The Truth About Cheap “Hearing Aids”

There are a couple separate ways to interpret the term “cheap hearing aids”. For anyone on a tight budget, it means “affordability”. On the other hand, it indicates low-quality, turning an apparently economical purchase into a not-so-smart choice, epitomized by the saying “You get what you pay for”.

Unfortunately, determining whether you’re getting a great value from whether you’re purchasing a really low-quality device can be tricky. With regard to hearing aids, this couldn’t be more relevant.

The saying “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” zone, not necessarily opting for the most expensive choice. Companies marketing cheap hearing devices often leave out essential details about their products that customers should know about.

They often just amplify sound

Cheap “hearing aids” usually offer limited functionality, primarily amplifying or reducing overall volume. If you boost 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 slippers moving across the floor.

The purpose of having a hearing aid is totally defeated if it also amplifies unwanted sound.

On the other hand, a high-quality, modern hearing aid goes beyond simple volume adjustment. It decreases background noise while expertly managing sound and improving clarity. Real hearing aids mimic natural hearing with great accuracy and are custom programmed to your particular hearing needs.

Hearing aids vs. PSAPs

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

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

Most reputable providers comply. But there are some sellers, particularly online, that may be misinformed about what characterizes the difference between hearing aids and PSAPs, and as a result, they put out misleading statements about their products. You may even find some that state that they’re approved by the FDA when that’s actually false.

They’re not inclusive for most types of hearing loss

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

You get total amplification with cheap hearing aids. But simply cranking up the total volume will not be adequate for individuals who have a hard time hearing specific frequencies. And turning up the overall volume could lead to added damage to your hearing because the frequencies you don’t struggle with will be booming in your ears.

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

Feedback can be an issue

You won’t get a custom fit with cheap hearing aids. A feedback loop is often the result of poorly fitting hearing aids. The microphone picks up the sound from the speaker in your ear as it wiggles around. This will result in a deafening screech.

They typically won’t help you on your cellphone

Functionality is often sacrificed when opting for budget devices, and this holds true for many inexpensive hearing aids lacking Bluetooth connectivity. When thinking about phone connectivity, the lack of Bluetooth is a major obstacle. Trying to amplify a cheap hearing aid while on the phone results in capturing not only the caller’s voice but also the sounds of your ear, lips, clothing, and hair brushing against the phone, making it even more challenging to hear the person on the other end.

In comparison, digital hearing aids utilize telecoil or Bluetooth technology, creating a wireless connection between your hearing aid and the phone. This advanced feature ensures that when your daughter speaks on the other end, her voice is sent directly into your hearing aids, improving clarity and overall communication.

They were never intended to treat hearing loss

This may come as a surprise because so many people think otherwise. PSAPs were never designed for people with hearing loss. They were designed to help people who have fairly good hearing hear things a bit louder.

Cheap devices may help a little if you only have slight hearing loss. But people who actually need hearing aids won’t find these cheaper devices very helpful.

Where can you get quality affordable hearing aids?

Getting affordable quality hearing aids isn’t difficult. 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 test if you think you might have hearing loss. Make 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.