What To Know Before Buying Over-The-Counter Hearing Aids

Most people will experience hearing loss to some degree at some point in their lives. If you have started to have some degree of hearing loss, then you are probably wondering what can be done to help improve it. As it happens, that might be easier than you think, and there are so many options for treatment and management available these days that it is very easy to live a normal and happy life with some hearing loss.

One of the options you might have heard about or may be considering is to use over-the-counter hearing aids. However, you should not go down that route until you know a few important things about it which can prove important. In this post, we are going to take you through some of the main things that you will ideally need to know before you go to buy over-the-counter hearing aids to deal with your hearing loss.

What Are Over-the-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aids?

First of all, a brief introduction into these items might be in order, as you might be wondering just what over-the-counter hearing aids actually are. In truth, they are simply a range of hearing aids that you can buy at a pharmacy or somewhere similar, often without having to have a prescription or even anything from an audiologist or doctor. Clearly, there might be some benefits to trying to get a hearing aid in this way.

For instance, some people might feel that the process is quicker or easier, or that they should be able to get help with their hearing loss faster. However, while those might be true in some cases, there are also significant downsides to using over-the-counter hearing aids and these are important to know about before you make your final decision.

The Problems with Over-The-Counter Hearing Aids

So, what are the main issues that you need to be aware of when it comes to over-the-counter hearing aids? There are actually a few that you should bear in mind. For instance, these hearing aids are generally not going to be as perfect for you personally as one that is prescribed to you. They will not be designed for you, nor fitted to fit your ear exactly. This means that they won’t be as comfortable, nor as effective, as a hearing aid fitted by an audiologist.

Beyond that, they are also more likely to cause your hearing damage. With a properly fitted hearing aid, this is not going to happen and your acuity for hearing will actually improve even without the hearing aid on. But with an over-the-counter type of hearing aid, there are no promises as to what might occur. So, you are generally going to be a lot safer if you make sure you get a properly fitted prescription hearing aid instead.

Finally, you won’t necessarily be given any information about how to care for your hearing aid or to get the most out of it.

How to Get a Hearing Aid for Your Hearing Loss

So, if you don’t go down the over-the-counter route, what should you do instead to ensure that you are getting the appropriate hearing aid for your hearing loss needs? The best and only approach is to go to a properly licensed and professional audiologist. They will know exactly what kind of hearing aid you need and how to get it. They will take you through a full hearing test, figure out what the problem is and apply the appropriate solution every time.

Beyond that, an audiologist will also fit the hearing aid for you, so that it fits snugly and comfortably. They will program it to be exactly what your own hearing needs, rather than just a rough estimate. They will also spend some time taking you through the use of the device and helping you to understand how to make the most of it. Finally, they will also show you the proper way to care for the device, so that you don’t have to replace it any more than strictly necessary, which will save you in the long run.

As you can see, getting a prescription hearing aid through an audiologist is by far the best way to approach this, so make sure that you do so.

To find out more about hearing aids and what will be the best for your needs, take a look at Hearing & Balance Services of Reston today. You can call us today at 703-260-6192.