
Hearing aids are an important investment. They enable better communication and can make life easier and more enjoyable, but where you shop for your hearing aids is almost as important as what type of hearing aid your purchase. The reviews are in in and there seems to be pros and cons with buying hearing aids from big chain stores.
Service:
Repair:
As noted by a member on the Hearing Aid Forums:
“I have a friend who got hearing aids last year at [big chain store name deleted] and .....he took his hearing aids into a clinic once when he was on vacation because they were too loud and he needed to have them turned down. There was no [chain store name deleted] in this town so he tried 2 private clinics and neither could help him because the hearing aids were locked out so no one but [the chain store name deleted] was able to adjust them! He suffered his entire vacation.
Ted, HA Forums (JR. Member)
This type of practice which is not locking but a specific software used only by big chain stores has been noted by other audiologists. In fact one audiologist on the same site noted, “I have had a client who bought some [brand name deleted] from [big chain store name deleted] and wanted me to adjust them. I tried my best ….but they were not compatible with my version of the software. I called [manufacturer deleted], who confirmed this was the case and they were not allowed to give me the software!”
Price:
Choice:
Overall Hearing Health: It should be noted that big chain stores are not the place to go for overall hearing health. They are selling hearing aids, and that means that other hearing issues are best dealt with at your audiologist or ENT office. There are balance issues and numerous conditions that can be associated with hearing loss that are best identified and recognized by a hearing health professional, such as an audiologist or ENT.
There are a lot of options for buying hearing aids these days, but it is clear that the pros and cons have to be weighed in order for you to make the decision that best suits your needs and lifestyle. Shopping for hearing aids can be confusing. Hearing Aid Forums offers a great place to start. Not only is it free, but it allows you to post your questions and get answer from audiologists. If you'd like to learn more about hearing loss, hearing heath, and hearing aids click HERE to DOWNLOAD our free guide to hearing health!
This guide will teach you:
▪ The 3 different types of hearing loss
▪ How to help a loved one hear you
▪ 8 different hearing aid styles
▪ Advances in digital and wireless hearing aid technology.