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Analog or Digital ‑‑ What's the Difference?? |
Many folks do not understand the difference between analog and digital hearing aids. It used to be that all a person could get for hearing help was an analog. If you had a flat loss across all frequencies, then this type of hearing instrument served you pretty well. However, if you had fairly decent hearing out to about 3000 Hz, and then dropped in the higher frequencies, you were not a very happy camper wearing an analog hearing instrument.
That is one of the major reasons — other than a poor fit — that many people wear their hearing aids in their dresser drawers rather than in their ears!
Analog and digital similarities
All hearing aids — both analog and digital — are designed with a microphone, amplifier, and receiver (or speaker). The microphone picks up the sound which is processed and amplified and delivered to the receiver from where it enters the ear canal ... and onward to the brain.
How analog hearing aids perform
Basically, analog hearing aids increase the volume across all the frequencies. It is possible to get potentiometers added which help reduce high and low frequencies. These are adjusted with a very small screwdriver by the specialist. So, there is a limited amount of adjustment possible, but only to a degree.
How digital hearing aids perform
Digital hearing aids can perform much more complex functions across the various frequencies. They contain minute computer chips that convert sound into coded signals. Digital hearing aids can reduce extraneous background noise and be programmed to your particular hearing loss at various frequencies, which customizes your aids to your hearing needs in various hearing environments. They afford clearer sound quality and listening comfort, and allow the reduction of feedback in various situations such as chewing, talking, etc.
Hearing aid limitations
It's important to remember, though, that hearing aids are just that — aids to hearing — and do not restore 100% normal hearing. Sometimes people's expectations are not very realistic. They get frustrated or disgruntled if they cannot hear everything they want to hear in every situation. Realistically, even with today's technology, one must accept that there will be limitations. Part of the reason is how one's brain interprets what it hears. It isn't necessarily the hearing instrument's fault; sometimes it's just a brain thing! Even with the most expensive hearing aids on the market, there will be limitations in certain situations. Getting help early
It's important to obtain hearing help early on in order to keep the brain active and not lose one's speech discrimination. Maintaining one's determination to hear better is a very healthy attitude when it comes to wearing hearing instruments.
Periodic test updates and adjustments
Periodic test updates and adjustments are recommended. As one's hearing changes, adjustments and fine tuning can be performed on digital instruments, which provides the customer with much more satisfaction from their investment.
Industry Trend
The trend in the hearing aid industry is to become all digital. We foresee a time in the near future where analogs will not be available. The cost for digital instruments is becoming more affordable, so there really is no reason to settle for old Class A or Class D technology when you can have a much more flexible digital system today.
Because we deal with quite a variety of manufacturers and are a member of the largest national buying group in the country, we are able to provide digital hearing instruments at very competitive prices to our customers. This, in turn, affords a wider range of choices for specific hearing needs. Something we can offer today because of the digital technological advances being made!
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| (Article 0705, originally published July 2005) |
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