How to Pick an Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid

Oct 17, 2022 – What should you consider when choosing an over-the-counter hearing aid?

Following the FDA’s announcement this summer, over-the-counter hearing aids are being sold online and in retail outlets for the first time today. Healthcare institutes, audiologists, and retailers themselves provide buying guides and shopping experiences to help customers choose a new hearing aid, which can range from a few hundred dollars to more than $1,000.

While the devices offer a dazzling range of features, choosing the right device takes some time and research before making a purchase. Anyone who has the know-how to perform a software update on a smartphone is technically skilled enough to operate a self-adjusting hearing aid, Audiologist Nicholas Reed, AuD, narrates The Washington Post.

Experts in the post advised buyers to be prepared for the following considerations when purchasing an OTC hearing aid:

• Type: The three main types are behind the ear, in the ear and in the ear canal.
• Fit: Watching videos will help determine if the device fits properly.
• Features: From smartphone integration to earwax filters, some features are personal preference and others a necessity.

“I hate to use the words ‘buyer beware’ so instead it’s ‘buyer be aware’ of what you are doing and what your needs are,” said Kate Carr, president of the Hearing Industries Association, a trade group specializing in hearing aids represents manufacturers, in an interview with NPR.

Buying a hearing aid without a prescription and without a hearing test is for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss. (These are the only models of hearing aids that can be purchased OTC.) The new offerings are expected to affect millions of Americans, as many who could benefit from hearing aids have never used them and have purchased hearing aids on prescription usually costs $3,000 more than the now widespread models.

according to a An estimated 30 million Americans could benefit from wearing hearing aids, and among them at least 1 in 10 have never tried one compilation of government data.

First-time users should allow around 30 days to decide if the model they’re buying is right for them, so make sure you have a 30-day minimum return policy post reported. FDA regulations for OTC hearing aids require a return period that must be printed on the packaging, although no minimum return period is specified.

websites such as HearingTracker.com and Soundly.com are good places to start looking for an OTC hearing aid purchase, the newspaper noted.