Over-the-counter hearing aids, approved by FDA, are gaining popularity with their low cost and legal certification for the treatment of hearing loss. With hundreds of OTC hearing aids scattered all over the internet, and in retail stores, knowing which ones are reliable seems impossible. The importance of picking the right hearing aid cannot be emphasized enough; after all, even OTC hearing amplifiers don’t come terribly cheap, although they are much more affordable than their prescription counterparts. A good hearing aid can save your hearing from deteriorating further. Here are 4 of the best OTC hearing aids you can find in 2023!
The Best Wireless OTC Hearing Aid With Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a pretty important, if not necessary, feature in OTC hearing aids. This is because, unlike with prescription hearing amplifiers, there is no clinical hearing assessment by an audiologist required for programming the hearing aids. Instead, in the case of these wireless bluetooth hearing aids at least, a free online hearing test app is used on your smartphone to assess your hearing. The results of the test are used to automatically calibrate the hearing aid accordingly, via bluetooth connectivity to the hearing aid. This allows for seamless customisation of hearing aids, which can also be adjusted later if you experience any discrepancies in hearing sound.
ALT: The New Best Wireless Bluetooth Hearing Aids Available Over The Counter
Title: The Best Bluetooth Over The Counter Hearing Aids
Room For Adjustment
Remember, audio adjustment of hearing aids is almost trial and error; with prescription hearing aids it often takes multiple audiologist appointments to get the hearing aid setting just right. These consultations are costly, up to $250 per appointment. Using these OTC hearing aids, you can make adjustments, as you go, free of cost!
Discrete In-The-Canal OTC Hearing Aids
ITC over-the-counter hearing aids are perfect for those wishing to wear hearing aids without them being too visible. These hearing aids by Hear+Hi produce excellent sound quality and fit well. They are also rechargeable and come with a handy hearing aid charging case. Using advanced 8-channel DSP processing, they catch every sound and feed it, in excellent quality, straight into the ear. To hear in high definition, but without feeling anxious about a hearing aid cramping your style, these OTC hearing aids are the best.
ALT: The Best In-The-Canal OTC Hearing Aids, Rechargeable, And Invisible Hearing AIds
Title: The Best OTC Rechargeable Hearing Aid, by Hear+Hi
Acuity Wireless MFi Hearing Aids By Hear+Hi
These OTC hearing aids are only best for you if you need hearing aids that connect to an iPhone or other apple product. This style of hearing aid, receiver-in-canal, is especially great for first time hearing aid users; as it is incredibly comfortable and easy to wear. They are smaller than classic behind-the-ear models, but big enough to handle easily.
Connectivity with apple devices in such hearing amplifiers is achieved by bluetooth low energy (BLE). This is a bluetooth variant which uses less energy to connect to smart devices, and thus the hearing aid battery lasts longer. In fact, they last up to 95 hours.
As the casing is larger than the other picks, the processing power is significantly higher. It uses advanced 16-channel DSP processing, allowing the hearing aid to cater for those with more severe hearing loss. Thus, this is the best OTC hearing aid for severe hearing loss, too. If you suffer from severe hearing loss, however, it’s important that you visit an audiologist for an initial hearing assessment before purchasing hearing aids.
ALT: RIC Best MFi Over-the-counter Hearing Aids For Severe Hearing Loss
Title:The Best OTC Hearing Amplifiers For Severe Hearing Loss And iPhone Users
The Best OTC TV Hearing Amplifiers
For those who watch a lot of television, or stream a lot of audio media from smart devices, these over-the-counter hearing aids are the best. Cleverly designed, they resemble earphones to reduce the anxiety often found around BTE hearing aids. They work as TV ears, allowing you to stream audio directly from your TV into your ears via bluetooth. Bluetooth connectivity is super easy to use and thus, these OTC TV hearing aids are appropriate for most hard of hearing individuals.
ALT: Wireless TV Ears Which Are OTC Hearing Aid Earphones
Title: Wireless OTC TV Ears By Hear+Hi
Now that you have the best options, regarding over-the-counter hearing aids, you can easily pick one that ticks all your hearing needs. Whether your hearing loss is severe or mild, it’s important that you select the best hearing aid for you. This depends on how severe your hearing loss is, as you would need a larger hearing aid than if you were suffering from mild hearing loss Apart from that, consider your budget and your aesthetic requirements too. After all, hearing aids will most likely improve your quality of life and you will be wear them quite often; so it’s vital that they are the right size
FAQs about OTC Hearing Aids
Are Off The Shelf Hearing Aids Any Good?
They are great in most cases, if you’re suffering from mild to moderate hearing loss. For severe hearing loss, they often can’t produce a great enough amplitude of sound; so, they aren’t recommended for severe or profound hearing loss. The benefit of OTC hearing aids is mostly the cost. They are thousands of dollars more affordable than prescription hearing aids, and work amazingly well.
Why Should I See An Audiologist Before Getting An OTC Hearing Aid?
An audiologist appointment is recommended, but by no means necessary, before purchasing off the shelf hearing aids. This is because a professional hearing assessment and guidance by an audiologist could help you in making the right decision. After all, selecting correct hearing aids is vital to your hearing health. However, some hearing aids use special online hearing test apps to adjust the hearing aid to make up for your hearing loss properly. So, if you’re not keen on spending $250 on an audiologist, then make sure you pick a hearing aid which assesses your hearing before adjusting your hearing aid via bluetooth.