Saving money just feels good, right? Getting a good deal can be exhilarating, and more gratifying the bigger the bargain. So letting your coupon make your buying decisions for you, always going after the least expensive products, is all too easy. But chasing a bargain when it comes to purchasing hearing aids can be a big mistake.
If you need hearing aids to treat hearing loss, going for the “cheapest” option can have health consequences. After all, the entire point of using hearing aids is to be able to hear well and to prevent health issues related to hearing loss including mental decline, depression, and an increased risk of falls. The key is to find the hearing aid that best suits your lifestyle, your hearing needs, 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 find the most ideal hearing aid possible for your individual budget. These are helpful tips.
You can find affordable hearing aids.
Hearing aid’s reputation for being very pricey is not necessarily reflected in the reality of the situation. The majority of manufacturers sell hearing aids in a wide 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 significant health repercussions.
Tip #2: Ask what’s covered
Insurance might cover some or all of the costs associated with getting a hearing aid. In fact, some states require that insurance cover them for both kids and 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 pretty universal (depending on your sense of fashion, of course), but the prescription is adjusted for your specific needs. Similarly, hearing aids might look the same cosmetically, but each hearing aid is calibrated to the individual user’s hearing loss needs.
Picking up a cheap hearing device from the clearance shelf won’t give you the same benefits (or, in many instances, results that are even slightly useful). These amplification devices boost all frequencies instead of boosting only the frequencies you’re having trouble with. What’s the importance of this? Hearing loss is often uneven, you can hear certain frequencies and voices, 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 problem.
Tip #4: Not all hearing aids do the same things
It can be tempting to think that all of the modern technology in a quality hearing aid is just “bells and whistles”. The problem with this idea 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 dialed in to the user’s level of hearing loss. Many modern models have artificial intelligence that helps block out background noise or communicate with each other to help you hear better. In addition, thinking about where (and why) you’ll be using your aids will help you choose a model that fits your lifestyle.
It’s crucial, in order to compensate for your hearing loss in a reliable way, that you have some of this technology. A little speaker that turns the volume up on everything is far from the sophistication of a modern hearing aid. Which brings us to our last tip.
Tip #5: An amplification device isn’t the same thing as a hearing aid
Alright, repeat after me: A hearing aid is not the same thing as an amplification device. This is the number one takeaway from this article. Because hearing amplification devices try very hard to make you think they do the same thing as a hearing aid for a fraction of the cost. But that just isn’t the case.
Let’s take a closer look. An amplifier:
- Is often cheaply made.
- Gives the user the ability to adjust the basic volume but that’s about all.
- Takes all sounds and makes them louder.
A hearing aid, on the other hand:
- Will help you safeguard the health of your hearing.
- Is calibrated to amplify only the frequencies you have difficulty hearing.
- Can achieve maximum comfort by being molded to your ear.
- Can regulate background noise.
- Is set up specifically to your hearing loss symptoms by a highly skilled hearing specialist.
- Has the ability to change settings when you change locations.
- Can be programed to identify distinct sound profiles, like the human voice, and amplify them.
- Has batteries that are long lasting.
Your ability to hear is too crucial to go cheap
Everybody has a budget, and that budget is going to limit your hearing aid options regardless of what price range you’re looking in.
This is why an affordable solution tends to be the emphasis. The long-term advantages of hearing aids and hearing loss treatment are well recognized. That’s why you need to focus on an affordable solution. Just remember that your hearing deserves better than “cheap.”
