Buy Hearing Aids Online

It is estimated that at least 30 million men and women in the US would benefit from a hearing aid but, for many, the cost of a good hearing aid makes it a major purchase. Modern digital hearing aids can make it much easier to live with hearing loss (although they cannot restore your hearing in the same way that glasses can restore eyesight) but they are certainly not cheap.

The cost of hearing aids varies from well under a hundred dollars for a simple analogue model to several thousand dollars for a top of the range digital hearing aid. The two types of hearing aid available are:

• Analogue hearing aids - which are the traditional type. These pick up sounds with a microphone, amplify them and feed them to the user via an eyepiece. Usually the only adjustment is the volume.

• Digital hearing aids - which are now becoming the norm, are more like mini computers. Their big advantage is that they can process the sound before feeding it to the wearer. As a result they can be programmed to take into account the wearer's particular pattern of hearing loss. In addition extra functionality can be built in such as multiple microphones to give some directionality to the sounds.

If you realize that your hearing has deteriorated you should first consult an audiologist who will assess the problem and advise if a hearing aid is appropriate. If so, the audiologist will test your hearing and produce an audiogram then sell you a suitable hearing aid (or possibly two). This will then be programmed it to match the audiogram and then fitted to ensure it is comfortable.

The problem is that hearing aids prices are inevitably high when bought this way (as a large majority of hearing aids are). The big brands sell their products through audiologists and put considerable efforts into getting audiologists to stock their products. In turn audiologists do not want the same products offered cheaper elsewhere, so manufacturers do not allow this. As a result prices are maintained at a high level.

In defence of this position audiologists can highlight their costs, the training they have received and the standard of personal service provided. However, the bottom line is that hearing aids prices have more to do with lack of competition than anything else.

However, some manufacturers do produce hearing aids under other names which are sold online. Clearly this means that you do not get a personal service but for most people there will be no problems. If this interests you, have a look at Century Hearing Aids who offer a 60 day money back trial. Their hearings aids are made by a US manufacturer and are approved by the FDA. Their prices are much less but quality is the same.

It has to be admitted that purchasing online has its drawbacks and about twenty percent of people will not be happy (usually due to the lack of a personal fitting service) so it is important to be able to get a refund if necessary. But, bearing in mind the savings that can be made by buying online, it is certainly worth trying this method.

If you suffer from Tinnitus a hearing aid may help but you may also be interested in our Tinnitus Miracle Review. This is a comprehensive guide to the ear and hearing in general with much information on Tinnitus and how to treat it.