Although one in eight people in the US over 12 years of age have hearing loss in both ears, not all these people have hearing aids. Some do not know where to find them, while others fail to find good options within their budget. Find out where to get hearing aids near you.
Key Takeaways: Finding a Hearing Center Near Me
- Any FDA-approved brand for hearing aids can be trusted, but MDHearingAid stands out from the crowd.
- An audiologist prevents, diagnoses, and treats any problems concerning hearing health and balance.
- You can take an online hearing test to check if you have hearing loss and need hearing aids.
- There are tests for many hearing health problems online, such as for tinnitus and tone-deafness.
- Medicare does not cover hearing aids, but other programs might.
- Costco offers a wide range, but there are better options out there.
How Do I Find a Hearing Aid Store Near Me?
Hearing aids are sold through an audiologist, a hearing aid center, and other stores such as Costco. If you’re looking for something in your zip code, search “audiologists near me” and your device will use your location to give you the closest stores to your address.
If you do not want to see a hearing care professional but only order a pair of new hearing aids, you can find plenty of stores or brands online, most of which deliver all over the country.
What Hearing Aid Brands and Stores Can I Trust?
Any hearing care brands that have been approved by the FDA can be trusted.
With so many options out there, choosing the best hearing aid for your unique hearing needs can be tough. The plus side of ordering online is the availability of uncountable reviews by other users. While brands such as Lively, Eargo, and Phonak all have excellent devices, the one that stands out from the pack is MDHearingAid.
The brand offers rechargeable and water-resistant hearing aids with noise reduction technology, Bluetooth features, and an extremely long battery life. It is also the most affordable option out there, starting at $400, while the best one (VOLT+) is priced at $600.
Hearing Loss and Tests
If you have trouble hearing or understanding some or all sounds, there might be a problem worth following up on. You can do that by either visiting a hearing clinic, hospital, an audiologist, a private practice near you, or taking a test online.
If you were to go to an audiologist, they would first physically examine your ear for any wax buildup or inflammation. This would be followed by a series of diagnostic tests such as making you hear certain volumes and frequencies and observing your response. This helps them diagnose many issues such as hearing loss and tinnitus (constant ringing noise in your ear).
Based on your condition, they can order many other hearing care tests such as:
- Tympanometry: Check the movement of the eardrum in response to air pressure.
- Auditory Brainstem Response: See if the auditory nerve is working.
- Acoustic Reflex Testing: Check muscle contractions of the middle ear.
- Otoacoustic Emissions: Observe the messages generated by the sensory hair cells of the ear.
Most audiologists are walk-in, but you can easily schedule an appointment online to assess your unique hearing needs.
There are also online tests for all kinds of problems; for example, the tinnitus test and the tone-deaf test to determine if you have trouble differentiating between two different pitches (frequencies).
These tests tell you all you need to know before ordering the hearing aids yourself and if need be, online brands have in-house audiologists and professionals with whom you can schedule an appointment.
What Do Audiologists Do?
Audiologists are professionals that prevent, diagnose, and treat hearing health and balance disorders. This includes dealing with disorders like hearing loss and disturbance in inner ear balance, among others.
These qualified hearing care professionals conduct screenings, provide counseling on how to protect your hearing from noise, and recommend personalized hearing aids. Audiologists tell you all about the type and severity of your hearing loss if any, and what hearing care treatment can be used for better hearing.
How Do I Know If I Need a Hearing Aid?
Signs of hearing loss include [1]:
- Difficulty understanding conversations, especially in noisy environments.
- Some sounds seem muffled, especially high-pitched sounds.
- Trouble hearing speech over the phone.
- Needing to turn up the television or music to hear it properly.
- A ringing sound in the ears.
For a more definitive answer, you should take the best online hearing test or consult with a qualified professional.
FAQ
Let’s summarize how to find the right hearing aids in your zip code to gain better hearing.
How Much Does It Cost to Get a Hearing Aid?
It costs roughly between $1,000 and $6,000 to get a pair of hearing aids that would last you around eight years. At some outlets, this cost includes both the device and an audiologist’s consultation but with options such as MDHearingAid out there, this cost is reduced to as low as $400 (available in many financing plans, with zero markups).
Does Medicare Cover Hearing Aids?
No, Medicare does not cover the cost of hearing aids. Only some private Medicare-approved plans such as Medicare Part C include this cost.
Medicare Part B, which covers outpatient services does, however, cover 80% of the cost of any diagnostic hearing exams ordered by your physician [2].
Can I Get a Hearing Aid for Free?
Depending on your location, Medicaid for disabled individuals or those with very low income may cover the cost of hearing aids. Otherwise, groups such as New World Hope Organization, Veterans Health Administration, local vocational rehabilitation agencies, hearing aid banks, and other such foundations provide free hearing care treatment if you meet their criteria.
Since most people don’t qualify for these support programs, you can look into deals available at MDHearingAid instead.
Does Costco Have Good Hearing Aids?
While Costco offers a wide range of products from brands such as Kirkland Signature, Philips, ReSound, and Phonak, they don’t always carry the latest, cheapest, and best models of most brands. There are more affordable options, with better features, online which are worth exploring—one of which is MDHearingAid.
Conclusion
Relating to hearing loss services, almost anything can be done from the comfort of your home without booking an appointment. This includes testing yourself for mild to moderate hearing loss, ordering yourself the perfect pair of new hearing aids, and finding an audiologist near you.
If you suspect any hearing impairments at all, you should get tested and diagnosed as early as possible to protect your hearing health.
References:
- “How Do I Know If I Have Hearing Loss Caused by Loud Noise?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 24 Aug. 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/how_do_i_know_if_i_have_hearing_loss.html.
- Your Medicare Benefits. https://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/10116-Your-Medicare-Benefits.pdf.