Hearing about the new Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids in the media? Wondering if they are right for you?

Please read these actual reviews from a leading Big Box selling hearing aids. “Didn’t fit in one ear. Amplification was good, but they didn’t fit” “Never got to use them because I could never figure out how to.”

“Poor quality, too expensive for the equipment, damaged, a representative from the company did not return my call. RETURNED!”

“Not as good as I had hoped. Need better hearing aids.”

“Sound quality is not good at all…very soft sounding. Almost like an ear plug. Style is nice, though. Too bad they do not work better.”

“Toggle switch for volume broke on day one. And that matters; if you don’t have both sides on the same setting, the sound is unbalanced.”

These issues could have been avoided by seeking help and guidance from a doctor of audiology. So please, to avoid disappointment and unnecessarily spending your hard-earned money, reach out to an educated professional to discuss your hearing instrument options.

OTC Hearing Aids —

What do you need to know?

While a hearing evaluation is not required, the FDA stresses that IT IS RECOMMENDED to find out if an OTC hearing aid device will be appropriate for the consumer. This would include ruling out issues like wax blocking the ear canals, fluid in the middle ear space, asymmetric hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo, or other medical conditions causing hearing loss that might can be treated medically. Being evaluated and receiving a complete audiological workup by a doctor of audiology is recommended to know what is BEST for your individual hearing healthcare needs!

• Over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids are devices that make ALL sounds louder.
• Are approved for adults 18 years of age and older.
• Are indicated for individuals with a mild-to-moderate FLAT hearing loss (which can ONLY be determined by a complete audiological evaluation). Only about 2% of the hearing-impaired population!
• Are available in stores or online. The consumer is responsible for setting up the device which includes fitting and tuning the sound.

OTC hearing aids are meant to be less expensive than professionally fitted hearing aids. Reason for lower cost include technology differences and buying only the device and not any professional services. Current estimates are that OTC hearing aids will cost between $300 and $600 per device, although devices like Eargo can cost $2650 and Lively $1695. Consumers can find medical grade hearing aids set exactly to their prescription needs through audiologists – at this price point and below. Over-the-counter hearing aids are nothing new to the industry, they will just be more readily available. What are my chances of being satisfied with an over-the-counter hearing aid? Studies show “premium” hearing aids have the highest user satisfaction. They provide a more comfortable sound quality with better clarity and speech understanding. An over-the-counter hearing aid is not sophisticated enough to deliver what consumers need. Studies have shown that it takes an average of seven years for a person to come to terms with hearing loss and pursue treatment. Our hope is that allowing for some amplification sooner in that time span will allow those having trouble to get the help they need. We hear with our brain, not our ears, and the sooner we give that speech processing center of the brain the auditory stimulation it needs, the more we can keep the decline in speech understanding and processing at bay. So, just like the saying goes, “You’ve got to use it or lose it.”  Successfully wearing hearing aids 10 or more hours a day can keep your brain more cognitively fit! Many of you come to see us because you know we care about your hearing health and will be honest with you. Honestly, we wish hearing aids alone could help people hear. Truth be told, hearing well through hearing aids is a service and maintenance game. If hearing aids alone could solve your hearing issues, we would be out of business. Your journey to better hearing healthcare begins the day hearing aids are fit.  Care, maintenance, and service are always needed from your hearing healthcare provider for true benefit and success.

Why See an Audiologist?

Hearing aids require programming to your hearing needs and to be physically fit to the unique ear canal size and shape of your ears. Hearing loss is like the thumb print, unique to each patient. There are no two ears the same. REAL 100% DIGITAL HEARING AIDS are medical devices calibrated exactly to the patient’s hearing prescription. For example, many patients hearing configuration requires speech and speech understanding to be made louder and clearer, but not the car engine or any other motor noises. This can only be accomplished with medical grade devices set exactly to that patient needs. Over-the-counter devices will make ALL things louder, often resulting in the car engine being louder than the speech you needed to hear. Ongoing Hearing Care Is Key! Hearing aid mechanics, exposure to moisture and wax, ear wax build-up in your ears, and ALL the maintenance required to continually manage this ever-evolving situation are why our doctors get to know our patients so well. At Physicians Hearing Center, our service does not end when you purchase hearing aids. We provide FREE ongoing hearing aid care for ALL hearing aids purchased from our office! No extra service plan needed. Research indicates hearing aid users benefit from the help and knowledge from their hearing care provider. Patients require HELP and there is an 85% patient satisfaction rating when devices are fit, delivered, and serviced by a doctor of audiology. The next time you wonder if purchasing hearing devices online, over the counter, without service, and/or through a big box store, remember that it is all about getting them fit, serviced, and maintained. We eventually end up seeing those who have tried any/all the above. With that said, our recommendations to anyone considering OTC hearing aids are:

1. First get a diagnostic hearing evaluation from a doctor of audiology. This testing is covered in part or completely by insurance.
2. OTC devices may be appropriate for physically and cognitively healthy individuals over age 18 with mild to moderate losses that are symmetrical (one ear is no better than the other).
3. When the above criteria are not met, if there is tinnitus (noise in the ears), if there are other atypical ear/hearing/balance symptoms present, and/or if their hearing loss is causing a significant impact on their quality of life, patients should seek rehabilitative care from an audiologist.

WHY CHOOSE US?

Our job as your audiology care team is to meet you wherever you are on your hearing journey. Since 1977, our ENT physicians and doctors of audiology have been committed to life-changing hearing healthcare. This team approach makes Physicians Hearing Center uniquely equipped to oversee all your hearing healthcare needs. Physicians directed hearing healthcare gives our hearing center an advantage over others. Finding a provider with EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION matters when treating your hearing needs. Trust your hearing to our experts. We listen so you can hear! At Physicians Hearing Center, we provide an array of hearing aids because we understand that not every hearing aid fits every person. Afterall, a person’s ear, hearing loss, and individual needs are just as unique as their fingerprint. Once a diagnostic audiological evaluation has been completed, our doctors will be able to recommend the best hearing aid choice for your type and degree of hearing loss, budget, and lifestyle. We offer all makes and models of hearing devices to meet your preference and keep stock in office for same day fittings. Hearing Healthcare is a privilege, and our goal is simple:  to provide quality, compassionate, evidence-based care to create hearing that is life-changing every day. Dr. Julie Ann Rikard