OTC Hearing Aids
A new category of hearing aids for those who need a little amplification
OTC Hearing Aids
At Love to Hear Again Audiology, our goal is to help you experience the best hearing possible. We understand everyone’s hearing loss, perceived difficulty, and budgets are different. Over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids have been around for years but are now FDA regulated. We see OTC as a positive opportunity for the roughly 80% of Americans with hearing loss who are not currently getting help due in part to accessibility/affordability. More access and options to entry-level hearing devices will hopefully lead to earlier adoption of hearing help for those who would’ve waited 5-7 years to seek help after first noticing hearing decline.
How to Choose Which Option is Right for You
OTC hearing aids are meant for adults (18 years+) with a “perceived mild to moderate hearing loss” according to FDA regulation. Per FDA regulations, OTC hearing aids must include a defined maximum level safety limit and must allow the user to adjust to some degree the volume level and general sound quality (bass vs. treble). Sadly, manufacturers and retail sellers will not be required to accept returns nor offer refunds if these devices aren’t satisfactory.
Those who may need a little help only in certain situations, who are not quite ready for full-time prescription hearing aids, might be ideal candidates for OTC hearing aids. But, before choosing an OTC device, if you have any concerns on the severity of your hearing loss or suspect an underlying cause that might need medical attention, we recommend coming in for a baseline diagnostic hearing exam.
As healthcare providers, we will always advocate for your best interest, so we caution against neglect of potential root medical causes by skipping straight to self-treating a symptom. Hearing impairment concerns which can be identified or ruled out with the help of an audiologist include wax obstruction, ear infection/fluid behind the eardrum, cognitive decline, TIA, viral attack, or acoustic tumors that can cause rapid progressive or sudden loss. These possible concerns may go unidentified or untreated when choosing OTC hearing aids before seeing a medical professional.
Similar to reading glasses, OTC hearing devices are not calibrated for your specific hearing needs nor verified with objective outcome measures to ensure proper and adequate benefit is being achieved. If you have a complex hearing loss, such as loss of hearing in only one ear, symptoms like tinnitus, or you have been diagnosed with moderate to severe loss, then you would likely benefit from a full-time prescriptive hearing aid tailored to your needs.
If you have started to experience a perceived minor difficulty with your hearing, or on occasion in certain environments, an OTC hearing aid could be a low-cost first step on your hearing health journey. It is still important to continue to be proactive with your hearing and brain health by coming in for regular hearing evaluations whenever you or your loved ones perceive a decline. Our audiologists can help you track changes in your hearing and overall cognitive abilities over time, and if/when your hearing loss progresses to the point of causing unnecessary cognitive load, we are prepared and happy to help you with a full-time, customized prescription hearing aids and treatment plan. Your ear-to-brain health is our top priority.
OTC Services
We want to help you hear better. We now offer the following services for over-the-counter hearing aids:
- Verification of OTC hearing aid settings
- Smartphone/app set up assistance
- Troubleshooting
- Clean & checks
We are happy to help you with your devices.