Every hearing aid is a miniature conglomeration of electronic circuitryencased in plastic. Every hearing aid has these parts: a microphone thatpicks up sound, an amplifier to boost the sound, and a receiver thatdelivers the amplified sound into the ear. All are powered by tinyreplaceable batteries.

But thanks to microprocessor or computer chip technology, currenthearing aids far surpass the simplicity of what's described above. Youcan learn about these advances in the Latest Improvements section. However,there's much more to know,and technology isn't the whole story.

Any hearing aid you buy should help to compensate for your hearing lossand be comfortable to wear. Equally important is the attitude andcommitment of the wearer – whether that's you or someone close to you. Ittakes time and dedication to get the best possible result from anyhearing aid.

Fortunately, you can try hearing aids without fear – there's a mandatedtrial period of a minimum of 30 days in the U.S. (it varies by state andcountry) so you can be sure that your new aids meet your expectations.

There are many makes of hearing aids, and many models from eachmanufacturer. What's important is to find the best solution for yourlistening requirements.