“Cheap Hearing Aids” What You Should Know

There are a couple different ways to interpret the term “cheap hearing aids”. On the one hand, it signifies affordability, a smart choice for a budget-conscious individual. Conversely, it conveys low-quality, turning an apparently economical purchase into a not-so-smart decision, epitomized by the adage “You get what you pay for”.

Regrettably, differentiating between an economical purchase and an item of negligible value is frequently challenging. With regard to hearing aids, this couldn’t be more true.

With hearing aids, the axiom “you get what you pay for” is particularly true. This means eliminating the devices that are priced in the “too good to be true” range, not necessarily going for the most expensive choice. Companies marketing cheap hearing devices often omit essential details about their products that customers should know about.

They typically just amplify sound

Cheap “hearing aids” generally offer minimal functionality, mainly amplifying or decreasing overall volume. If you amplify the volume to hear the TV better, you’ll also pick up background noises including the dishwasher, a fan in another room, a barking dog, or the sound of your house shoes moving across the floor.

If everything is louder, it entirely defeats the purpose of using a hearing aid.

A contemporary state-of-the-art hearing aid, in contrast, does much more than simply crank the volume up. It reduces background noise while skillfully managing sound and improving clarity. Authentic hearing aids are tuned to your distinct hearing requirements, closely simulating natural hearing with greater accuracy.

Hearing aids vs. PSAPs

There are stringent rules about what an advertiser can call a hearing aid as published by the Food and Drug Administration.

Regrettably, there are many devices out there that are advertised as hearing aids when they are actually personal sound amplification products (PSAPs), named this because they can only amplify sound.

There are many legit and reputable companies that comply with appropriate marketing. But you may find some uninformed salespeople or products on Amazon or eBay that deceive consumers into believing that these devices meet the definition of a hearing aid. Some even inaccurately advertise that they are FDA-approved.

They’re not helpful for the majority of kinds of hearing loss

The progressive loss of hearing often involves trouble hearing certain frequencies rather than a sudden total loss. You might have a hard time understanding a little kid or a woman, for instance, but you have no issue understanding a man with a low voice.

You get overall amplification with cheap hearing aids. But, if you struggle with specific frequencies, just boosting the volume proves insufficient. Furthermore, turning up the volume significantly to hear the sound of your granddaughter playing on the floor may lead to your adult son’s voice sounding like a roar, possibly adding to hearing loss if subjected to high volumes for extended periods.

High-quality hearing aids can be programmed to increase particular frequencies providing a much better solution. They can automatically adjust the frequency you struggle to hear to one that is more audible, providing a more tailored and effective hearing experience.

Feedback can be a problem

You won’t get a custom fit with cheap hearing aids. Without that custom fit, you’ll create 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 usually don’t have cellphone support

Functionality is frequently sacrificed when opting for budget devices, and this is true for many inexpensive hearing aids lacking Bluetooth capability. When considering phone connectivity, the absence of Bluetooth is a huge obstacle. With cheaper hearing devices, when you try to amplify phone calls, your device will amplify every little sound, like your ears or lips rubbing against the phone, or clothing and hair.

More advanced hearing aids are digital and utilize 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 made for individuals with hearing loss

This might come as a shock because so many individuals think otherwise. PSAPs were never made for people with hearing loss. They were made to amplify sound for individuals who have relatively good hearing.

If you have very mild hearing loss then cheap devices may help a little. But they won’t be of much help for people who actually need hearing aids.

Where can you get quality affordable hearing aids?

Obtaining affordable quality hearing aids is not difficult. They might even be covered by insurance or other third parties. You can also find financing options, leasing plans, and more affordable brands. If you think you have hearing loss, begin by getting checked out. Call us today for a consultation, we can help decide what’s best for you, depending on your level and type of hearing loss, and make sure you get a pair that won’t break the bank!