Your Comprehensive Guide to Treating Hearing Loss | Woodard Hearing Centers Experts Weigh In

If you have a small budget and you only need amplification of sound in certain situations, some free or affordable cell phone apps can convert your earphones into amplification tools. These apps use your device's microphone to amplify all sounds.

Cell phone apps are only effective in environments with minimal background noise, and they do require you to use your earphones. You won’t receive professional support with this option.

In August 2022, the FDA finally published its ruling on over-the-counter hearing aids, sharing that more affordable hearing aids would be accessible for people with hearing challenges.

This caused quite a bit of confusion, as many people believed that prescription hearing aids would be available over the counter at chain stores. Now, many large consumer brands have entered the hearing aid market, including Bose, Sony, and Jabra.

Although we appreciate that over-the-counter devices are helping to normalize hearing loss, our biggest concern is that people essentially self-prescribe a solution to their hearing loss without knowing what type and degree of hearing loss they even have.

From testing thousands of people's hearing, we know that most people come to us with the belief that they have a mild degree of hearing loss. It’s only when their hearing is professionally tested that we discover they have moderate to severe hearing loss or a conductive hearing loss that requires medical intervention.

Over-the-counter hearing aids are competitively priced and easily accessible—you can purchase them from your computer—but you won’t receive personalized, professional care.

PSAPs are amplification tools that are available online or in stores. They have a small, built-in microphone that increases all sounds, including background noises.

While PSAPs are cost-effective, they lack tailored support. If your hearing loss is very mild and you’re looking for an option that’s easy to purchase, PSAPs might be sufficient for your needs.

Some companies offer hearing aids that come with online audiological support. Jabra Enhance is a great example of this. While this is a convenient option, keep in mind that online assessments may not be as accurate as in-person assessments. This could lead to your devices being programmed incorrectly.

If you would rather not visit a doctor in person and your hearing loss is not severe, this may be a viable option for you. You’ll receive good-quality hearing aids, but you won’t receive the same level of care that you would if you visited a local clinic. You will often speak with a different audiologist each time you receive care.

Many big-box retail stores like Costco now have an internal hearing aid center. If purchasing real hearing technology that is customized to you is important, then this is a step in the right direction compared to purchasing online.

These hearing aid centers require you to have a hearing screening to understand the approximate level of your hearing loss. With access to their own branded hearing aids plus some reputable manufacturer technology, they can fit your hearing aids in-store. This option ranges in price in the low thousands of dollars, with a warranty of one to three years (depending on where you purchase them).

Receiving follow-up care and support can sometimes be tricky in a retail environment. In some cases, it may take weeks to receive support. And if you lose or damage your devices, you may be left without them for a long time.

A local hearing clinic offers comprehensive in-person hearing tests, customized hearing aid technology options, and ongoing in-person support with a team of hearing care professionals. Local clinics usually allow you to utilize your insurance or a payment plan.

When you work with a team of dedicated hearing care professionals, your overall health is prioritized. You’ll be continually looked after with personalized care and ongoing support when you need repairs and maintenance for your devices.

If you’re suffering from severe hearing loss, cochlear implants may be an option for you. They require specific candidacy evaluations, so you’ll need to be deemed qualified for the surgery.

If you haven’t had success with traditional hearing aids, cochlear implants may be the right next step. They are usually covered in part or fully by insurance.