We've all seen them. Ads for hearing aids for $29.95! Sounds like a pretty good deal since Audiologist prescribed hearing aids can be pretty expensive (about $500, up to $7,000) and are not covered by most Insurance programs.
I cannot stand them! Infomercials or Companies selling hearing aids by mail!
Here's my list of why I despise them:
1. They cannot be adjusted to fit your particular hearing loss. Are you missing the low sounds, or the high pitches? These "instant hearing aids" will not cater to that specific loss, it will just amplify everything. Since they amplify everything, they could be detrimental to your hearing in the first place! If you only have a high pitch loss, and these hearing aids are amplifying everything, you'll soon lose the low pitches as well.
2. The "earmold" are not custom made to fit your ear. For a hearing aid to properly work, it has to fit snugly in the ear. These "plugs" often wiggle loose and fall out when moving your head (as read on a lot of customer review sites). .When this happens there's a lot of feedback noise of whistling and squealing that can be annoying to everyone around you.
3. Do you really know if your hearing loss is an ACTUAL hearing loss? It could just be from wax build up, an ear infection, or a sinus cold.
4. Exaggerated Claims! These infomercials claim "you'll hear a whisper across the room" Well that won't happen without amplifying the regular sounds near you louder! Or showing everyone cheering at a sporting event, and the wearer isn't cringing from the sound around them?
5. No more batteries! Sure, that's all great and good, but what happens when the hearing aid dies before you're ready to take it off and put it on the charger? If you're out with family and friends, you could just switch out batteries and then life continues. What about the instant hearing aid? You going to carry the charger everywhere? Or tell everyone to shut up while you charge it?
So if you think you have a hearing loss, go see your doctor to determine the actual cause. You may then be referred to an Audiologist for testing, there you two can determine the best course of action to improve your hearing. Not from some damn commercial!