“Cheap Hearing Aids” What You Should Know

There are a couple separate ways to interpret the term “cheap hearing aids”. On the one hand, it signifies affordability, a wise option for a budget-conscious individual. But we’ve all heard the phrase “You get what you pay for”, and in this case, the word “cheap” suggests low-quality hearing aids.

Unfortunately, determining whether you’re getting a great value from whether you’re getting a very low-quality device can be tricky. When it comes to hearing aids, this couldn’t be more relevant.

With hearing aids, the saying “you get what you pay for” is especially true. This doesn’t necessarily imply opting for the top-tier option, but rather, looking closely at offerings that boast a price tag too enticing to be legitimate. Consumers need to recognize that important information is frequently excluded from the marketing campaigns of cheap hearing aids.

They typically just amplify sound

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

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

A contemporary state-of-the-art hearing aid, in contrast, does a lot more than simply turn up the volume. It expertly manages sound, maximizing the clarity of desired sounds while tuning out background sound. Real hearing aids mimic natural hearing with great accuracy and are custom tuned to your specific hearing needs.

Hearing aids vs. PSAPs

The Food and Drug Administration has drafted guidelines for those who sell hearing devices and have stringent rules as to what can be called hearing aids.

Unfortunately, many personal sound amplification products PSAPs are inaccurately advertised as hearing aids even though they only amplify sound.

Most reputable providers follow the rules. But there are some vendors, particularly online, that might be misinformed about what defines the difference between hearing aids and PSAPs, and consequently, they put out misleading statements about their products. Some even incorrectly advertise that they are approved by the FDA.

They’re not inclusive for the majority of types of hearing loss

The majority of people who lose their hearing will gradually lose particular frequencies of sound before others. For instance, you might have no problems hearing a man with a low voice, but struggle with a woman’s or child’s voice, finding it challenging to comprehend.

You get total amplification with cheap hearing aids. But, if you have trouble with particular frequencies, merely increasing the volume will be insufficient. And turning up the overall volume could result in added damage to your hearing because the frequencies you don’t have trouble with will be roaring in your ears.

High-quality hearing aids offer a solution by being programmable to make up for the loss of specific frequencies. They can automatically adjust the frequency you struggle to hear to one that is more audible, delivering a more tailored and reliable hearing experience.

You might 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 jiggles around. This will result in a deafening screech.

They usually don’t have cellphone support

When individuals are looking for a budget-friendly device, they frequently sacrifice functionality like Bluetooth connectivity. The lack of Bluetooth becomes crucial when considering phone connectivity. With cheaper hearing devices, when you attempt to amplify phone calls, your device will amplify every little sound, like your lips or ears brushing against the phone, or clothing and hair.

More sophisticated 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 certain you will hear your daughter’s voice on the phone.

They aren’t made for individuals with hearing loss

This could come as a shock because so many people think otherwise. PSAPs were never designed for people with hearing loss. They were made to help individuals who have relatively good hearing hear things a bit louder.

Cheap devices might help a little if you only have minor hearing loss. But they won’t be of much use for individuals who actually need hearing aids.

Finding quality, affordable hearing aids

Getting affordable quality hearing aids is not hard. They might even be covered by insurance or other third parties. There are also affordable brands, leasing programs, and financing possibilities. The first step is to get a hearing assessment if you suspect you might have hearing loss. Call us today for a consultation, we can help figure out what’s best for you, depending on your level and type of hearing loss, and make sure you land a pair that won’t break the bank!