When a person goes out to purchase hearing aids, they are looking for a product to buy. With that in mind, it is typical for them to only think only about the cost of what they are getting. It’s true that a quality hearing device is costly, but you need to shift your thinking. If you consider the service you get from a hearing aid and put aside the cost factor, it starts to make more sense. You spend your life buying stuff because it provides a valuable service like a new car or a house. Both of these things will set you back, too, but you buy them anyway because otherwise, you have no transportation or roof over your head.
Buying a hearing aid introduces you to another critical service because without it, you can’t hear and that affects your ability to do important things like talk to your boss or listen to a customer. Losing that sense means you won’t hear the traffic as you drive to work or when you walk across the street. It also gets in the way of you from creating, strengthening, and maintaining the essential aspect of life, relationships.
Hearing aids are not a luxury when your hearing changes. It’s a device that provides a critical service to you. Consider some facts about hearing aids you might not know and why they are more service than a product.
What Does a Hearing Aid Do?
Let’s start with the basics. What is a hearing aid and why do you need it? A hearing aid is a device that provides amplification, but it does more than just that one thing. Modern digital hearing aids:
- Filter out background noise
- They increase and decrease the volume automatically through gain processing
- They analyze the sound environment
- They pick up conversation even in a noisy room
- They help you determine where a sound came from
They are also self-learning, in other words, they begin to know how you hear and learn what sounds matter to you. They can use that information to improve their service. There is no more annoying feedback, either, like you used to hear coming from your grandpa’s hearing aid. Modern hearing aids include digital feedback reduction. Today’s hearing aids offer Bluetooth-compatibility, as well, so they work with computers, tablets, and smartphones. No need to take the hearing aid out to answer the phone.
Why do Hearing Aids Cost So Much?
That’s a reasonable question because if you are going to think of your hearing aid a service, you have a right to know why it costs so much. Some critical elements that go into creating your hearing aid include:
- Advanced technology
- Durability and long battery life
- Personal design and fitting
- Warranty
- Free trials
You can buy cheap hearing aids online, but they don’t have the same technology as a quality product nor do they have all the perks of a personal fitting, trial period, or in-person assistance. You might as well just hold a glass up to your ear and hope for the best.
Things to Consider When Buying a Hearing Aid
When you buy a car or house, you do research first, right? Take that same approach when purchasing a hearing aid but keep in mind that it is a service. Start by figuring out how you will pay for this service. Does your health insurance cover hearing aids? Many don’t, but it can’t hurt to check. You can do this by directly calling your insurance provider or audiologist.
How about some kind of special funding plan? Are you a veteran, for example? The VA might pay for the hearing aid. You might also qualify for federal or state assistance, and you can look into civil organizations, too.
Next, see your doctor for a proper diagnosis and hearing test. If you don’t already know why you suffer hearing loss, find out before you spend money on a hearing aid. It might be a side effect of a medical problem like diabetes. If you treat the condition, you might not need a hearing aid.
It is also important to get a professional hearing test, so you buy the right hearing aid. A practice like ours can use your hearing test to customize the settings on any device you choose, so it best serves your needs.
Finally, meet with a specialist in person. The Internet doesn’t know what kind of hearing aid you need – that requires a personal touch. Sit down with an expert and write out what you hope to get from your hearing aid beyond just amplification. Do you want one that connects to your mobile device? Do you want the volume to adjust automatically? You are paying for this service, so get what you want from it.
Once you pick out the right hearing aid, look at the various service options. Does it come with a warranty? How about a free trial, so you know it’s the right one for you?
By seeing your hearing aid as a service – a necessary one – you’ll be able to look past the price tag towards what it can do for your life.
