The word “cheap” has dual meanings. For anyone on a tight budget, it means “affordability”. But we’ve all heard the phrase “You get what you pay for”, and in this case, the term “cheap” implies low-quality hearing aids.
Unfortunately, deciding if you’re getting a great deal from whether you’re getting a very low-quality device can be difficult. When it comes to hearing aids, this couldn’t be more valid.
The adage “you get what you pay for” is particularly potent with hearing aids. This doesn’t necessarily mean picking the top-tier option, but rather, looking closely at products that boast a price tag too tempting to be legitimate. Customers need to be aware that essential information is frequently excluded from the marketing campaigns of cheap hearing aids.
They usually just amplify sound
Increasing the overall volume is generally the only thing cheap “hearing aids” are capable of. If you boost the volume to hear the TV better, you’ll also pick up background noises including the dishwasher, a fan in a different room, a barking dog, or the sound of your house slippers going across the floor.
The purpose of having a hearing aid is totally defeated if it also amplifies undesirable sound.
A modern state-of-the-art hearing aid, in comparison, does much more than simply crank the volume up. It skillfully manages sound, maximizing the clarity of desired sounds while tuning out background noise. Real hearing aids simulate natural hearing with great accuracy and are custom tuned to your specific hearing needs.
Hearing aids vs. PSAPs
There are stringent rules about what an advertiser can call a hearing aid as written by the Food and Drug Administration.
Unfortunately, many personal sound amplification products PSAPs are falsely advertised as hearing aids even though they just amplify sound.
There are many legit and reputable providers that comply with proper marketing. But there are some sellers, especially online, that may be misinformed about what characterizes the difference between hearing aids and PSAPs, and consequently, they put out misleading claims about their products. You might even find some that state that they’re FDA-approved when that’s actually not true.
For most kinds of hearing loss they won’t be helpful at all
The progressive loss of hearing often involves difficulty with certain frequencies rather than an abrupt complete loss. You might have a difficult time understanding a small child or a woman, for instance, but you have no problem understanding a man with a low voice.
You get total amplification with cheap hearing aids. However, if you struggle with certain frequencies, just boosting the volume proves inadequate. Furthermore, turning the volume up considerably to hear the sound of your granddaughter playing on the floor might lead to your adult son’s voice sounding like a roar, possibly adding to hearing loss if exposed to high volumes for prolonged periods.
High-quality hearing aids offer a solution by being programmable to compensate for the loss of particular frequencies. They can instantly adjust the frequency you struggle to hear to one that is more audible, providing a more customized and effective hearing experience.
You may get a lot of feedback
You won’t get a custom fit with cheap hearing aids. Without that custom fit, you’ll generate a feedback loop. The microphone picks up the sound from the speaker in your ear as it wiggles around. What does this sound like? An ear-shattering screech.
They typically won’t help you on your cellphone
Functionality is frequently sacrificed when opting for budget options, and this is true for many inexpensive hearing aids lacking Bluetooth capability. The lack of Bluetooth becomes critical when considering phone connectivity. With cheaper hearing devices, when you try to amplify phone calls, your device will amplify every little sound, like your lips or ears brushing on the phone, or clothing and hair.
More advanced hearing aids are digital and use Bluetooth connectivity to connect directly to your phone. Overall communication and clarity will be enhanced so you can be sure you will hear your daughter’s voice on the phone.
They’re not designed for individuals with hearing loss
This may come as a surprise because so many people think otherwise. These amplifiers were never intended to treat hearing loss. They were made to help people who have fairly good hearing hear things a bit louder.
If you have very slight hearing loss then cheap devices may help a little. But they won’t be of much use for individuals who actually need hearing aids.
Where can you get quality affordable hearing aids?
There are many ways to get hearing aids affordably. They may even be covered by insurance or other third parties. There are also affordable brands, leasing programs, and financing options. If you suspect you have hearing loss, begin by getting checked out. Schedule an appointment with us so we can help you get the best and most affordable hearing aids for your degree and type of hearing loss.
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References
https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/consumer-products/hearing-aids