Are you in the market for new or first-time hearing aids? You might be interested to know that cost and quality are not the only considerations you will need to keep in mind.

There are actually many different types of hearing aids, varying by size, shape, design, function, and special features, and you need to become aware of all your hearing aid options in order to make an informative decision. The type of hearing aid you choose will depend on your personal preference, as well as your particular needs.

There are basically three main categories of hearing aids, and different types of hearing aids fall into these categories. First of all, standard or conventional hearing aids are the least expensive; they have been around for years and have linear compression. Usually considered of lesser quality, these types of hearing aids tend to amplify weak and strong speech sounds by the same amount.

Analog computerized hearing aids are digitally programmed with optional remote controls to store user prescriptions and adjust the volume. These types of hearing aids are better quality than standard hearing aids, but still have limitations.

Finally, the third category of hearing aids are the fully digital hearing aids, which are most often recommended. These use DSP (or digital sound processing) technology. There are several models of digital hearing aids, including Widex’s Diva, Oticon Delta, Vivatone, and Phonak’s Savia. Each model offers different features, depending on what you’re looking for.

If you’re not sure about what type of hearing aid you need or which hearing aids would be best for your situation, talk to your doctor or schedule a consultation with a hearing specialist.