Are you considering purchasing your first hearing aid?
You might be scratching your head, looking at some of the pricier options in the market.
You might also be having doubts about the preposterously low-cost hearing aids, throwing into question their credibility.
So, what should you do? Which one should you choose – the low cost or the high cost?
In this post, Hearing Plus, a hearing aid clinic in Kolkata, will answer your queries.
Low-Cost Hearing Aids
Low-cost hearing aids are basic pieces of equipment. They mainly amplify all the sounds around their wearer.
A microphone in the hearing aid picks up sound, transforms it into electrical signals, and then transmits those signals to an amplifier. The signals are given more strength by the amplifier before being sent to the ear via a speaker.
You may be thinking, what else do I need? But the reality is, with amplification, you’ll still have a significant struggle on your hands regarding conversation.
The problem is that the cheap hearing aids, during their amplification process, fail to filter out the sounds that the wearer may not want to hear, says an audiologist of Hearing Plus, a hearing aid centre in Kolkata.
For instance, if you wear a cheap hearing aid and have a conversation in a busy location, you’ll hear all the extra noise of wind and traffic at a high volume.
High-Cost Hearing Aids
The best hearing results come from the higher-end hearing aids, and there is a good reason.
The price of each hearing aid is partly inflated by the technology within it. With high-tech processors and chips used to get the best result, it’s understandable the hardware might be costly.
Another reason for the high price of good hearing aids is that hardware, such as chips, is unique to hearing aids and is not used in other applications.
Features that increase the cost of hearing aids
- Technology level – There are many reasons the cost of hearing aids rises, including connectivity features like Bluetooth, smartphone apps, wireless components, telecoils, and multiple channels to adjust the volume of specific frequencies.
- Kind of Battery – Rechargeable hearing aids prices in Kolkata are typically higher than models using disposable batteries. However, a rechargeable battery can save you hundreds of rupees over time as you do not have to buy batteries for the rest of your life.
- Style of Hearing Aids – In-the-ear hearing aids that are small and rest inconspicuously within the ear cost more than behind-the-ear hearing aids.
- Digital Hearing Aids – The presence of features like directional microphones, artificial intelligence, noise reduction, and feedback management make digital hearing aids prices in Kolkata higher than other types.
So, suppose you want better features and make your aural quality of life ideal. In that case, it is better to choose the pricey alternatives.