The Truth About Cheap “Hearing Aids”

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

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

With hearing aids, the saying “you get what you pay for” rings especially valid. This means eliminating 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 essential information is frequently left out of the marketing campaigns of cheap hearing aids.

They typically just amplify sound

Cheap “hearing aids” typically offer minimal functionality, mainly 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 entirely defeats the purpose of having a hearing aid.

On the other hand, a high-quality, modern hearing aid goes beyond simple volume adjustment. It decreases background noise while expertly managing sound and enhancing clarity. Authentic hearing aids are tailored to your particular hearing needs, closely mimicking natural hearing with better accuracy.

Hearing aids vs. PSAPs

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 lots of legitimate and reputable providers that comply with correct marketing. But there are some vendors, particularly online, that may be misinformed about what defines the difference between hearing aids and PSAPs, and as a result, they put out misleading statements about their products. You might even find some that claim that they’re approved by the FDA when that’s actually not true.

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

The progressive loss of hearing frequently involves difficulty with specific frequencies instead of an abrupt complete loss. You might have a hard time understanding a small child or a woman, for example, but you have no problem understanding a man with a low voice.

You get total amplification with cheap hearing aids. But, if you struggle with certain frequencies, merely boosting the volume will be inadequate. Moreover, turning up the volume substantially to hear the sound of your granddaughter playing on the floor may lead to your adult son’s voice sounding like a roar, potentially contributing to hearing loss if subjected to high volumes for prolonged periods.

High-quality hearing aids offer a solution by being programmable to make up for the loss of particular frequencies. They can instantly adjust the frequency you struggle to hear to one that is more audible, delivering a more tailored and reliable hearing experience.

Feedback can be an issue

Cheap hearing aids are usually not custom fit to your ears. Without that custom fit, you’ll create a feedback loop. 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 won’t help you on your cellphone

When individuals are looking for a budget-friendly device, they frequently sacrifice functionality like Bluetooth capability. When considering phone connectivity, the lack of Bluetooth is a huge obstacle. With cheaper hearing devices, when you attempt to amplify phone calls, your device will amplify every little sound, like your lips or ears rubbing against the phone, or clothing and hair.

More advanced hearing aids are digital and utilize Bluetooth connectivity to connect directly to your phone. This state-of-the-art feature ensures that when your daughter talks on the other end, her voice is sent directly into your hearing aids, improving clarity and overall communication.

They were never meant to treat hearing loss

This could come as a surprise because so many people think otherwise. PSAPs were never designed for people with hearing loss. They were designed to amplify sound for people who have relatively good hearing.

Cheap devices may help a little if you only have slight hearing loss. But they won’t be of much use for people who actually need hearing aids.

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 possibilities, leasing programs, and more affordable brands. The first step is to get a hearing test if you suspect 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.