Remember when you used to be able to get those gallon buckets of ice cream at the supermarket? An entire gallon of ice cream, yum!
But you start to become more particular in your taste as you get older. You begin opting for the more specialized ice cream: the Turkey Hill, the Tillamook, the Ben & Jerry’s. All of a sudden, those littler containers are the ones that are appealing.
But you will still probably go for that big bucket if you’re hosting a big dinner party. There are benefits and drawbacks to each choice. In some circumstances, you will want to go with the specialized selection, and in others, the generic will be a better solution.
Of course, we’re also talking about hearing aids here. How good are those new over-the-counter hearing aids? Well, much like our ice cream illustration, it depends on what you want to do.
Hearing loss can have serious impacts
Your day-to-day life can be seriously effected by hearing loss. When you have untreated hearing loss, you can encounter social solitude, it’s harder to carry on even basic conversations, so you stay away from situations where you confront other individuals who might want to speak with you.
This can make you feel distant from your family and friends. You even avoid the cashier at the grocery store. It isn’t a happy way to live. And it can bring about a faster cognitive decline as you age.
So not only are you failing to hear conversations with your loved ones (making holidays and birthdays a lot less fun, for example), but you have other health issues to worry about also!
How do over-the-counter hearing aids work?
It isn’t difficult to understand why people would want to move towards hearing aids that can be bought easily, given the health consequences of hearing loss.
By their very nature, over-the-counter hearing aids are made to be convenient. Instead of going to see a hearing specialist and getting fitted for hearing aids, you just go into your local pharmacy. You pick up a set of these devices, pay for them, and go home. Once you put them in, they function to boost the sound around you.
This can have a profoundly positive impact on your life.
Over-the-counter hearing aids can do the trick in some situations
Over-the-counter hearing aids started to appear on store shelves in late 2022 after the Food and Drug Administration made some rule changes that allowed for their broader distribution. The idea was that if hearing aids were more readily available, you’d end up with fewer people who had neglected hearing loss.
You’ve always had to go through somewhat of a process to acquire prescription hearing aids. And in some cases, that process can keep people away. For individuals who aren’t quite ready to take the step, over-the-counter hearing aids could be a good option. But over-the-counter hearing aids were never designed to take the place of their prescription counterparts.
But this means that some of the burden of recognizing when over-the-counter hearing aids are or aren’t the appropriate choice lies with the individual.
How are OTC hearing aids different from prescription hearing aids?
In general, OTC hearing aids aren’t quite as powerful, capable, or customizable as prescription hearing aids. They will also not fit quite as well, and they won’t be customized to your needs.
So is there anything helpful or positive about OTC hearing aids? Well, yes, in certain cases. OTC hearing aids may be the best choice if:
- You’re never going to get a hearing test. (You really should. But we also recognize that some people just never will.) An OTC hearing aid is typically better than no hearing aid at all.
- You want a spare pair to use for emergencies.
- You have really simple or early-stage hearing loss. For mild instances of hearing loss, these devices will work ok.
- You’ve checked with your hearing specialist, and they suggest using an OTC hearing aid. (Hopefully, your hearing specialist will even recommend which style or type, and what settings will work best.)
It’s fairly common for OTC presets to be pre-programmed when you buy them. Some types are more effective for low-frequency hearing loss, others may be effective for high-frequency hearing loss. (This is why it’s good to understand more about your own hearing loss before you purchase any hearing aid, OTC or not).
OTC hearing aids are often not the best option
So are there downsides to OTC hearing aids? Will you experience undesirable effects from OTC hearing aids?
Well, let’s just say that OTC hearing aids aren’t a good fit for everyone in every situation. Generally, OTC hearing aids might not be the right solution for you if:
- Your hearing loss has advanced to a fairly profound stage. While OTC hearing aids can be good for less significant hearing loss, severe hearing loss will require something more powerful and more sophisticated.
- You’re only thinking about OTC hearing aids because you think they cost a lot less. OTC hearing aids are usually nearly as expensive as their prescription-only counterparts.
- You don’t know exactly which hearing aid to purchase: For some people with hearing loss, the wrong hearing aids can actually harm their ears. (It’s comparable to wearing really loud earbuds.)
- A less expensive hearing aid that doesn’t sufficiently treat your hearing loss most likely isn’t worth the money you paid for it.
- You need to hear in challenging or noisy environments. Depending on what surroundings you need to hear in and exactly what you’re listening to, prescription hearing aids can be customized for those situations.
- Your hearing aids don’t fit very well. A custom fit is sometimes necessary for some people and OTC hearing aids don’t allow for this.
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.
See a hearing specialist either way
OTC hearing aids are suitable for some individuals and prescription hearing aids are a good fit for others. Whichever option is best for your situation, your hearing aids will work better after you get an appointment with us.
You will be able to get better treatment once you understand more about your hearing loss. Whether your hearing loss calls for prescription hearing aids or OTC hearing aids, we can help you get the best treatment for your circumstance.
We can also help you get the most out of your new technology.
Make an appointment with us so we can help you find out what hearing aid type is best for you.