If you or a loved one has noticed struggles with your hearing recently, and you’re investigating potential hearing care solutions, we imagine that you’re a little overwhelmed. 

With every site selling similar solutions at different price points, it’s natural to wonder where to start – and for some, whether to start at all. 

When it comes to figuring out the best hearing care solution for your unique situation, there are a few options available, and each one offers different advantages and disadvantages. Here, we’ll go through them all and share our honest opinion of each. 

What You Need to Consider before Looking at Your Options 

Before starting on your hearing health journey, it’s important to think about what you’re looking for out of a solution – there’s no one-size-fits-all cure when addressing a hearing loss. The right option for you depends on you: on your lifestyle, budget, unique circumstances and hearing diagnosis. 

Other things to consider include whether you’d like to work locally with an audiologist or with a team; the sorts of environments you frequent, like the gym or the office; whether you want a solution on a budget or the best of the best; and if you’d prefer remote or in-person support. 

With your preferences at front of mind, you’ll be able to choose an option that suits you and what you need most. 

What Are the Different Options Available to Address a Hearing Challenge? 

Some of the options available for treating hearing loss include: 

• Earphones and Cellphone Apps 

• Personal Sound Amplifiers 

• Big Box Retail Stores 

• Audiology Clinic 

Each one works for different levels of hearing loss and offers different budget options. 

Earphones and Cellphone Apps 

For individuals with a mild hearing loss who need a form of amplification in certain environments, there are a few apps available that utilize the microphone in your earphones to turn into personal amplification tools. 

By simply connecting your headphones or earbuds to your phone and using one of these apps, you’ll be able to use your smartphone to help you hear conversations better, as the elevated volume will be sent into your ears. 

This could be compared to using a magnifying glass for vision problems; it’ll be handy in specific situations but not a long-term solution. 

The pros for these apps include a very small budget, and they don’t require new technology purchases. However, they don’t address your unique hearing loss; they simply amplify all noise for you to hear it louder. These also require you to wear your headphones constantly, which can cause headaches and earaches with extended use. 

Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAPs) 

There are some hearing aid-like devices available that amplify the sounds around you like cellphone apps but with just one device in your ear that looks like a hearing aid. 

Personal sound amplification products (PSAPs) take in sound through a small, built-in microphone and make it louder in your ears. These could be similar to buying readers from the drugstore – they’ll be perfect for some situations but not quite the right option for others. 

These are easy to purchase and relatively cheap, but like the cellphone apps, they’re not tailored to your specific needs. Without a formal hearing test to assess your hearing, you’ll also have to fit the PSAPs yourself, which could lead to a lack of performance. There’s also no support or warranty options for loss or damage. 

Big Box Retail Stores 

While over-the-counter hearing aids are not currently approved for purchase in Canada, retail warehouses like Costco offer their own branded hearing aids that come after an in-house hearing test. 

Costco’s Kirkland-branded hearing aids are a solid pick; they’re priced moderately, come with warranties of 1-3 years (depending on where you purchase them) and are customized to your specific hearing loss challenges. 

However, due to its retail setting, follow-up care and repairs/replacements can prove tricky. Costco hearing clinics cannot take insurance, and a membership fee is required to use the hearing clinic itself. 

Audiology Clinic 

This is typically what’s considered the traditional option – to return to our eyeglasses comparison, this would be equivalent to booking an appointment with an optician, receiving a prescription and ordering eyeglasses directly from them. 

With a private clinic, you’ll have a comprehensive hearing test in-house that will explore all possible reasons for your hearing loss. Your licensed audiologist will go through the different options with you, including advanced prescription hearing aids. 

While working with an audiology clinic will take multiple appointments, your insurance can be applied, as well as payment plans, and you’ll be one of a small number of valued patients working with a tight-knit team of passionate audiology professionals. 

Concerned about Your Hearing? 

For any further questions about hearing care, or concerns about your unique situation, please feel free to request a callback or contact us at your closest clinic. 

We’re happy to help you with all your hearing needs!