I have written a couple of blogs about over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. And we have talked about how we believe that hearing healthcare providers, audiologists, and their teams should be the ones to help you. We know, however, that the over-the-counter hearing aid will be available at pharmacies, grocery stores, corner markets, and electronic stores over the next few weeks. We don’t know which brands they will carry or if they will only carry one brand. Time will tell.
We will carry the OTC hearing aids that are safe and of great quality. We will have choices for you. We will not choose only one brand and push it with kickbacks or any shenanigans like that. We are here to help you find your solution. It is true that not everyone likes one brand.. unless it is an apple AirPod, or is it that great? Maybe the AirPod is just fashionable. Anyway.. We also want to support the smaller manufacturers giving them a chance to compete in this space. I hope you too will give other products a chance because if we only support one brand, soon there will be no choices.
Yes and no. (You didn’t really think it would that easy, did you?)
The OTC Hearing aid is going to be very helpful for many people. It will be especially for a number of people like those who live in under-served areas. Also helpful for people who now may be more willing to try a hearing aid to see what it is all about now that the hearing-aids will become more common, and less expensive. From the time a person is diagnosed with hearing loss and the time for them to get help can take as long as 10 years. Some people get help right away when diagnosed, while others digress. Everyone is different but in general, most of our patients say “I should have done this years ago” (referring to getting some hearing help). If you are reading this, you are probably someone who is interested in hearing health. Then you know that undiagnosed hearing loss can be a risk factor for dementia, depression, falls, and a sense of isolation. Hearing better improves your ability to process what you hear faster. Early treatment can make a life-changing difference for those who suffer from hearing loss.
So, there is no question that the new hearing aids that people can purchase over the counter will be a good thing for a great many people.
What do you need to know?
You are welcome to have a free conversation via our email contact or pay for professional consultation via our telehealth. We can help you find a provider near you that will help support your over-the-counter purchase. Some of the products we sell will allow for a thirty-day trial. Some of the products will allow for a two-week test. Please keep all your packaging if you do think you are going to return them. We recommend you return them if you are unhappy with the product and try something else. There will be so many choices. We can help you find the right choice and we will be sharing as much information we have on the products as they come out. We also will only sell those devices that we have tested out ourselves. We are dedicated to helping people on their hearing journey. It is our passion. If you purchase an aid through our website or from another site, we are here to help. There may be a charge for our service but service is going to be harder to find.
Going through this process could be daunting; you do not have to go it alone.
Thanks for reading, Karen (and Kim)