ear canal (ITC) hearing aids are a bit smaller and go partially into the ear canalNext are the ITC, or In the Canal, style of digital hearing aids- these sit partway inside the ear canal. These are less visible than the previous two types in these hearing aids comparisons, but are not the most difficult to detect. Be sure to follow along with our final type of hearing aid below to get the full picture of what\’s available to you.

4. Completely in the ear canal (CIC) models are very small and the most difficult to detect. These are more expensive and lack external controls (they must be adjusted via computer by your Audiologist), but if you\’re self conscious about your hearing loss, these are worth looking into. You\’ll need to do more periodic maintenance of this style, as they tend to get clogged with wax more quickly than other styles. With a smaller device comes the need for smaller batteries, which needs to be replaced more often due to their small size.

You\’ll also want to take into consideration the company that makes the model you choose- below is a list of the best companies to deal with:

* Seimens * Starkey * Phonak

Going with one of the above listed companies is one way to make sure that your hearing aid will serve your needs for years to come. You\’re going to want to have a 30- 60 day trial with your hearing aids and these 3 companies will provide this for you. Since insurance doesn\’t cover repairs, you\’ll want to make sure the company you choose gives a warranty (1 or 2 years is the standard). I hope this article helped you to understand the factors you must consider when making hearing aids comparisons.