Hearing loss is quite common and caused by a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons are old age, disease or injuries. Most people suffering from hearing defects wait for years before they finally decide to use hearing aids. Hearing aid statistics show that people using hearing aids are far less compared to those experiencing a loss of hearing. The hesitation to make use of hearing aids stems from inaccurate and inadequate information about them. Additionally, not everybody is comfortable with making it known that they're hard of hearing and hence need a hearing aid.

There are a lot of misconceptions about hearing aids floating around. One myth is that using hearing aids will correct your hearing ability. While hearing aids will certainly help you sense sounds that you couldn't before, they will certainly not reduce your hearing loss in any way.    

A standard hearing aid consists of 3 core parts:
- Microphone
- Amplifier
- Loudspeaker

The microphone captures sound waves and converts them into electrical signals. The amplifier boosts the power of these electrical signals and transmits them to the ear through the loudspeaker.

Hearing aids are of two main types: Analog and digital. Analog aids are personalized to suit the specific needs of the user. These aids work by converting sound waves into electrical signals and then amplifying them. The audiologist programs the aid to adapt to different settings like a silent room or a movie hall or a noisy restaurant. The user can adjust the program as and when required.   

Digital aids work in a similar fashion as analog aids. The difference is that the sound waves are converted into numerical codes before getting amplified. Digital aids are more expensive than analog ones because they allow for a higher degree of versatility in programming the aid to suit the user's particular needs.   

Hearing aids are available in 3 different styles:
- Behind-the-ear hearing aids
- In-the-ear hearing aids
- Canal aids

Behind-the–ear aids as the name suggests are fixed behind the ear and are suitable for those suffering from mild to extreme hearing loss. These are relatively cheaper compared to the other models and are commonly used for mild to extreme hearing loss conditions. In-the-ear hearing aids are fixed in the outer ear and can be used during telephonic conversations. They are generally used by those suffering from mild to severe hearing impairment but not recommended for children.

Canal aids are miniscule and aren't very convenient to handle. They are low in power on account of their diminutive size and hence cannot be used by those with grave hearing loss issues. Children are also advised to refrain from using canal aids. Hearing aid statistics show that people exhibit a partiality for in-the-year and canal aids on account of their low visibility and superior visual appeal.   

Consult your audiologist to figure out what type of hearing aid will be the best for you taking into account your daily routine and extent of hearing deficiency. While selecting a particular hearing aid consider other factors like price, cost of repairs, trial period if any and nature of customer service.

Hearing aid statistics show that very few people experiencing hearing loss actually use these hearing aids. Researchers are constantly innovating new ways and means to make hearing aids comfortable and effective for the user. It's a pity that people are still unaware that they can enhance their hearing capabilities and lives through the use of these aids.