“Cheap Hearing Aids” What You Should Know

The word “cheap” carries dual meanings. On the one hand, it indicates affordability, a smart choice for a budget-conscious person. On the other hand, it implies low-quality, turning a seemingly economical purchase into a not-so-smart decision, epitomized by the adage “You get what you pay for”.

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

The adage “you get what you pay for” is particularly potent with hearing aids. This doesn’t always mean going for the top-tier option, but instead, looking closely at offerings that boast a price tag too appealing to be genuine. Customers need to recognize that important information is frequently left out of the marketing campaigns of cheap hearing aids.

Cheaper hearing aids are pretty much only amplifiers

Cheap “hearing aids” usually provide limited functionality, primarily amplifying or decreasing overall volume. When you simply amplify everything, the sounds you want to hear better are amplified but so are undesirable background noise you don’t want.

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

Contrastingly, a high-quality, contemporary hearing aid goes beyond simple volume adjustment. It expertly manages sound, enhancing the clarity of desired sounds while tuning out background noise. Genuine hearing aids are tailored to your specific hearing requirements, closely mimicking natural hearing with greater accuracy.

PSAPs vs. Hearing Aids

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

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

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

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

The majority of people who lose their hearing will slowly lose certain frequencies of sound before others. You may have a difficult time understanding a little kid or a woman, for instance, but you have no issue understanding a man with a low voice.

A cheap hearing device usually results in total volume amplification. But simply turning up the total volume will not be adequate for individuals who have a difficult time hearing particular frequencies. Furthermore, turning the volume up substantially to hear the sound of your granddaughter playing on the floor might lead to your adult son’s voice sounding like a roar, possibly adding to hearing loss if exposed to high volumes for extended periods.

High-quality hearing aids provide a solution by being programmable to compensate for the loss of specific frequencies. They can automatically adjust the frequency you struggle to hear to one that is more audible, providing a more customized and effective hearing experience.

Feedback can be a problem

Cheap hearing aids are typically not custom fit to your ears. A feedback loop is frequently the consequence of poorly fitting hearing aids. 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 normally won’t help you on your cellphone

When people are looking for a budget-friendly device, they often sacrifice functionality like Bluetooth connectivity. When considering phone connectivity, the lack of Bluetooth is a significant hurdle. With cheaper hearing devices, when you try to amplify phone calls, your device will amplify every little sound, like your ears or lips brushing on 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 improved so you can be certain you will hear your daughter’s voice on the phone.

They’re not designed for people with hearing loss

This could come as a surprise because so many people think otherwise. These amplifiers were never meant to treat hearing loss. They were made to amplify sound for people who have relatively good hearing.

If you have very mild hearing loss then cheap devices may help a little. But people who actually need hearing aids won’t find these cheaper devices that useful.

Finding quality, affordable hearing aids

There are many ways to get hearing aids affordably. Insurance or other third parties may cover them. You can also find financing possibilities, leasing plans, and more affordable brands. The first step is to get a hearing assessment if you think you might have hearing loss. Call us today for a consultation, we can help figure out what’s best for you, depending on your amount and type of hearing loss, and make certain you get a pair that won’t break the bank!