Health and Wellness: Reliable information about hearing aids can be hard to find

Submitted by COATES HEARING CLINIC

At Coates Hearing Clinic, we are committed to educating our patients about hearing loss and treatment options. Hearing aids are only one of the services that we offer, but it is the topic for which we get the most questions.

Getting reliable information from the internet about hearing aids can be overwhelming. There are many sources for hearing aid “education,” but some of it can seem to be conflicting. Much of the information is presented in a way that is meant to scare the buyer into purchasing hearing aids. So, what’s the truth and who is right?

Dr. Kate Coates, Clinical Audiologist

Here are three myths about hearing aids that we hear on a regular basis.

“Hearing aids will make me look old.” Older styles of hearing aids were bulky and noticeable. The size of the sound processor has been reduced significantly over the years, making it barely noticeable (if at all) and more comfortable now.

In fact, you probably walk past people every day who are wearing hearing aids that you don’t even see! There are models that hide behind the ear with nearly invisible wires and custom models that sit completely inside the ear canal itself. You can also now choose from a variety of colors to match your hair or skin tone to further disguise the presence of the device if this is a worry for you.

“Hearing aids are too expensive.” For years, hearing aids have been overpriced by the major chain retailers (and audiology practices). Increased competition and better access to information has helped to bring down the price of these incredible devices. While the “miracle $599 hearing aid” is still a myth, you should never be quoted $8,000 or more for hearing aids.

Many of our patients are surprised to find out that their insurance pays towards hearing aids. Medicare itself does not pay for hearing aids, but most Medicare Advantage plans have some sort of hearing aid benefit. We offer insurance verification as a free service and will be glad to help you understand your individual policy. A word of caution, most audiology clinics and chain retailers do not accept or honor these insurance benefits. It’s a good idea to research your hearing aid benefit before your appointment.

“The $499 devices I see advertised on TV and in magazines will probably work for me.” This kind of device is designed simply for sound amplification. Hearing loss is not just about volume, it’s about processing.

Instead of processing sounds, these inexpensive devices simply make all sounds louder. By programming the hearing aids to your specific hearing test results, sound and speech become clearer and not just louder.

Dad was right, you get what you pay for. Hearing aids should be programmed based based on a hearing test, and over-the-counter options are not customizable in this way. In contrast to these cheap devices, medical grade hearing aids are individually programmed to modify incoming sound and process it based on your specific type of hearing loss.

Unfortunately, this ultralow priced device is used as a bait-and-switch to get new people in the door. It is very common for patients to tell us they went into a hearing aid chain with one of these $499 advertisements in hand only to be told that their hearing loss was too severe for that type of device. And you know what comes next, the up-sell to the $8,000 set of hearing aids they say will work for you!

So, where do you start? The first step is scheduling a comprehensive hearing examination from a qualified audiologist. This evaluation should include hearing tests, word recognition testing, comprehensive case history, speech-in-noise testing and other diagnostics that will determine your type and degree of hearing loss.

With the results of this testing, the audiologist will create a treatment plan, starting your journey toward better hearing.

For more information or to request an appointment, call 919- 351-8100 or visit www. coateshearing.com.