With bookshelf full health tracking devices that can give us data about heart rate, sleep cycle, and more. It only makes sense that one of the original wearable health devices, the hearing aid, would get a makeover. Last October, the US Food and Drug Administration Relaxed rules for how hearing aids are soldand are available in stores and pharmacies across the United States without the need for a prescription or professional fitting by a hearing health professional.
Over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids are Intended for adults with mild or moderate hearing loss Children and people with severe hearing loss or reason to believe that another health condition is affecting their hearing still need to be seen by a healthcare professional to find the best one. And before anyone starts looking for an over-the-counter hearing aid, there are special considerations you need to make and Things to know before buying a pair of hearing aids In store.
If you’re in a situation where you’re considering using a hearing aid (you probably have a Difficulty hearing people speaking in a noisy room Or you blow your TV’s volume) You may be wondering how it stacks up against the original. While an OTC purchase may be possible Saves you a few thousand dollarsPrescription hearing aids may come with perks such as Bluetooth streaming, such as Soundly, a hearing aid comparison website, pointing to. (You need professional installation to get the latest Phonak Hearingex.) Add the fact that OTC devices only hit shelves six months ago, and that makes a direct comparison difficult.
There is still promising research coming out on the effectiveness of over-the-counter hearing aids. Here’s what we know now.
How do over-the-counter hearing aids compare to professionally fitted ones?
Over-the-counter hearing aids are a completely new idea – they’ve been on the market for about six months. So the research comparing audiologist-supplied hearing aids to a self-equipped device I picked up at Best Buy will need time to build.
A study published Thursday in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery was The first of its kind to compare hearing aids without a prescription Prescription for hearing aids. In a randomized clinical trial, data were collected from 64 adults who were assigned either self-fitting hearing aids ( Lexi Lumen), and the steps to set it up at home, or the same device by Lexie Hearing but fitted by an audiologist. At the end of six weeks, there were no differences in the effectiveness of hearing aids between the two groups, suggesting that many adults will be able to get the same benefit from common hearing aids such as the Lexie Lumen regardless of whether they fit them. Or do it professionally in the clinic.
The biggest caveat to this study was that it compared the same hearing aids. Prescription hearing aids are different devices than over-the-counter hearing aids, although the latter may start to catch up as the market changes and companies start trying to compete with each other.
Are over-the-counter hearing aids regulated differently?
Both types of hearing aids are medical devices that are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. This means over-the-counter hearing aids that you can buy at the store are Different from personal sound amplification products You can also get over-the-counter products (people might use PSAPs for hunting, for example).
Many people wait several years after they first notice signs of hearing loss to get a hearing aid. due to cost barriersthe belief that the hearing will not be worth it and Stigma around wearing it. Time will tell how over-the-counter hearing aids really take shape, but hopefully their ease of access and sleek design will get them more often into the hands of the people who need them.
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