Affordable or Cheap Hearing Aids – What’s the Difference?

Display of over the counter hearing aids at a pharmacy.

It just feels great to find a bargain, right? It can be exhilarating when you’ve found a good deal on something, and the larger discount, the more satisfied you are. So letting your coupon make your shopping decisions for you, always looking for the least expensive products, is all too easy. But going after a bargain when it comes to buying hearing aids can be a big mistake.

If you need hearing aids to treat hearing loss, choosing the “cheapest” option can have health repercussions. Preventing the development of health problems including depression, dementia, and the danger of a fall is the entire point of using hearing aids in the first place. The key is to find the hearing aid that best suits your lifestyle, your hearing needs, and your budget.

Tips for picking affordable hearing aids

Affordable is not equivalent cheap. Affordability, and functionality, are what you should be keeping your eye on. That will help you get the most ideal hearing aid possible for your individual budget. These are helpful tips.

You can find affordable hearing aids.

Hearing aid’s reputation for being extremely pricey is not always reflected in the reality of the situation. Most hearing aid makers will partner with financing companies to make the device more budget friendly and also have hearing aids in a wide range of prices. If you’ve started searching the bargain bin for hearing aids because you’ve already resolved that really good effective models are too expensive, it could have significant health consequences.

Tip #2: Find out what your insurance will cover

Some or even all of the cost of hearing aids might be covered by your insurance. Some states, in fact, have laws requiring insurance companies to cover hearing aids for kids or adults. It never hurts to ask. There are government programs that often supply hearing aids for veterans.

Tip #3: Look for hearing aids that can be tuned to your hearing loss

Hearing aids are, in some ways, a lot like prescription glasses. Depending on your sense of style, the frame comes in a few choices, but the exact prescription differs significantly from person to person. Similarly, hearing aids may look alike cosmetically, but each hearing aid is calibrated to the individual user’s hearing loss needs.

You’re not going to get the same benefits by grabbing some cheap hearing device from the clearance shelf (or, in many instances, results that are even slightly helpful). These are more like amplification devices that raise the volume of all frequencies, not just the ones you’re having difficulty hearing. Why is this so significant? Hearing loss is usually irregular, you can hear some frequencies and voices, but not others. If you boost all frequencies, the ones you have no problem hearing will be too loud. In other words, it doesn’t really solve the problem and you’ll wind up not using the cheaper device.

Tip #4: Different hearing aids have different capabilities

It can be tempting to think that all of the modern technology in a good hearing aid is simply “bells and whistles”. The problem is that in order to hear sounds clearly (sounds such as, you know, bells and whistles), you likely need some of that technology. Hearing aids have innovative technologies calibrated specifically for those with hearing loss. Many modern models have artificial intelligence that helps block out background noise or communicate with each other to help you hear better. Also, selecting a model that fits your lifestyle will be simpler if you consider where (and why) you’ll be using your hearing aids.

It’s crucial, in order to compensate for your hearing loss in a reliable way, that you have some of this technology. Hearing aids are much more sophisticated than a basic, tiny speaker that amplifies everything. Which brings us to our last tip.

Tip #5: A hearing amplification device is not a hearing aid

Alright, repeat after me: A hearing aid is not the same thing as a hearing amplification device. This is the most important takeaway from this article. Because hearing amplification devices try very hard to make you think they work the same way as a hearing aid for a fraction of the price. But that just isn’t true.

Let’s have a closer look. A hearing amplification device:

  • Is often cheaply built.
  • Turns up the volume on all sounds.
  • Gives the user the ability to control the basic volume but that’s about it.

Conversely, a hearing aid:

  • Can pick out and amplify specific sound types (such as the human voice).
  • Is set up specifically to your hearing loss symptoms by a highly qualified hearing specialist.
  • Has the capability to adjust settings when you change locations.
  • Can be shaped specifically to your ears for optimal comfort.
  • Will help you safeguard the health of your hearing.
  • Is tuned to amplify only the frequencies you have trouble hearing.
  • Can limit background noise.
  • Has batteries that are long lasting.

Your hearing deserves better than cheap

Regardless of what your budget is, that budget will restrict your options depending on your overall price range.

That’s why we normally highlight the affordable part of this. The long-term advantages of hearing aids and hearing loss treatment are well documented. That’s why you need to focus on an affordable solution. Don’t forget, cheap is less than your hearing deserves.”

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.