Finding a bargain just feels good, right? It can be exhilarating when you’ve received a good deal on something, and the bigger discount, the more pleased you are. It’s a little too easy, then, to make the price your chief criteria, to always go for the least expensive option, to let your coupons make your consumer decisions for you. When it comes to investing in a pair of hearing aids, chasing a bargain can be a huge oversight.
Health repercussions can result from going for the cheapest option if you need hearing aids to manage hearing loss. After all, the entire point of using hearing aids is to be able to hear clearly and to prevent health issues related to hearing loss like cognitive decline, depression, and an increased chance of falls. The trick is to find the hearing aid that best fits your lifestyle, your hearing requirements, and your budget.
Choosing affordable hearing aids – some tips
Affordable is not the same thing as cheap. Affordability, as well as functionality, are what you should be looking for. That will help you get the most ideal hearing aid possible for your personal budget. These tips will help.
Tip #1: Research before you buy: Affordable hearing aids exist
Hearing aid’s reputation for being very pricey is not always reflected in the reality of the situation. Most manufacturers sell hearing aids in a broad range of price points and work with financing companies to make their devices more affordable. If you’ve started searching the bargain bin for hearing aids because you’ve already decided that really good effective models are out of reach, it could have serious health repercussions.
Tip #2: Ask what’s covered
Insurance might cover some or all of the costs related to getting a hearing aid. Actually, some states mandate that insurance cover them for both kids and adults. Asking never hurts. If you’re a veteran, you might be eligible for hearing aids through government programs.
Tip #3: Look for hearing aids that can be tuned to your hearing loss
Hearing aids are, in some aspects, similar to prescription glasses. Depending on your sense of fashion, the frame comes in a few options, but the exact prescription differs significantly from person to person. Hearing aids, too, have specific settings, which we can calibrate for you, personalized to your exact needs.
You’re not going to get the same results by grabbing some cheap hearing device from the clearance shelf (or any useful results at all in many instances). These amplification devices boost all frequencies rather than boosting only the frequencies you’re having a hard time hearing. Why is this so significant? Hearing loss is often irregular, you can hear certain frequencies and sounds, but not others. If you boost all frequencies, the ones you have no trouble hearing will be too loud. You will probably end up not using this cheap amplification device because it doesn’t solve your real issue.
Tip #4: Not all hearing aids have the same features
There’s a tendency to view all of the great technology in modern hearing aids and think that it’s all extra, just bells and whistles. The problem is that in order to hear sounds clearly (sounds such as, you know, bells and whistles), you most likely need some of that technology. The specialized technology in hearing aids can be tuned in to the user’s level of hearing loss. Many modern models have artificial intelligence that helps filter out background noise or connect with each other to help you hear better. Additionally, taking into account where (and why) you’ll be using your aids will help you select a model that fits your lifestyle.
That technology is necessary to compensate for your hearing loss in a healthy way. Hearing aids are a lot more sophisticated than a basic, tiny speaker that boosts the volume of everything. And that brings up our last tip.
Tip #5: A hearing amplification device is not a hearing aid
Okay, repeat after me: A hearing aid is not the same thing as a hearing amplification device. This is the number one takeaway from this article. Because hearing amplification devices try really hard to make you believe they do the same thing as a hearing aid for a fraction of the price. But that’s untruthful marketing.
Let’s take a closer look. An amplifier:
- Gives the user the ability to adjust the basic volume but that’s about it.
- Is typically cheaply made.
- Turns up the volume on all sounds.
On the other hand, a hearing aid:
- Is tuned to amplify only the frequencies you have trouble hearing.
- Has the capability to adjust settings when you change locations.
- Can minimize background noise.
- Will help safeguard your hearing health.
- Is adjusted specifically to your hearing loss symptoms by a highly qualified hearing professional.
- Has long-lasting batteries.
- Can identify and boost specific sound types (such as the human voice).
- Can be molded specifically to your ears for optimal comfort.
Your hearing deserves better than cheap
Everyone has a budget, and that budget is going to limit your hearing aid options regardless of what price range you’re looking in.
That’s why we normally highlight the affordable part of this. When it comes to hearing loss, the long term advantages of hearing loss management and hearing aids is well recognized. This is why an affordable solution is where your attention should be. Don’t forget, cheap is less than your hearing deserves.”