Remember when you used to be able to get those gallon buckets of ice cream at the supermarket? As a kid, they were the best thing ever because they offered an entire gallon of ice cream, that’s a lot of frozen custard and high-fructose corn syrup!
But you start to become more particular in your taste as you mature. Your ice cream tastes become more specialized and you have a tendency to go for your favorite brand. Those little containers start to become more enticing.
But you will still probably go for that big bucket if you’re having a big dinner party. There are pros and cons to each choice. In some situations, you will want to go for the specialized option, and in others, the generic will be a better solution.
Of course, we’re also talking about hearing aids here. How effective are those new over-the-counter hearing aids? Well, it’s much like that ice cream: it depends on what your goals are.
There can be real detrimental effects from hearing loss
Hearing loss can have a significant impact on your day-to-day experiences. When you have untreated hearing loss, you can experience social isolation, it’s more difficult to have even basic conversations, so you avoid situations where you confront other individuals who might want to talk to you.
This can cause you to feel removed from your family and friends. You even steer clear of the cashier at the supermarket. It’s lonely. And it can lead to a faster mental decline as you age.
So not only are you missing out on conversations with your loved ones (making holidays and birthdays a lot less fun, for instance), but you have other health problems to worry about also!
How do over-the-counter hearing aids work?
It’s not difficult to understand why people would want to move towards hearing aids that can be purchased easily, given the health repercussions of hearing loss.
By their very nature, over-the-counter hearing aids are made to be convenient. You simply go into your local pharmacy and you never have to make an appointment with a hearing specialist. You’re on your way home right after you get and pay for these devices. They essentially amplify all of the sound around you.
Your life can be significantly and positively impacted by this.
In some cases over-the-counter hearing aids can work
Over-the-counter hearing aids began appearing on store shelves in late 2022 after the Food and Drug Administration made changes to certain rules that allowed for their broader distribution. The rule change focused on getting hearing aids to more people who really need them for their neglected hearing loss.
You’ve always had to go through somewhat of a process to get prescription hearing aids. And in some cases, that process can keep people away. Over-the-counter hearing aids may not be a bad solution for individuals who just aren’t ready to deal with the process. But over-the-counter hearing aids were not designed to take the place of their prescription counterparts.
But this means that some of the burden of understanding when over-the-counter hearing aids are or aren’t the best option lies with the individual.
What’s the difference between over-the-counter and prescription hearing aids?
In general, OTC hearing aids aren’t quite as powerful, efficient, or customizable as prescription hearing aids. They will also not fit quite as well, and they won’t be personalized to your needs.
So, are over-the-counter hearing aids worthwhile at all? There actually can be some advantages to an OTC in particular circumstances. OTC hearing aids may be the best option if:
- Your hearing loss is in the early phases and is very simple. For mild cases of hearing loss, these devices will work ok.
- You keep a pair on hand just in case your prescription hearing aids need to go in for maintenance.
- You’ve consulted your hearing specialist, and they endorse using an OTC hearing aid. (For optimum outcomes, ask your hearing specialist to go over settings and style types that may work best for you.)
- You have no intention of getting your hearing checked. (You absolutely should. But we also recognize that some individuals simply never will.) Generally speaking, using an OTC hearing aid will be better than using no hearing aid.
Usually, OTC hearing aids are sold with certain presets already in place. If your hearing loss is in the lower frequencies, some models will be the right choice and if you have high-frequency hearing loss other models will be the best option. (So before you buy a hearing aid, you should certainly get a better concept of your level and type of hearing loss.).
OTC hearing aids are often not the right option
So are there negative aspects to OTC hearing aids? Are there adverse side effects of over-the-counter hearing aids?
Well, let’s just say that OTC hearing aids aren’t a great fit for everyone in every circumstance. Generally, OTC hearing aids might not be the right solution for you if:
- Is the money you paid really worth it if that OTC hearing aid is that much lower in power?
- You’re only interested in OTC hearing aids because you think they cost a lot less. Well, prescription hearing aids often don’t cost a great deal more than OTC hearing aids.
- When you’re in complex and noisy settings, you need to be able to hear. Depending on what surroundings you need to hear in and precisely what you’re listening to, prescription hearing aids can be personalized for those situations.
- OTC hearing aids are not custom fit the way you may need them to be. Sometimes, you might need something with a custom fit, which is only possible with a prescription hearing aid.
- Your hearing loss has progressed to a fairly severe stage. More severe cases of hearing loss will require a more powerful prescription hearing aid while mild cases may do fine with OTC hearing aids.
- Exactly which hearing aid to purchase is still unknown to you: The wrong hearing aids can actually make your hearing worse for someone who has hearing loss. (It’s comparable to using really loud earbuds.)
What are the risks of over-the-counter hearing aids? You could be wasting good money and further damaging your ears by using OTC hearing aids if they’re not the best solution for your distinct hearing loss.
Either way, you should consult a hearing specialist
OTC hearing aids are suitable for some individuals and prescription hearing aids are the best choice for others. Whichever decision is best for your situation, your hearing aids will work better after you have an appointment with us.
You will be able to get better treatment once you understand more about your hearing loss. Whether your hearing loss requires prescription hearing aids or OTC hearing aids, we can help you get the best treatment for your situation.
Similarly, we can help you better adjust to a new set of hearing aids, and get the most out of the technology.
Make an appointment with us so we can help you determine what hearing aid type is best for you.