Thinking of Buying a Cheapie Hearing Aid? Don't Do It.
Saturday August 16, 2008
The Detroit Free Press has a report on findings about the effectiveness of cheap drugstore or internet hearing aids. This report was published in the June issue of the American Journal of Audiology. Eight cheapie devices were tested, and among other problems, these devices could not control loud sounds - which could actually make hearing worse.
There is a real need for a high-quality, inexpensive hearing aid under $100. It does not need to be digital.
Related on About.com: Financial Aid for Hearing Aid and Cochlear Implants
Comments
I second it.A good hearing aid, in fact the best possible will make hearing and learning ,understanding and then speaking easy.Why complicate with a cheap hearing aid?
rouchi
ipemp.blogspot.com
It’s the misadvertising of these amplifiers giving these a bad image. We sell them as ‘personal amplifiers’ and refer people to Beltone or Starkey Labs for hearing aids.
I am an Ear Nose & Throat physician and we have developed a quality hearing aid for under $100 for people that cannot afford traditional hearing aids. Patient feedback has been very positive and 2 separate audiologists have been impressed with the sound quality.
Guide note: The only reason that this comment was approved is because, even if I do not know if it is true that they have such a hearing aid, the need for affordable hearing aids is great enough that I would be doing my readers a disservice if I kept useful information from them. So I am approving this comment, but readers, proceed at your own risk.
i would like the name of the ent that sells the inexpensive hearing aid – if he is in my area, i would appreciate the address for a consult
A follow up to a prior post: our hearing aid is FDA Approved Class I medical device, not an amplifier. As such, it is rigorously regulated by quality standards and customer service policies. Read more at mdhearingaid dot com.