Analog programmable hearing aids contain a microchip that allows the audiologist or hearing professional to program the settings for different listening environments. The hearing aid may have been programmed for special situations such as a noisy work environment or a quiet home environment.
Audiologists use a computer to personalize the settings for the user who can then adjust the hearing aid settings by remote control or pushing a button. Digital hearing aids automatically adjust unlike analog programmable hearing aids.
Why would someone want an analog programmable hearing aid instead of a digital hearing aid? Analog technology is generally cheaper than digital. Cost is a significant factor in many people's hearing aid decision.
Analog programmable hearing aids have many of the same features as digital hearing aids. The life of an analog programmable hearing aid may be shorter than a digital hearing aid. When programming the hearing aid, the audiologist will consider the type of hearing loss and the person's tolerance for loud noises.
An analog programmable hearing aid costs more than a regular analog hearing aid that cannot be programmed. Many hearing aid manufacturers no longer make analog or analog programmable hearing aids. This may be due to the popularity of digital hearing aids and their features.
In addition to the differences in features such as self-adjustment and cost, analog programmable hearing aids and digital hearing aids process sound differently. Analog programmable hearing aids convert sounds into electrical signals before the sounds are amplified.
With digital hearing aids, sounds are converted to binary code, the language of computers, before being amplified. Digital hearing aids are usually programmable.
Analog programmable hearing aids are available as behind-the-ear (BTE), in-the-ear (ITE), in-the-canal (ITC), and completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aids. A hearing aid user may receive recommendations from the audiologist about which type of hearing aid would best suit the hearing aid user's needs.
Price should not be the exclusive reason for choosing a particular hearing aid. People who would want digital hearing aids but cannot afford them may want to seek financial assistance from a government agency for people with disabilities or a non-profit organization like Audient Alliance.
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