Over-the-counter hearing aid options are showing up more frequently in stores and online. These devices are meant to make it easier to get help for hearing loss. They also increase the affordability of devices. Unfortunately, using over-the-counter hearing aids has caused quite a bit of concern among both medical experts and the government. Some states are even issuing warnings about the number of complaints they’re receiving from patients.
Don’t Skip a Hearing Test
One main concern of over-the-counter hearing aids is that you skip over important steps in the process, such as getting a hearing evaluation and hearing test. Without these steps, it’s impossible to know which solution is right for you. You may also miss signs that your hearing loss is related to other health concerns. Hearing tests also let you know how to program the device to hear best.
Not All Hearing Loss Is Equal
In general, people tend to think of hearing loss as a kind of lowering of the volume meter on your ears. When you do that on your stereo (or your phone, as the kids do), the effect is immediate: everything gets quiet.
But real hearing loss is more like messing with the levels on a high-end stereo (or your audio app on your computer–look, youths, you’ll just have to use your imagination). That’s because hearing loss tends to be asymmetrical, impacting this frequency or that wavelength before others. If your hearing aid–OTC or otherwise–is not precisely calibrated for your particular hearing loss, you could end up damaging your overall hearing.
The most advanced OTC hearing aids do a pretty good job of displaying on their packaging which wavelengths they are amplifying, so anyone with a recent audiogram can make a relatively educated choice about which model to purchase. But when your hearing loss is particularly complex, OTC hearing aids may not offer the kind of customization you’ll need.
How to Be Smart with Your Hearing Aid Choices
Consumers have more options in terms of devices to help with hearing than at any point in history. But it’s also more difficult to make some decisions because there are so many options. This is analysis paralysis–you probably experience it most intensely when you’re trying to find something to watch on Netflix.
Here are a few ways you can make some smart choices with your hearing aids:
Make sure you’re not purchasing a hearing amplifier. One problem that consumers have run into is telling the difference between an OTC hearing aid and a hearing amplifier. Where a hearing aid will increase only certain wavelengths of sound, a hearing amplifier will just turn the volume up on everything. And that can be bad for your ears in the long run. After all, you likely don’t need all frequencies to be louder – just the ones that you can’t hear right now.
Talk to your hearing specialist. Whether you opt to go OTC or not, it’s incredibly important to talk with your hearing specialist. That’s because your hearing specialist will have a good idea of just how complex your hearing loss is. An OTC hearing aid may not be a good fit. Your hearing specialist will also be able to provide you with an audiogram, so you’ll be able to choose the right OTC hearing aid for your needs.
Over-the-counter hearing aids can cause some problems. But it’s important to remember that most of these problems can be easily solved with a little personal education and a professional evaluation. Hearing is crucial to your overall health. It pays to get evaluated.
