Because traditional hearing aids are so expensive, over-the-counter hearing aids have become an attractive option. Over-the-counter hearing aids cost significantly less than traditional hearing aids.
Over-the-counter hearing aids are often much more convenient then traditional hearing aids since over-the-counter hearing aids do not require an appointment with the hearing professional or Audiologist. Also, the over-the-counter hearing aid is available for the consumer at the time of purchase while a consumer may have to wait a considerable amount time for a hearing aid ordered through an Audiologist.
Over-the-counter hearing aids would only benefit people with mild to moderate hearing loss. Therefore, people with severe hearing loss would need to purchase traditional hearing aids.
Hearing loss can be a symptom of a medical condition that requires treatment. If a person purchases a hearing aid without seeing it physician, the person may be risking their health by not having proper diagnosis and treatment if a medical condition caused the hearing loss.
Sometimes hearing loss can be medically corrected and therefore a hearing aid is not necessary. Conductive hearing loss due to impacted earwax could be corrected within the doctor's office which would eliminate the need for a hearing aid.
Over-the-counter hearing aids would not have the advanced features of traditional hearing aids. The over-the-counter hearing aids are very basic models in order to keep the cost low. However, the lack of directional microphones in designs of over-the-counter hearing aids is of concern to some hearing professionals since it limits the effectiveness of the over-the-counter hearing aids.
The lack of customization of the over-the-counter, one-size-fits-all hearing aids can affect the quality of the hearing aid user's experience. Audiologist and hearing aid dispensers prescribe sets of specifications for traditional hearing aids to match the needs of hearing aid users. Without this, many hearing aid users are going to have less than satisfactory experiences with over-the-counter hearing aids.
One benefit to having over-the-counter hearing aids as an option for hearing aid users is the chance that more people who need hearing aids will purchase them. Some people are discouraged by the high cost of traditional hearing aids and therefore do without hearing aids that they need. And alternatives to over-the-counter hearing aids would be to seek assistance from an organization or government agency for the purchase price of traditional hearing aids.
More Information:
Allan has a blog that talks about
hearing aid reviews and he talks about his quest to find out
what's the best hearing aid suitable for his mother. That was also the reason why he setup this blog - to help others find out more about hearing aids.
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