Saving money just feels great, right? It can be invigorating when you’ve received a good deal on something, and the bigger discount, the more satisfied you are. It’s a little too easy, then, to make the price your primary criteria, to always go for the least expensive option, to let your coupons make your buying decisions for you. When it comes to buying a pair of hearing aids, chasing a bargain can be a huge mistake.
If you need hearing aids to treat hearing loss, choosing the “cheapest” option can have health repercussions. After all, the whole point of getting hearing aids is to be able to hear clearly and to prevent health issues associated with hearing loss such as cognitive decline, depression, and an increased risk of falls. The trick is to choose the hearing aid that best suits your lifestyle, your hearing requirements, and your budget.
Picking affordable hearing aids – some tips
Cheap and affordable aren’t necessarily the same thing. Affordability, as well as functionality, are what you should be keeping your eye on. That will help you find the most ideal hearing aid possible for your individual budget. These are helpful tips.
You can obtain affordable hearing aids.
Hearing aid’s reputation for being extremely expensive is not necessarily reflected in the reality of the situation. Most hearing aid makers will partner with financing companies to make the device more budget friendly and also have hearing aids in a variety of prices. If you’ve already decided that the most effective hearing aids are out of reach, you’re probably more inclined to search the bargain bin than seek out affordable and reliable options, and that can have a long-term, harmful affect on your hearing and overall health.
Tip #2: Find out what your insurance will cover
Insurance might cover some or all of the expenses associated with getting a hearing aid. In fact, some states mandate that insurance cover them for both kids and adults. It never hurts to ask. If you’re a veteran, you may be eligible for hearing aids through government programs.
Tip #3: Find hearing aids that can be calibrated to your hearing loss
Hearing aids are, in some ways, similar to prescription glasses. Depending on your sense of style, the frame comes in a few choices, but the exact prescription differs considerably from person to person. Hearing aids, too, have distinct settings, which we can calibrate for you, personalized to your exact needs.
Buying a cheap hearing device from the clearance shelf is not going to give you the same results (or, in many instances, results that are even slightly useful). These amplification devices increase all frequencies rather than boosting only the frequencies you’re having a hard time hearing. What’s the significance of this? Normally, hearing loss will only affect some frequencies while you can hear others perfectly. 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: Different hearing aids have different capabilities
It can be tempting to believe that all of the modern technology in a quality hearing aid is simply “bells and whistles”. The problem with this idea is that if you wish to hear sounds properly (sounds such as, you know, bells and whistles), you likely need some of that technology. Hearing aids have innovative technologies tuned specifically for those who have hearing loss. Many modern models have artificial intelligence that helps block out background noise or connect with each other to help you hear better. Also, selecting a model that fits your lifestyle will be easier if you factor in where (and why) you’ll be using your hearing aids.
It’s essential, in order to compensate for your hearing loss in a reliable way, that you have some of this technology. A tiny speaker that cranks the volume up on everything is far from the sophistication of a modern hearing aid. And that brings us to our last tip.
Tip #5: A hearing amplification device isn’t 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 hearing amplification devices try really hard to make you believe they do the same thing as a hearing aid for a fraction of the cost. But that’s untruthful marketing.
Let’s break it down. An amplifier:
- Takes all sounds and turns up their volume.
- Is often cheaply built.
- Gives the user the ability to adjust the basic volume but that’s about all.
A hearing aid, on the other hand:
- Can achieve maximum comfort by being molded to your ear.
- Has long-lasting batteries.
- Will help protect your hearing health.
- Is adjusted specifically to your hearing loss symptoms by a highly skilled hearing professional.
- Has the capability to change settings when you change locations.
- Can identify and boost specific sound categories (such as the human voice).
- Can regulate background noise.
- Boosts the frequencies that you have a tough time hearing and leaves the frequencies you can hear alone.
Your hearing deserves better than 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.
That’s why we normally highlight the affordable part of this. When it comes to hearing loss, the long term advantages of hearing loss treatment and hearing aids is well recognized. That’s why you should concentrate on an affordable solution. Just remember that your hearing deserves better than “cheap.”