Finding a bargain just feels good, right? It can be invigorating when you’ve found a good deal on something, and the bigger discount, the more satisfied you are. So letting your coupon make your shopping decisions for you, always looking for the least expensive items, is all too easy. When it comes to investing in a pair of hearing aids, going after a bargain can be a big oversight.
Health repercussions can result from going for the cheapest option if you need hearing aids to treat hearing loss. After all, the whole point of using hearing aids is to be able to hear clearly and to prevent health issues related to hearing loss like mental decline, depression, and an increased chance of falls. The trick is to find the hearing aid that best suits your lifestyle, your hearing needs, and your budget.
Choosing affordable hearing aids – some tips
Cheap and affordable aren’t necessarily the same thing. Affordability, and functionality, are what you should be looking for. That will help you find the most ideal hearing aid possible for your individual budget. These are helpful tips.
Tip #1: Research before you buy: Affordable hearing aids are available
Hearing aid’s reputation for being extremely pricey is not necessarily reflected in the reality of the situation. The majority of 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 already decided that the most effective hearing aids are too expensive, you’re probably more inclined to search the bargain bin than look for affordable and effective options, and that can have a lasting, negative impact on your hearing and overall health.
Tip #2: Find out what your insurance will cover
Insurance may cover some or all of the costs associated with getting a hearing aid. Some states, in fact, have laws requiring insurance companies to cover hearing aids for children or adults. It never hurts to ask. There are government programs that frequently provide hearing aids for veterans.
Tip #3: Find hearing aids that can be tuned to your hearing loss
In some ways, your hearing aids are a lot like prescription glasses. The frame is rather universal (depending on your sense of fashion, of course), but the prescription is calibrated for your distinct needs. Hearing aids, too, have specific settings, which we can calibrate for you, personalized to your precise needs.
You won’t get the same benefits by grabbing some cheap hearing device from the clearance shelf (or, in many cases, results that are even slightly helpful). These amplification devices increase all frequencies rather than boosting only the frequencies you’re having trouble with. What’s the significance of this? Hearing loss is often irregular, you can hear some frequencies and sounds, but not others. If you boost all frequencies, the ones you have no trouble hearing will be too loud. You will most likely end up not using this cheap amplification device because it doesn’t solve your real issue.
Tip #4: Different hearing aids have different functions
There’s a temptation to look at all of the great technology in modern hearing aids and imagine that it’s all extra, just bells and whistles. But you will need some of that technology to hear sounds properly. The specialized technology in hearing aids can be dialed in to the user’s level of hearing loss. Many modern models have artificial intelligence that helps block 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 choose a model that fits your lifestyle.
That technology is essential to compensate for your hearing loss in a healthy way. Hearing aids are much more advanced than a basic, tiny speaker that boosts the volume of everything. Which brings us to our last tip.
Tip #5: An amplification device is not the same thing as a hearing aid
Alright, repeat after me: A hearing aid is not the same thing as a hearing amplification device. If you take nothing else away from this article, we hope it’s that. Because the makers of amplification devices have a monetary interest in persuading the consumer that their devices do what hearing aids do. But that’s dishonest marketing.
Let’s break it down. An amplifier:
- Gives the user the ability to adjust the basic volume but that’s about all.
- Turns up the volume on all sounds.
- Is typically cheaply made.
A hearing aid, conversely:
- Can pick out and amplify specific sound categories (like the human voice).
- Will help you preserve the health of your hearing.
- Can minimize background noise.
- Has batteries that are long lasting.
- Boosts the frequencies that you have a difficult time hearing and leaves the frequencies you can hear alone.
- Can be molded specifically to your ears for optimal comfort.
- Can be programmed with various settings for different locations.
- Is adjusted specifically to your hearing loss symptoms by a highly skilled hearing professional.
Your ability to hear is too crucial to go cheap
Everyone has a budget, and that budget is going to restrict your hearing aid options no matter what price range you’re looking in.
This is why an affordable option tends to be the emphasis. The long-term advantages of hearing aids and hearing loss management are well documented. This is why an affordable solution is where your attention should be. Don’t forget, cheap is less than your hearing deserves.”