Disposable hearing aids are designed for people with mild to moderate hearing loss. They are currently being marketed to aging baby boomers suffering from hearing loss.
Disposable hearing aids appeal to people who are not sure if they want to commit to wearing hearing aids and to those who are reluctant to invest in conventional hearing aids. Disposable hearing aids usually cost between $40 and $50 each, whereas conventional hearing aids can cost up to $900 for a pair. Digital hearing aids are the most expensive, costing up to $5,000 for the latest pair. Since conventional hearing aids can last for about five years, they can work out to be cheaper than disposable hearing aids in the long run.
Unlike conventional hearing aids, they are not custom fitted. They come in a various settings or prescriptions, selected to match the user's level of hearing loss. A disposable hearing aid's batteries cannot be replaced. They are designed to be thrown away after the batteries expire, which usually last for just over a month.
A disposable hearing aid can be made available immediately after a hearing test. There is no need to wait for it to be manufactured like a conventional hearing aid. There is also no cost associated with repairs or replacing batteries. If a disposable hearing aid breaks down, you just throw it away and get a new one. Should you lose your disposable hearing aid, the cost of a replacing it is far less than that of a conventional hearing aid.
While disposable hearing aids are sometimes described as one size fits all, they actually fit about 80% of adult male ears and about 60% of adult female ears. Most disposable aids are of the in the ear (ITE) type. Instead of being molded to the ear, they make use of a soft cap that provides an acoustic seal about halfway down the ear canal.
Disposable hearing aids have a short life span. They cannot be custom fitted and hence, some people find them uncomfortable to wear. Disposable hearing aids are not as flexible as modern digital hearing aids as they come in standard prescriptions. Perhaps the biggest concern of audiologists is that most disposable hearing aid users do not have their hearing checked on a regular basis, leading to potential uncorrected problems.
If you have a hearing problem, it is vital to see an audiologist or an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor who will determine your level of hearing loss and suitability to wearing a hearing aid. Although hearing loss is caused by noise or aging, it is important for a professional to rule out any underlying problem that requires medical treatment.
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