The Truth About Cheap “Hearing Aids”

There are a couple different ways to think about the term “cheap hearing aids”. For someone on a tight budget, it means “affordability”. But we’ve all heard the phrase “You get what you pay for”, and in this case, the term “cheap” implies low-quality hearing aids.

Unfortunately, deciding if you’re getting a great value from whether you’re purchasing a very low-quality device can be tricky. This is particularly relevant in terms of hearing aids.

The adage “you get what you pay for” is particularly potent with hearing aids. This means weeding out the devices that are priced in the “too good to be true” zone, not automatically going for the most expensive option. Customers need to be aware that important information is frequently excluded from the marketing campaigns of cheap hearing aids.

They usually just amplify sound

Increasing the overall volume is usually the only thing cheap “hearing aids” can handle. If you amplify the volume to hear the TV better, you’ll also get background noises like the dishwasher, a fan in a different room, a barking dog, or the sound of your house slippers going across the floor.

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

A contemporary state-of-the-art hearing aid, in comparison, does much more than just turn 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 particular hearing requirements, closely simulating 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 inaccurately advertised as hearing aids even though they only amplify sound.

There are many legit and reputable providers that comply with proper marketing. But you might find some uninformed salespeople or products on Amazon or eBay that mislead consumers into believing that these devices meet the classification of a hearing aid. You may even find some that state that they’re approved by the FDA when that’s actually not true.

For most types of hearing loss they won’t be effective at all

The majority of individuals who lose their hearing will gradually lose specific frequencies of sound before others. For example, you may have no trouble hearing a man with a low voice, but struggle with a woman’s or child’s voice, finding it challenging to comprehend.

A cheap hearing device usually results in overall volume amplification. But, if you have trouble with specific frequencies, just boosting the volume proves inadequate. And turning the overall volume up 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 can be programmed to boost particular 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 customized and reliable hearing experience.

You may get a lot of feedback

You won’t get a custom fit with cheap hearing aids. A feedback loop is often the outcome of poorly fitting hearing aids. The microphone picks up the sound from the speaker in your ear as it jiggles around. What does this sound like? An ear-shattering screech.

They normally don’t have cellphone support

When people are looking for a budget-friendly device, they frequently sacrifice functionality like Bluetooth connectivity. The absence of Bluetooth becomes crucial when thinking about phone connectivity. 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.

On the other hand, digital hearing aids use telecoil or Bluetooth technology, establishing 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 transmitted directly into your hearing aids, improving clarity and overall communication.

They were never meant to treat hearing loss

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

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

Where can you get quality affordable hearing aids?

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