When you shop for a hearing aid, get ready for some serious decision making. You'll find a variety of products of different sizes, styles and electronic makeup, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. The two major kinds of electronics are analog and digital, and you can choose either one in the style of hearing aid you like.
Behind the Ear
The behind-the-ear style is one of the easiest for people to handle and is often recommended for children. According to MayoClinic.com, it fits over the ear and sends sound through a custom-fitted ear mold into your ear canal. This style is larger than other types and provides more amplification, according to the American Hearing Aid Associates. It comes in many colors so you can match it to hair or skin.
In the Ear
In-the-ear hearing aids fill your external ear and go a little into the ear canal. MayoClinic.com reports this model is also easy to handle and is custom fit for each wearer. In-the-ear aids are suitable for a wide range of hearing loss, according to the American Hearing Aid Associates.
In the Canal
In-the-canal hearing aids fit into the ear canal and extend slightly into the external ear. They're smaller than the more visible models, and some wearers find them hard to handle, according to MayoClinic.com. The American Hearing Aid Associates reports this model is suitable for people with mild or moderate hearing loss.
Completely in the Canal
The smallest type of hearing aid goes completely in the ear canal, according to MayoClinic.com. It's popular with people who don't want to wear a visible hearing aid, but you need a large enough ear canal to be able to insert it. The completely in-the-canal model makes it easy to use a telephone, according to the American Hearing Aid Associates. This style is effective with mild to moderate hearing loss.
Analog
Analog hearing aids change sound waves into electrical signals, according to NIDCD. Your audiologist provides information that gets programmed into the aid. You can change the program for different hearing environments---for instance, a loud restaurant vs. your own living room.
Digital
Digital aids change sound waves into numerical codes, according to NIDCD. The codes give audiologists the ability to fine-tune the hearing aid to the wearer's needs. Digital hearing aids are often more expensive than analog ones.
