The Truth About Cheap “Hearing Aids”

The word “cheap” has dual meanings. For anyone on a small budget, it means “affordability”. But we’ve all heard the saying “You get what you pay for”, and in this example, the term “cheap” suggests low-quality hearing aids.

Unfortunately, determining whether you’re getting a great deal from whether you’re getting a very low-quality device can be challenging. This is especially true in terms of hearing aids.

The saying “you get what you pay for” is especially relevant with hearing aids. This doesn’t always mean going for the top-tier option, but rather, scrutinizing products that boast a price tag too appealing to be genuine. Customers need to be aware that important information is often left out of the marketing campaigns of cheap hearing aids.

They often just amplify sound

Cheap “hearing aids” generally provide limited functionality, mainly amplifying or decreasing overall volume. When you just amplify everything, the sounds you want to hear better are amplified but so are unwanted background noise you don’t want.

If everything is louder, it entirely defeats the purpose of having a hearing aid.

A modern state-of-the-art hearing aid, in contrast, does much more than simply turn the volume up. It skillfully manages sound, maximizing the clarity of desired sounds while tuning out background noise. Authentic hearing aids mimic natural hearing with great accuracy and are custom programmed to your specific hearing needs.

PSAPs vs. Hearing Aids

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

Sadly, there are many devices out there that are advertised as hearing aids when they’re actually personal sound amplification products (PSAPs), named such because they can only amplify sound.

There are many legit and reputable companies that comply with correct marketing. But there are some sellers, especially online, that may be misinformed about what characterizes the difference between hearing aids and PSAPs, and as a result, they put out misleading claims about their products. You may even find some that claim that they’re approved by the FDA when that’s actually false.

They aren’t helpful for most types of hearing loss

Most individuals who lose their hearing will slowly lose certain frequencies of sound before others. For instance, you may have no trouble hearing a man with a low voice, but have difficulty with a woman’s or child’s voice, finding it difficult to comprehend.

You get total amplification with cheap hearing aids. However, if you have trouble with specific frequencies, merely increasing the volume proves inadequate. And turning up the overall volume could lead to added damage to your hearing because the frequencies you don’t have trouble with will be booming in your ears.

High-quality hearing aids provide a solution by being programmable to make up for the loss of specific 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 a problem

You won’t get a custom fit with cheap hearing aids. Without that custom fit, you’ll generate a feedback loop. As the speaker in your ear wiggles around, the microphone picks up the sound. What does this sound like? An ear-shattering screech.

They normally don’t have cellphone support

When people are looking for a budget-friendly device, they frequently sacrifice functionality like Bluetooth capability. When thinking about phone connectivity, the lack of Bluetooth is a significant obstacle. With cheaper hearing devices, when you try to amplify phone calls, your device will amplify every little sound, like your ears or lips brushing on the phone, or clothing and hair.

In comparison, digital hearing aids use 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 sure you will hear your daughter’s voice on the phone.

They aren’t made for people with hearing loss

Most individuals would most likely be surprised by this. PSAPs were never designed for people with 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 slight hearing loss. But they won’t be of much help for people who actually need hearing aids.

Finding quality, affordable hearing aids

Obtaining affordable quality hearing aids is not hard. They might even be covered by insurance or other third parties. You can also find financing possibilities, leasing programs, and more affordable brands. If you think you have hearing loss, begin by getting checked out. 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.