These days, it seems like you can buy everything from a gallon of milk to a car online, so can you also buy a hearing aid online?
In fact, hearing aids can be found online, through platforms such as eBay and wholesale retailers, but these are often not the high-tech medical devices that offer personalized programs created through audiological evaluations. Instead, these are often devices called PSAPS, or personal sound amplifiers, which are not regulated as medical devices.
In contrast, hearing aids that are medical devices that are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Like other medical devices that are intended for use of the diagnosis of disease or other conditions, hearing aids are distributed by medical professionals, such as audiologists or Doctors of Audiology.
Should I buy a hearing aid online?
Currently, it is not recommended to buy hearing aids online, as hearing aid manufacturers work directly with audiologists to distribute their hearing technology.
A new hearing aid not only needs to be set-up and adjusted by a medical professional, but the person receiving the hearing aid also needs to be evaluated in order to ensure they are receiving a hearing device that will help with their specific level of hearing loss, physical characteristics and lifestyle.
When purchasing a hearing aid, the audiologist will fine-tune the new hearing aid to the user’s specific need and provide follow-up support for the duration of the user’s hearing aid journey.
How can I buy a hearing aid?
Purchasing a hearing aid is as simple as visiting a trusted audiological professional in your area. Your family physician can often recommend an audiologist or Doctor of Audiology, or you can do a search online.
What’s important is that you schedule an appointment with an audiologist dedicated to providing you with the best care and long-term services as you embark on your journey to better hearing.
If you’re looking to purchase a hearing aid in Southern California, consider making an appointment with one of the trusted medical professionals at Kirsch Audiology. The medical professionals at Kirsch Audiology have a comprehensive education and background in audiology, which is important for patients interested in purchasing new hearing aids.
Dr. Stephen Kirsch, an audiologist in Southern California, is a highly trained and experienced Doctor of Audiology with more than 18 years experience. Skilled in diagnosing varying types of hearing loss, Dr. Kirsch is an audiologist who can fit you with the best hearing aids for your needs.
Dr. Lyn Kirsch also has more than 18 years of experience and is an expert in performing comprehensive hearing evaluations to treat hearing loss with hearing aids. She is also dedicated to providing those in need with the “gift of hearing,” and has been extensively involved in philanthropic endeavors that provided hearing aids to impoverished children and adults with hearing loss.
Click Here to Schedule an Appointment with Kirsch Audiology
What can I expect at my audiology visit?
Before you purchase hearing aids, the audiologist will prove a consultation and diagnostic testing to determine which hearing technology would best fit your needs.
First, you’ll have an ear exam and clinical tests, which will test your hearing in a soundproof environment.
What can a hearing test do?
Hearing tests are designed to diagnose your level of hearing loss. During the hearing test, the audiologist will produce an audiogram, which will chart your hearing thresholds at various frequencies.
These tests are painless and simple, and just require a quiet environment, such as a soundproof booth, where the patient can sit and tell the doctor of audiology what they hear.
After the test, the audiologist will have a detailed graph that documents your specific hearing loss, which they will then use to program your new hearing aids.
How well does a hearing aid do in overcoming a hearing loss?
Hearing aids are not a cure for hearing loss, but when they are adjusted properly by a hearing care professional and used consistently, they can help bring back many sounds you were missing before.
For example, the most common type of hearing loss is a sensorineural hearing loss, which is caused by damage of the inner ear from factors such as age, noise exposure, ear infections and other long-term problems that affect the hearing nerve. More than 90 percent of hearing aid wearers have a sensorineural hearing loss, which especially affects the ability to hear sounds at high frequencies, such as birds, a child’s laugh and classical music. These sounds can often be recovered through the use of hearing aids, which can bring back joy and ease to your life.
What is the cost of a hearing aid?
As mentioned before, hearing aids are medical devices, which are essentially tiny computers that fit inside, or around, your ear. If you’ve done a search for buying hearing aids online, you may have seen prices for those PSAPS, or personalized amplification devices. PSAPS are not hearing aids, and there is a reason they can cost as low as a few hundred dollars.
Today’s modern hearing aids come in a variety of form models and features, including the ability to connect with your cell phone, switch programs automatically in different listening environments, and even charge themselves overnight, giving you the freedom to not worry about how long the hearing aid battery will last.
Whether you’re searching for a rechargeable hearing aid, a connectable hearing aid, or an invisible hearing aid, your doctor of audiology will be able to provide you options for the best hearing aid on the market within your price range.
Rediscover the joys of life through better hearing!
The audiologists at Kirsch Audiology love to help everyone live a happier and healthier life by improving their hearing health. Come to visit us at Kirsch Audiology and we’ll make sure to find the best hearing aid within your price range and medical needs.
Want to know more about purchasing a hearing aid? Ask your questions below or visit our Facebook page to connect with us or make an appointment request here!
