Saving money just feels great, right? It can be exhilarating when you’ve received a good deal on something, and the larger discount, the more satisfied you are. It’s a little too easy, then, to make the cost your main criteria, to always choose the least expensive option, to let your coupons make your consumer decisions for you. When it comes to buying a pair of hearing aids, going after a bargain can be a huge oversight.
If you require hearing aids to treat hearing loss, going for the “cheapest” option can have health repercussions. After all, the entire point of using hearing aids is to be able to hear well and to prevent health issues associated with hearing loss such as cognitive decline, depression, and an increased chance of falls. The key is to choose the hearing aid that best suits your lifestyle, your hearing requirements, and your budget.
Picking affordable hearing aids – some tips
Affordable is not equivalent cheap. Affordability, and functionality, are what you should be looking for. That will help you get the most ideal hearing aid possible for your individual budget. These are helpful tips.
Tip #1: You can get affordable hearing aids.
Hearing aids have a reputation for putting a dent in your pocketbook, a reputation, though, is not always reflected by reality. Most manufacturers produce hearing aids in a wide range of price points and work with financing companies to make their devices more affordable. If you’ve already decided that the most reliable hearing aids are out of reach, you’re probably more inclined to search the bargain bin than seek out affordable and effective options, and that can have a long-term, harmful affect on your hearing and overall health.
Tip #2: Ask what’s covered
Insurance might cover some or all of the costs associated with getting a hearing aid. Actually, some states mandate that insurance cover them for both kids and adults. It never hurts to ask. If you’re a veteran, you might be eligible for hearing aids through government programs.
Tip #3: Your hearing loss is unique – find hearing aids that can tune to your hearing situation
In some ways, your hearing aids are similar to prescription glasses. The frame is rather universal (depending on your sense of fashion, of course), but the prescription is adjusted for your specific needs. Hearing aids, too, have specific settings, which we can tune for you, tailored to your exact needs.
You won’t get the same results by grabbing some cheap hearing device from the clearance shelf (or any useful results at all in many cases). These are more like amplification devices that raise the sound of all frequencies, not only the ones you’re having trouble hearing. What’s the importance of this? Hearing loss is often uneven, you can hear certain frequencies and sounds, but not others. If you make it loud enough to hear the frequencies that are low, you’ll make it painful in the frequencies you can hear without amplification. You will probably end up not using this cheap amplification device because it doesn’t resolve your real issue.
Tip #4: Not all hearing aids have the same features
There’s a temptation to view all of the great technology in modern hearing aids and think that it’s all extra, just bells and whistles. The problem with this idea is that in order to hear sounds clearly (sounds like, you know, bells and whistles), you most likely need some of that technology. The sophisticated technology in hearing aids can be dialed in to the user’s level of hearing loss. Background noise can be blocked out with many of these modern models and some can communicate with each other. Additionally, considering where (and why) you’ll be using your aids will help you select a model that fits your lifestyle.
It’s essential, in order to compensate for your hearing loss in a reliable way, that you have some of this technology. Hearing aids are a lot more sophisticated than a basic, tiny speaker that amplifies everything. And that brings us to our last tip.
Tip #5: A hearing amplification device isn’t a hearing aid
Alright, say this with me: a hearing amplification device is not a hearing aid. This is the most important takeaway from this article. Because the manufacturers of amplification devices have a financial interest in convincing the consumer that their devices do what hearing aids do. But that just isn’t true.
Let’s break it down. An amplifier:
- Takes all sounds and turns up their volume.
- Gives the user the ability to control the basic volume but that’s about it.
- Is typically cheaply built.
A hearing aid, on the other hand:
- Can minimize background noise.
- Can pick out and amplify specific sound categories (such as the human voice).
- Can be molded specifically to your ears for maximum comfort.
- Has highly skilled specialists that program your hearing aids to your hearing loss symptoms.
- Will help you preserve the health of your hearing.
- Is tuned to amplify only the frequencies you have a hard time hearing.
- Has long-lasting batteries.
- Can be programmed with different settings for different locations.
Your hearing deserves better than cheap
Everybody has a budget, and that budget is going to restrict your hearing aid options regardless of what price range you’re looking in.
This is why an affordable solution tends to be the emphasis. When it comes to hearing loss, the long term advantages of hearing loss treatment and hearing aids is well recognized. This is why an affordable solution is where your attention should be. Don’t forget, cheap is less than your hearing deserves.”
