There is a growing trend of people buying them without consulting hearing health professionals. Unfortunately, this creates many problems for those who purchase hearing aids online and in stores. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the issues you might encounter if you try to use a hearing aid without consultation from a hearing health professional.
Over-The-Counter Hearing Aids Don’t Fit Properly
One of the biggest problems with over-the-counter hearing aids is that they often don’t fit properly. This can cause a number of issues, including feedback and poor sound quality. In addition, improper fitting can also lead to discomfort and even pain in the ear. Over-the-counter hearing aids are often sold without any type of consultation or fitting from a hearing health professional, which can lead to discomfort or even injury if the hearing aid is not fit correctly or if the patient has a specific medical condition.
Over-The-Counter Hearing Aids Not Always Treat Hearing Loss Effectively
Another common problem with over-the-counter hearing aids is that they are not always effective in treating hearing loss. This is because they are not custom-fitted to each individual’s needs, which means that they might not be able to provide the same level of amplification or clarity as a custom-fit hearing aid would. People with mild to moderate hearing loss can sometimes benefit from over-the-counter hearing aids. Still, those with more significant losses will likely find that these devices don’t provide enough amplification.
No Studies Done on Over-The-Counter Hearing Aids
This product has been available for decades, but there have never been any reviews or studies done on whether it really works like it’s supposed to work. The simple fact that you can’t try them out before buying means the hearing aids will likely be uncomfortable when inserted into the ears of different people.
Over-The-Counter Hearing Aids Doesn’t Have All the Features
Over-the-counter hearing aids also don’t come with many features, which would make them worth getting over more expensive options. Sometimes these over-the-counter hearing aids only amplify all sounds instead of helping us focus on certain noises while filtering out others, so we end up turning down the volume even further. For example, many over-the-counter models do not have directional microphones, which can be very helpful for people who have difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments.
Buyer’s Remorse
Another problem with over-the-counter hearing aids is that many people tend to buy them as an impulse purchase. This means that they may be more likely to abandon their use after just a few weeks because of discomfort or irritation from wearing them for long periods of time each day. This can lead to frustration and wasted money on products that will never get used again.
In addition, it would be difficult for consumers who have purchased these types of devices in the past to return them for this reason without incurring additional costs such as restocking fees or higher shipping rates. One study found that people who used over-the-counter hearing aids were more likely to report difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments than those who used prescribed devices.
Over-The-Counter Hearing Aids Are Not Regulated by The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Over-the-counter hearing aids are not regulated by the FDA, which means they may not meet the same safety and quality standards as those sold by hearing health professionals. The earpieces are also cheaply made. This means that they can break easily or even leak after just a few uses, which is not good for your hearing in the long run.
Why Hearing Aids Are Important
Hearing aids are an important device for people who have trouble hearing. It has been estimated that more than 20% of the US population has some kind of mild to moderate hearing loss. While there is a wide range in severity among them all, it can be hard to get a proper diagnosis without going through hearing health professionals or medical tests.
This means that everyone with some level of impaired eardrum function will likely need a hearing aid at one point during their lives if they want to continue living normally under normal conditions. However, even though these devices are necessary for millions upon millions around the world every day, only about 30% actually go out and buy one.
Over-the-counter hearing aids can be problematic for a number of reasons. Therefore, if you’re considering purchasing one, it’s important to consult with hearing health professionals to ensure that it is the right choice for you.
If you’re experiencing any problems with your current hearing aid, don’t hesitate to contact us at Hear Again America at (877) 905-9493 for assistance or to learn more. We would be happy to help!