Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Hearing Aids, But were Afraid to Ask?

Posted by jonathan on September 15, 2010 under Hearing Aids, Product Reviews | 3 Comments to Read

Have you ever considered purchasing hearing aids on the internet?  Ever wondered if you could use someone else’s hearing aids?  Are you uncomfortable asking your hearing professional these questions?  You are not alone.

Know that these are fair and valid question that you should feel comfortable at the very least asking, and that any rational human being would be silly not to explore or at the least consider.  The problem is our fault.  As hearing healthcare professionals, we have done a lousy job of inviting these questions or at the very least opening them up for debate.  The same taboo questions can make hearing care professionals and patients alike feel equally uncomfortable.

Throughout this series, I hope to provide some practical advice to the questions you might have been afraid to ask:

• Should I buy my hearing aids from the internet?
• Can I use someone else’s hearing aids?
• Why can’t I program my own hearing aids?
• Why do hearing aids cost so much?
• What is the best hearing aid?
• Why can’t I use Q-tips and Ear Candling?

Part 1:  Should I buy my hearing aids from the internet?

We live in a world where information and technology are truly at our fingertips.  The internet and ecommerce has made the availability of almost everything incredibly accessible.  We buy contacts, prescriptions, and other health-related products online.  So why not hearing aids?  It makes sense.  I am a huge proponent of internet shopping, and believe that it is often easier and more cost-effective.  But, I strongly urge anyone who might be considering the purchase of hearing aids from the internet to use extreme caution.  Here is why:

Hearing aids are prescriptive, individually programmed digital devices that require not only consistent qualified professional care, but also guidance through the process of rehabilitation for your auditory system.  Not quite the same as buying vitamins, right?  The investment of hearing aids is equally a service and the product for which you are paying.  The initial purchase is bundled, meaning that the cost typically includes the product in addition to the fees for office visits, adjustments, fitting, and follow-up care.

So, you’ve had a hearing test performed by an audiologist, and received a recommendation for a specific hearing aid model.  You’ve researched this model and found it much for much less online.  Why is there such a price discrepancy?

The proper hearing aid fitting and programming requires direct interaction between you and the healthcare provider, which all too often is unavailable from the purchase of hearing aids on the internet.