In 2022, the US Meals and Drug Administration permitted the sale of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids to complement conventional prescription choices, rising accessibility and affordability for hundreds of thousands of Individuals affected by untreated listening to loss. However how do OTC fashions measure as much as prescription hearing aids? And extra importantly, do funds OTC units deal with listening to loss nicely?
There’s been a wholesome level of skepticism round these merchandise since they first hit the cabinets, each from medical professionals and long-time listening to support customers. In any case—how can a non-prescription product serve the wants of each affected person, contemplating their listening to wants are invariably distinctive? And if there’s no physician, who are you able to flip to for steerage when issues come up?
These are the sorts of questions I acquired to the underside of with the assistance of licensed audiologist Ruth Reisman, who examined every machine on this record to make sure it was medically sound. I wore every of them personally for an prolonged interval to gauge sound high quality, ease of use, and general consolation, placing over 20 OTC listening to aids to the check so that you don’t should. Along with our prime picks, we’ve additionally included a basic primer on listening to aids beneath, diving into key variations between prescription and OTC fashions, in addition to some strategies on paying to your new listening to aids.
Up to date August 2024: We have added the Sony CRE-C20 and JLab Hear.
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What Are Over-the-Counter Listening to Aids?
Over-the-counter, or OTC, listening to aids are any FDA-approved listening to help machine you should buy with out a physician’s prescription. As a result of they’re not custom-fitted like prescription units, OTC listening to aids are marketed to sufferers with delicate to average listening to loss.
How do they work? Whereas there are some key variations between over-the-counter and prescription listening to aids, all listening to aids work the identical manner. Particularly, they use built-in microphones to choose up sounds within the consumer’s surroundings and ship them again to the ear by way of a tiny speaker known as an amplifier. All these listening to aids are collectively known as “air-conduction” listening to aids, no matter whether or not or not they require a prescription.
The place can you purchase OTC listening to aids? You possibly can order OTC listening to aids on-line straight from the producer or by way of business on-line retailers like Amazon. Alternatively, you possibly can decide up an OTC listening to support in any brick-and-mortar retailer that carries well being care units, together with Finest Purchase, Costco, Walmart, and Walgreens.
How I Examined OTC Listening to Aids
{Photograph}: René Fielder
I partnered with licensed audiologist Ruth Reisman to conduct hands-on testing with 22 listening to aids. We analyzed every product on quite a few dimensions, together with high quality, consolation stage, and efficiency baselines decided by the American Nationwide Requirements Institute (ANSI). Learn our Best Hearing Aids guide for all the small print about our testing course of.
