Hearing Aid Decision Guide
Balancing The Scale!
You’ve had a thorough examination by a well qualified audiologist and you know the characteristics of your particular hearing loss. Now comes the hard part: how do you balance the need for hearing aids with the cost for a particular set of technology features, your lifestyle requirements, and your budget?
Hearing aid technology can be pricey at the top end, but a basic set of technology features may not be adequate for your social requirements. If you don’t get the right technology features for your lifestyle, you may not feel like you solved the problems presented by your hearing loss. For example, if you have an active social life you will likely need advanced noise reduction and other special technology features to allow better speech understanding in noisy environments, like busy restaurants, outdoor venues, and the like.
You may not need the most advanced set of hearing aid features, but you will still need enough technology to mitigate the effects of your hearing loss, regardless of your lifestyle.
You're Not Alone!
The table will help you understand how to balance the scale between your hearing loss, lifestyle priorities, budget, and available hearing aid technology.
The Doctors at Pacific Northwest Audiology will conduct a thorough lifestyle and budget assessment before recommending a course of treatment for your hearing loss. Knowing the options and the trade-offs will help you make a good personal decision.
What About Over-The-Counter Aids?
The following statement on President Biden’s Executive Order on Over-The Counter Hearing Aids is reproduced here from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association , and represents our view on the topic:
President Biden signed a comprehensive Executive Order (EO) designed to promote greater competition in the American economy. One section of the EO addresses the long-anticipated rules on the classification of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. Specifically, the President directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services “to consider issuing proposed rules within 120 days for allowing hearing aids to be sold over the counter.”
The Bottom Line:
The table (above) was designed to help you determine which “ballpark” you need to play in before purchasing hearing aids. For example, it makes little sense to purchase top-level technology if your lifestyle doesn’t require it. On the other hand, an active social life may dictate a higher technology level.
- Your best choice will depend on your hearing loss, lifestyle priorities, and budget.
- Prices increase as the level of digital technology and associated features increase.
- BUT…low technology hearing aids programmed properly will likely give you better hearing results than premium hearing aids fitted poorly…and that isn’t saying much!
But…and this is a very large “but”…if your hearing aids aren’t fit properly to your hearing loss prescription, using real ear measures (see the video, below, “What You Need To Know Before You Purchase Hearing Aids”), you will likely waste your money. In fact, low technology hearing aids programmed properly will likely give you better hearing results than premium hearing aids fit poorly…and that isn’t saying much!
Very Important...Don't Miss This!
The following 2 videos (below) were made by Cliff Olson, Doctor of Audiology. Dr. Olson produces relatable and understandable videos for consumer education.
In these videos, Dr. Olson discusses the most important information you will need to consider before purchasing hearing aids. The information can literally spell the difference between getting hearing aids that fit your hearing loss prescription, lifestyle, and budget, or getting hearing aids that you will put in your dresser drawer, and never use again.
Pacific Northwest Audiology uses industry best practices. That means we have the knowledge and experience to ensure your best hearing aid fitting, and the tenacity to never give up until we see a smile and thumbs up. That is why we now have more than 900 5-Star reviews! These videos are well worth your time…Enjoy!
You’ve had a thorough examination by a well qualified audiologist and you know the characteristics of your particular hearing loss. Now comes the hard part: how do you balance the need for hearing aids with the cost for a particular set of technology features, your lifestyle requirements, and your budget?
Hearing aid technology can be pricey at the top end, but a basic set of technology features may not be adequate for your social requirements. If you don’t get the right technology features for your lifestyle, you may not feel like you solved the problems presented by your hearing loss. For example, if you have an active social life you will likely need advanced noise reduction and other special technology features to allow better speech understanding in noisy environments, like busy restaurants, outdoor venues, and the like.
You may not need the most advanced set of hearing aid features, but you will still need enough technology to mitigate the effects of your hearing loss, regardless of your lifestyle.
- T.L. | Bend, OR