The word “cheap” carries dual meanings. On the one hand, it signifies affordability, a sensible choice for a budget-conscious person. But we’ve all heard the phrase “You get what you pay for”, and in this case, the word “cheap” indicates low-quality hearing aids.
Unfortunately, determining whether you’re getting a great value from whether you’re buying a very low-quality device can be tricky. This is especially relevant in terms of hearing aids.
The adage “you get what you pay for” is particularly relevant with hearing aids. This means eliminating the devices that are priced in the “too good to be true” range, not necessarily opting for the most expensive option. Companies marketing cheap hearing devices often omit important details about their products that consumers should be aware of.
Cheaper hearing aids are pretty much only amplifiers
Boosting 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 slippers going across the floor.
If everything is louder, it totally defeats the purpose of using a hearing aid.
A modern state-of-the-art hearing aid, in contrast, does much more than simply crank up the volume. It decreases background sound while expertly managing sound and enhancing clarity. Genuine hearing aids are tuned to your particular hearing requirements, closely simulating natural hearing with better accuracy.
PSAPs vs. Hearing Aids
There are strict rules about what an advertiser can call a hearing aid as published by the Food and Drug Administration.
Unfortunately, many personal sound amplification products PSAPs are wrongly marketed as hearing aids even though they only amplify sound.
There are many legitimate and reputable companies that comply with proper marketing. 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 claims about their products. You may even find some that claim that they are approved by the FDA when that’s actually not true.
For most types of hearing loss they won’t be helpful at all
The majority of individuals who lose their hearing will slowly lose particular frequencies of sound before others. For example, you may have no problems hearing a man with a low voice, but have difficulty with a woman’s or child’s voice, finding it challenging to understand.
You get total amplification with cheap hearing aids. However, if you struggle with specific frequencies, just boosting the volume proves insufficient. Furthermore, turning the volume up considerably to catch the sound of your granddaughter playing on the floor might result in your adult son’s voice sounding like a roar, possibly adding to hearing loss if exposed to high volumes for prolonged periods.
High-quality hearing aids can be programmed to increase particular frequencies providing a much better solution. 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. A feedback loop is often the outcome of poorly fitting hearing aids. As the speaker in your ear jiggles around, the microphone picks up the sound. What does this sound like? An ear-shattering screech.
They normally won’t help you on your cellphone
When individuals are looking for a budget-friendly device, they frequently sacrifice functionality like Bluetooth connectivity. The lack of Bluetooth becomes critical when thinking about phone connectivity. With cheaper hearing devices, when you attempt to amplify phone calls, your device will amplify every little sound, like your ears or lips brushing on the phone, or clothing and hair.
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 talks on the other end, her voice is transmitted directly into your hearing aids, enhancing clarity and overall communication.
They were never meant to treat hearing loss
Most people would most likely be surprised by this. PSAPs were never designed for individuals with hearing loss. They were made to amplify sound for individuals who have fairly good hearing.
If you have very slight hearing loss then cheap devices may help a little. But they won’t be of much use for people who actually need hearing aids.
Finding quality, affordable hearing aids
There are many ways to get hearing aids affordably. They may even be covered by insurance or other third parties. 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 might have hearing loss. Call us today for a consultation, we can help decide what’s best for you, depending on your amount and type of hearing loss, and make certain you land a pair that won’t break the bank!
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References
https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/consumer-products/hearing-aids