Finding a bargain just feels good, right? It can be thrilling when you’ve found a great deal on something, and the bigger discount, the more satisfied you are. So letting your coupon make your buying decisions for you, always going after the least expensive products, is all too easy. But chasing a bargain when it comes to purchasing hearing aids can be a big mistake.
If you require hearing aids to treat hearing loss, going for the “cheapest” option can have health consequences. After all, the entire point of getting hearing aids is to be able to hear well and to prevent health issues associated with hearing loss such as mental decline, depression, and an increased chance of falls. The key is to choose the hearing aid that best fits your lifestyle, your hearing requirements, and your budget.
Tips for finding affordable hearing aids
Cheap and affordable aren’t always the same thing. Affordability, as well as functionality, are what you should be looking for. That will help you find the most ideal hearing aid possible for your personal budget. These are helpful tips.
Tip #1: Research before you buy: Affordable hearing aids exist
Hearing aids have a reputation for putting a dent in your wallet, a reputation, however, is not always represented by reality. The majority of manufacturers produce hearing aids in a wide range of price points and work with financing companies to make their devices more budget friendly. If you’ve started exploring the bargain bin for hearing aids because you’ve already decided that really good effective models are too expensive, it could have significant health repercussions.
Tip #2: Find out what your insurance will cover
Insurance may cover some or all of the costs associated with getting a hearing aid. As a matter of fact, some states mandate that insurance cover them for both kids and adults. It never hurts to ask. If you’re a veteran, you may be eligible for hearing aids through government programs.
Tip #3: Look for hearing aids that can be calibrated to your hearing loss
Hearing aids are, in some ways, similar to prescription glasses. The frame is fairly universal (depending on your sense of fashion, of course), but the prescription is adjusted for your particular needs. Similarly, hearing aids might look alike cosmetically, but each hearing aid is tuned to the individual user’s hearing loss needs.
Picking up a cheap hearing device from the clearance shelf is not going to give you the same benefits (or any helpful results at all in many instances). These are more like amplifiers that raise the sound of all frequencies, not only the ones you’re having difficulty hearing. Why is this so important? Usually, hearing loss will only affect some frequencies while you can hear others perfectly. If you make it loud enough to hear the frequencies that are low, you’ll make it painful in the frequencies you can hear without amplification. You will probably end up not using this cheap amplification device because it doesn’t resolve your real issue.
Tip #4: Not all hearing aids do the same things
It can be tempting to believe that all of the modern technology in a quality hearing aid is just “bells and whistles”. The problem is that in order to hear sounds properly (sounds like, you know, bells and whistles), you likely need some of that technology. The specialized technology in hearing aids can be tuned in to the user’s level of hearing loss. Many modern models have artificial intelligence that helps filter out background noise or connect with each other to help you hear better. Additionally, considering where (and why) you’ll be using your aids will help you decide on a model that fits your lifestyle.
That technology is crucial to compensate for your hearing loss in a healthy way. Hearing aids are a lot more advanced than a basic, tiny speaker that boosts the volume of everything. And that brings up our last tip.
Tip #5: A hearing amplification device is not a hearing aid
Okay, say this with me: a hearing amplification device is not a hearing aid. If you get nothing else from this article, we hope it’s that. Because the providers of amplification devices have a monetary interest in persuading the consumer that their devices work like hearing aids. But that simply isn’t the case.
Let’s take a closer look. An amplifier:
- Is often cheaply made.
- Turns the volume up on all sounds.
- Gives the user the ability to control the basic volume but that’s about it.
Conversely, a hearing aid:
- Can reduce background noise.
- Will help safeguard your hearing health.
- Can identify and boost specific sound types (such as the human voice).
- Boosts the frequencies that you have a tough time hearing and leaves the frequencies you can hear alone.
- Has batteries that are long lasting.
- Can achieve maximum comfort by being shaped to your ear.
- Is set up specifically to your hearing loss symptoms by a highly skilled hearing specialist.
- Can be programmed with different settings for different places.
Your ability to hear is too important to go cheap
Regardless of what your budget is, that budget will determine your options depending on your overall price range.
That’s why we normally highlight the affordable part of this. When it comes to hearing loss, the long term advantages of hearing loss management and hearing aids is well documented. That’s why you should focus on an affordable solution. Don’t forget, cheap is less than your hearing deserves.”