The Truth About Cheap “Hearing Aids”

The term “cheap” has dual meanings. On the one hand, it implies affordability, a sensible option for a budget-conscious individual. But we’ve all heard the phrase “You get what you pay for”, and in this example, the word “cheap” indicates low-quality hearing aids.

Regrettably, differentiating between a thrifty purchase and an item of minimal value is often challenging. This is especially true in terms of hearing aids.

With hearing aids, the axiom “you get what you pay for” is particularly true. This doesn’t necessarily imply opting for the top-tier option, but rather, scrutinizing offerings that boast a price tag too appealing to be genuine. Companies marketing cheap hearing devices frequently leave out important details about their products that customers should be aware of.

They typically just amplify sound

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

The purpose of having a hearing aid is completely defeated if it also amplifies undesirable sound.

A modern state-of-the-art hearing aid, in comparison, does a lot more than just crank the volume up. It skillfully manages sound, improving the clarity of desired sounds while reducing background sound. Authentic hearing aids are tailored to your particular hearing requirements, closely simulating natural hearing with increased accuracy.

Hearing aids vs. PSAPs

The Food and Drug Administration has written guidelines for those who sell hearing devices and have strict rules as to what can be called hearing aids.

Unfortunately, many personal sound amplification products PSAPs are incorrectly marketed as hearing aids even though they only amplify sound.

There are many legit and reputable companies that comply with appropriate marketing. But you may find some uninformed salespeople or products on Amazon or eBay that mislead consumers into thinking that these devices meet the definition of a hearing aid. You may even find some that claim that they’re FDA-approved when that’s actually false.

They’re not inclusive for most types of hearing loss

The majority of people who lose their hearing will slowly lose certain frequencies of sound before others. For instance, you might have no problems 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 just turning up the overall volume will not be sufficient for individuals who have a hard time hearing particular frequencies. Furthermore, turning up the volume significantly to hear the sound of your granddaughter playing on the floor may lead to your adult son’s speech sounding like a roar, potentially contributing to hearing loss if subjected to high volumes for prolonged periods.

High-quality hearing aids provide a solution by being programmable to compensate for the loss of particular frequencies. They can automatically adjust the frequency you struggle to hear to one that is more audible, delivering a more tailored and effective hearing experience.

You may get a lot of feedback

Cheap hearing aids are typically not custom fit to your ears. A feedback loop is frequently the result of poorly fitting hearing aids. As the speaker in your ear wiggles around, the microphone picks up the sound. This will generate a deafening screech.

They normally don’t have cellphone support

When people are looking for a budget-friendly device, they frequently sacrifice functionality like Bluetooth connectivity. When considering phone connectivity, the absence of Bluetooth is a significant obstacle. Trying to amplify a cheap hearing aid while on the phone leads to capturing not just the caller’s voice but also the sounds of your ear, lips, clothing, and hair brushing against the phone, making it even more difficult to hear the person on the other end.

In comparison, digital hearing aids utilize telecoil or Bluetooth technology, establishing a wireless connection between your hearing aid and the phone. Overall communication and clarity will be enhanced so you can be certain you will hear your daughter’s voice on the phone.

They were never meant to treat hearing loss

Most people would most likely be surprised by this. These amplifiers were never intended to treat hearing loss. They were designed to amplify sound for individuals who have fairly good hearing.

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

Where can you get 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 possibilities, leasing plans, and more affordable brands. If you suspect you have hearing loss, start by getting checked out. Schedule an appointment with us so we can help you find the best and most affordable hearing aids for your level and type of hearing loss.