| If you have just become aware that you have | | | | channels. These channels relate to frequency bands. |
| undergone some hearing loss or you have just | | | | Not everyone loses precisely the same amount of |
| become able to do something about your condition, | | | | the same frequencies, so if your digital deaf aid |
| you will need to be able to evaluate the different | | | | supports numerous channels, you can programme |
| kinds of hearing aids. The National Association For | | | | each channel to compensate exactly for your loss. |
| The Deaf and your audiologist will be able to give you | | | | One person may only need to regulate one or two |
| some guidance, but it is always best to be able to do | | | | channels, but others may have to modify several of |
| your own research as well. | | | | them. |
| Assuming that you are not going to want an ear | | | | Standard 'behind the ear' (BTE) hearing ears have a |
| trumpet, there are three main options: analogue, | | | | microphone that tends to stress sounds from behind |
| digital or hybrid hearing aids. The analogue hearing aid | | | | the wearer, but a digital unit has directional |
| is the least expensive of the three and it operates | | | | microphones so that you can switch on forward |
| by picking up the sound with a microphone and | | | | facing microphones too. |
| amplifying it into your ear. | | | | The digital deaf aids also have built in predetermined |
| Then there is the half-way house hybrid which is | | | | programmes for ease of use. One click and your unit |
| called the digital programmable or analogue | | | | is optimized for a loud location, another click and it is |
| programmable deaf aid. It is an analogue device, but | | | | optimized for the cinema. This is a very helpful |
| it has programmable features. It is customizable by | | | | feature. |
| the use of computer software programming. | | | | Look for a 'smart' function on your digital deaf aid. |
| These features permit you to customize the deaf aid | | | | This feature remembers your most used settings so |
| to the conditions that you are in at any time. For | | | | that when you replace the battery, it automatically |
| instance, they can be made to be more or less | | | | resets itself. This is another very useful facility, given |
| responsive or to mask out certain frequencies like | | | | that you may have to renew the battery between |
| wind noise. They are more costly than analogue | | | | one and seven times a week. Check how long the |
| hearing aids. | | | | batteries are likely to last too. |
| Digital hearing aids are by far the most expensive, | | | | Other features to look out for are functions to cut |
| but then the sound quality is far more advanced too. | | | | out surrounding noises like wind, traffic and feedback. |
| The difference in sound quality is comparable to the | | | | It is always helpful to have some information at your |
| difference between CD's and vinyl records. This is | | | | finger tips, when you go to talk to your audiologist or |
| accomplished with digital signal processing or DSP. | | | | when you go shopping for your new hearing aid. |
| Digital deaf aids have different numbers of so-called | | | | Learn how to compare hearing aids for yourself. |