ONLINE HEARING AIDS: Aren’t all Hearing Aids the Same?

With the on-boarding of over-the-counter "hearing aids" there has been a huge influx of hearing devices available online. We hear patients ask OFTEN, "What are these online hearing aids about? " "Can they actually work for me?"

In short, that depends. YES they actually can work for individuals who have a mild hearing loss, who don't require specialized
programming of these hearing devices, and for people who are tech-savvy and able to use their cellphones to make minor changes to their hearing devices.

But what about those who have already struggled with their hearing aids and are looking for a new (less expensive) solution?
We've dug a little deeper to find out what people are really saying about these new online devices. What are the advantages and disadvantages of ordering hearing aids online, anyway? Research shows individuals aren't as happy with these online devices and their promises are falling short! How?

The majority of our patients are on a fixed income and those of you who aren't, are still very conscientious about how and where you spend your money (rightfully so!). We understand that cost of online devices is the number 1 reason for folks to order an assistive hearing device, online.

Unfortunately, this often means you are paying for a product that was cheaply manufactured. Research is showing that the saying, "You get what you pay for." really is true when it comes to deciding what assistive hearing device is right for you!

Next, lack of personalized one-on-one care is another disadvantage to ordering hearing devices online. Studies suggests patients are dissatisfied with overall assistance of the initial setup and use of their new hearing devices. This included individuals needing the devices programmed to their hearing needs, but not being able to do that or do it easily or individuals needing assistance learning how to wear the hearing aid correctly but not having a professional to show them. A study conducted with over 1000 people found that many individuals desired access to an audiologist with face-to-face contact, but this is widely unavailable when purchasing a hearing device online.

The next main complaint individuals had for online devices: Inability to have hearing aids cleaned for regular maintenance. When buying hearing aids online, the purchaser becomes the sole caretaker of the devices and is then responsible for cleaning and maintaining them. This often becomes a challenge for individuals with finger dexterity issues and this roadblock often leads to the devices becoming dirty, not working, and eventually not being worn.

Other studies found that although individuals may experience initial satisfaction with their online hearing devices, over time they ultimately become dissatisfied with them, whether as a result of lack of earwax removal, lack of hearing-aid cleaning, or lack of hearing aid programming to prescriptions established via audiological examinations.
Lastly, one longitudinal study found that when patients seek out services for their online devices, it's often challenging to get into contact with customer-service representatives for services such as cleanings and programming or yearly hearing exams. Unfortunately, as a result of lack of these resources it was found that majority of individuals who purchase online hearing aids, eventually stop wearing them altogether.

What this means: An online hearing aid can be satisfactory at first for individuals who have a very mild hearing loss, but there is a need to meet with an audiologist to help you understand how to use your device long term in addition to the need for maintenance of the device in order for it to continue to function properly. It is not just about the product; It's about the services that comes with the product.

If you currently wear hearing aids or have been fitted for one before without success, you know FIRST-HAND the challenges that may arise when you first get fit with a pair of new ears!

Fitting a patient with hearing technology is NEVER a one-visit deal for us. We recognize that the brain can quickly become over-stimulated if hearing technology is too loud (and patients won't be inclined to wear the hearing-devices) but patients also won't notice any benefit from the new devices if they aren't loud enough.

Getting fitted for hearing technology should take multiple visits across the course of a month to get them adjusted JUST RIGHT for you or your loved one, using specialized equipment and software. After that, quarterly follow-up clean and check visits are scheduled to maintain the integrity of your hearing device and to ensure that if you aren't hearing as well as you should be, we are doing what programming we can to help improve your hearing experience!

Rebecca J. Bennett,De Wet Swanepoel,Pierre Ratinaud,Abram Bailey,James W. Pennebaker &Vinaya Manchaiah.Hearing aid acquisition and ownership: what can we learn from online consumer reviews? Pages 917-926 | Received 14 Sep 2020, Accepted 12 May 2021, Published online: 13 Jun 2021. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14992027.2021.1931487

Navshika Chandra, Grant D. Searchfield. American Academy of Audiology (2016) American Academy of Audiology Perceptions Toward Internet-Based Delivery of Hearing Aids among Older Hearing-Impaired Adults. Thieme E-Journals - Journal of the American Academy of Audiology / Abstract (thieme-connect.com)