Over the Counter Hearing Aids: Are You Taking a Chance?

Pharmacy drugstore blur abstract background with medicine and over the counter hearing aids on shelves

Remember when you used to be able to get those gallon buckets of ice cream at the supermarket? As a kid, they were the best thing ever because they offered a whole gallon of ice cream, that’s a lot of frozen custard and high-fructose corn syrup!

But you begin to become more particular in your taste as you mature. You begin going for the more specialized ice cream: the Haagen-Daaz, the Tillamook, the Ben & Jerry’s. Those smaller containers begin to become more enticing.

But you will probably still opt for that big bucket if you’re having a big dinner party. There are pros and cons to each choice. Generic is good in certain situations, but you might want more specific ice cream in other situations.

Of course, we’re also discussing hearing aids here. How good are those new over-the-counter hearing aids? Well, much like our ice cream example, it depends on what your goals are.

Hearing loss can have significant affects

Your day-to-day life can be seriously effected by hearing loss. Social isolation that frequently accompanies hearing loss can cause you to abstain from having conversations because you’re unable to hear what others are saying.

Which means you wind up estranged from your family and friends. You even steer clear of the cashier at the grocery store. It isn’t a happy way to live. And as you age, your cognitive faculties can decline faster.

So it isn’t just that you’re unable to hear what your friends and family are saying, but you could also be enhancing your risk of other potentially serious health issues.

Over-the-counter hearing aids – how they work

It’s not difficult to recognize why individuals would want to go towards hearing aids that can be obtained easily, given the health repercussions of hearing loss.

Convenience is the very nature of the appeal of over-the-counter hearing aids. You just walk into your local pharmacy and you never have to make an appointment with a hearing specialist. You pick up a pair of these devices, pay for them, and go home. Once they’re in your ears, they function to amplify the sound around you.

This can have a profoundly positive affect on your life.

Over-the-counter hearing aids can do the trick in some scenarios

Over-the-counter hearing aids started to appear in stores around late 2022 after the Food and Drug Administration made some changes to certain rules that allowed for their broader distribution. The idea was that if hearing aids were more conveniently available, you’d wind up with fewer people who had untreated hearing loss.

You’ve always had to go through a bit of a process to acquire prescription hearing aids. And sometimes, that process can cause people to stay away. For people who aren’t quite ready to take the step, over-the-counter hearing aids may be a good substitute. But over-the-counter hearing aids weren’t designed to replace their prescription counterparts.

But this means that some of the burden of understanding when over-the-counter hearing aids are or aren’t the best option lies with the individual.

What’s the essential difference between over-the-counter and prescription hearing aids?

As a general rule, prescription hearing aids are more powerful and have much more personalized functions than OTC hearing aids. They won’t be personalized to your specific requirements and they won’t fit as well.

So, are over-the-counter hearing aids worthwhile at all? There actually can be some advantages to an OTC in specific circumstances. OTC hearing aids might be the best option if:

  • You keep a set on hand just in case your prescription hearing aids need to go in for repair.
  • You’re never going to get a hearing test. (You absolutely should. But we also recognize that some individuals simply never will.) An OTC hearing aid is typically better than no hearing aid at all.
  • You have very simple or early-stage hearing loss. For mild cases of hearing loss, these devices will work just fine.
  • You’ve consulted your hearing specialist, and they endorse using an OTC hearing aid. (Hopefully, your hearing specialist will even recommend which style or type, and what settings will work best.)

It’s pretty common for OTC presets to be pre-programmed when you get them. Some devices are more effective for low-frequency hearing loss, others may be good for high-frequency hearing loss. (So before you purchase a hearing aid, you should certainly get a better concept of your level and type of hearing loss.).

OTC hearing aids are frequently not the right option

So, what are the disadvantages of over-the-counter hearing aids? Are there side effects of over-the-counter hearing aids?

Well, let’s just say that OTC hearing aids aren’t a good fit for everybody in every situation. OTC hearing will not be the best choice for you if:

  • OTC hearing aids aren’t custom fit the way you may need them to be. A custom fit is sometimes necessary for some people and OTC hearing aids don’t allow this.
  • A less expensive hearing aid that does not effectively treat your hearing loss most likely isn’t worth the money you paid for it.
  • You have more profound hearing loss. While OTC hearing aids can be helpful for less significant hearing loss, severe hearing loss will require something more powerful and more sophisticated.
  • When you’re in challenging and noisy settings, you need to be able to hear. Depending on what surroundings you need to hear in and precisely what you’re listening to, prescription hearing aids can be customized for those situations.
  • You don’t know precisely which hearing aid to buy: The wrong hearing aids can actually make your hearing worse for someone with hearing loss. (It’s comparable to wearing really loud earbuds.)
  • You’re only thinking about OTC hearing aids because you think they cost a lot less. OTC hearing aids are frequently almost as costly as their prescription-only alternative.

What are the dangers of over-the-counter hearing aids? You could be wasting good money and doing more damage to your ears by using OTC hearing aids if they’re not the best solution for your specific hearing loss.

Consult a hearing specialist either way

OTC hearing aids are suitable for some individuals and prescription hearing aids are a good fit for others. But either way, scheduling an appointment can help your hearing aids work better.

That’s because understanding more about your hearing loss will help you find a better treatment. Whether your hearing loss calls for prescription hearing aids or OTC hearing aids, we can help you get the best treatment for your circumstance.

We can also help you get the most out of your new technology.

Schedule an appointment with us so we can help you determine what hearing aid type is right for you.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.