The Truth About Cheap “Hearing Aids”

The term “cheap” has dual meanings. For anyone on a small budget, it means “affordability”. Conversely, it conveys low-quality, turning an apparently economical purchase into a not-so-smart decision, epitomized by the saying “You get what you pay for”.

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

The adage “you get what you pay for” is especially potent with hearing aids. This means eliminating the devices that are priced in the “too good to be true” range, not automatically opting for the most expensive option. Consumers need to recognize that important information is often excluded from the marketing campaigns of cheap hearing aids.

Cheaper hearing aids are basically only amplifiers

Increasing the overall volume is generally the only thing cheap “hearing aids” are capable of. If you amplify the volume to hear the TV better, you’ll also get 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 expertly manages sound, improving the clarity of desired sounds while tuning out background sound. Genuine hearing aids are tuned to your distinct hearing requirements, closely mimicking natural hearing with greater accuracy.

Hearing aids vs. PSAPs

The Food and Drug Administration has written guidelines for companies who sell hearing devices and have stringent rules as to what can be labeled hearing aids.

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

The majority of reputable providers comply. But there are some sellers, especially online, that might be misinformed about what characterizes the difference between hearing aids and PSAPs, and as a result, they put out misleading statements about their products. Some even inaccurately advertise that they are FDA-approved.

They’re not inclusive for most kinds of hearing loss

The progressive loss of hearing usually involves difficulty with specific frequencies rather than a sudden complete loss. You might have a hard time understanding a small child or a woman, for example, but you have no problem understanding a man with a low voice.

A cheap hearing device typically results in overall volume amplification. But simply cranking up the overall volume will not be sufficient for people who have a hard time hearing particular frequencies. And turning up the overall volume could result in additional 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 offer a more personalized hearing experience by shifting frequencies you can’t hear very well to frequencies you hear better.

You might get a lot of feedback

You won’t get a custom fit with cheap hearing aids. Without that custom fit, you’ll create a feedback loop. As the speaker in your ear jiggles around, the microphone picks up the sound. What does this sound like? An ear-shattering screech.

They typically won’t help you on your cellphone

When individuals are looking for a budget-friendly device, they often sacrifice functionality like Bluetooth capability. When thinking about phone connectivity, the absence of Bluetooth is a huge hurdle. 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.

In comparison, digital hearing aids utilize telecoil or Bluetooth technology, establishing a wireless connection between your hearing aid and the phone. Overall communication and clarity will be improved so you can be sure you will hear your daughter’s voice on the phone.

They aren’t designed for people with hearing loss

The majority of people would probably be surprised by this. PSAPs were never made for people with hearing loss. They were designed to amplify sound for individuals who have relatively good hearing.

Cheap devices may help a little if you only have minor hearing loss. But individuals who actually need hearing aids won’t find these cheaper devices that useful.

Finding quality, affordable hearing aids

Getting affordable quality hearing aids isn’t difficult. Insurance or other third parties may cover them. There are also affordable brands, leasing programs, and financing options. The first step is to get a hearing test if you think you may have hearing loss. Make an appointment with us so we can help you find the best and most affordable hearing aids for your level and type of hearing loss.