50+ Lifestyles

Mail Order Hearing Devices, A Value?

By Dr. Molly Parker
Audiologist and Owner
Parker Audiology, P.C.

Dr. Alison Soto
Audiologist
Parker Audiology, P.C.

Mail order hearing devices have been considered by some people as an option towards better hearing. Can you imagine selecting your own replacement hip joint from an internet site and asking a local physician to install it for you? Your eyeglass prescription is your optometrist’s job. And what if you had something seriously wrong? How would you know? Why would you handle your hearing any differently?

In my office, I would estimate 20 percent of my patients have a medical issue serious enough that they need to seek medical follow up. I see a few cases each year that would result in longstanding harm if outside medical advice were not sought. This would include acoustic tumors, illnesses that suddenly destroy hearing in one ear, earwax issues, chronic middle ear disease and fungal infections. In many cases, patients never knew they had a potentially treatable medical condition, and the possibility for personal harm could be great. State laws exist to protect the consumer against serious medical issues prior to purchasing hearing devices for hearing aid dispenser and audiologists. No such protections exist with mail order hearing devices.

Individuals may select mail order devices based on a feel-good advertisement, or a discussion with a stranger over the telephone. Ask the customer service representative if they are an audiologist? Over the phone, could they consider functional hearing ability, vision problems, arthritis, tremor, or dexterity issues?

Consider these questions: What type of hearing loss do you have? Conductive, sensory, neural, mixed, unaidable?  Are the hearing aid settings beneficial but not damaging to your hearing? What kind of expectations should you have with your hearing aids?

Ultimately you will provide a credit card number over the phone to an anonymous (hopefully legitimate) source and in a few weeks receive a small device that looks like a hearing aid. As your ordering company is in a different state, there is no person to see; there is no follow up except a phone number if questions arise. After all of that, is your hearing aid in the drawer because of all the money you saved? If there is a simple problem, do you mail it back and be without it for 7-14 days?

Getting a cheaper mail order “hearing aid” may seem like a good value at first. But consider personal service, testing, time, care, counseling, research, loss insurance, and outcome.  Hearing loss is multifaceted and hearing aids can result in varying outcomes depending on who selects and adjusts your device.

Invest in your hearing, because ultimately you get what you pay for.

Parker Audiology enjoys helping people through their listening experiences and better communication strategies. Call to schedule your visit today! (563) 326-5441.