buying hearing aid online?

zaksmum

I use an in the ear hearing aid which is currently being repaired so I'm managing with an old spare one I have...not much good but better than nothing. The company I bought the aid from via a hearing aid dispenser has said they will not go on repairing it after this current repair (they charge £125 for every repair).

The dispenser said I need to consider buying a new one as this one is almost 5 years old now.

He said he could sell me a digital in the ear one for about £550 or they had a top of the range one for about £1200.

There's no way I could spend £1200, but I saw online that this £1200 one is selling for around £800!!

So I'm wondering how much cheaper the £550 one would be online.

Has anyone purchased a hearing aid online? What are the potential pitfalls to be aware of?

Thanks.

marrowgirl

Hi Zaczmum,

Buying a hearing aid on line is not something I would recommend for 2 reasons.
1. fit - if the ear fit isn't correct you will get feedback (whistling) and lots of discomfort/rubbing in the ear.
2. sound - you need an accurate hearing test then someone to tune the aid to it. even if this tuning is done automatically I always had to tweek the results depending on the fit of the earpiece (I'm an Audiologist by the way)
You are not only paying for the hearing aid, you are paying for the expensive equipment to test & fit them and the Audiologists time & expertise. A hearing aid is only as good as the person fitting it in my experience. I have seen top of the range hearing aids badly fitted so the aids are unwareable and sound terrible!

My suggestion is this -
Go to the NHS (if you can wait, some areas are quick -mine would see you almost immediately some have a 1 yr plus waiting list!) get an accurate hearing test & ask for a copy. They may also do a free aid you like.
Ask if they have any independent dispensers they recommend in the area. Some have Audiologists that work part time privately - you should get a good deal from them.

I'm a little out of touch now so can't recommend any particular aid but I think when spending that much money get a few opinions and haggle! The Dispenser won't like it but you will get the best deal.

tanith

I second what marrowgirl says my BIL bought hearing aids for £1000 and they were next to useless he went back to his NHS ones almost straight away

zaksmum

Thanks marrowgirl. I do have an NHS hearing aid but they only supply the behind the ear ones, and I don't find them particularly useful quite apart from their appearance. I wear glasses too, so end up with one ear pushed out to the side...!

I much prefer the in the ear type as they are more cosmetically acceptable, and seem to give much less distortion of sound. Wind noise is lessened too.

I got my very first aid from a mobile dispenser, he travelled out to customers and did the hearing test and fitting in their homes. He was brilliant but has sadly passed away now. I'm currently purchasing my hearing aid from a private dispenser based at a local hospital's hearing department. I can't see them recommending anyone else to me!

Tanith, thanks also. I realise the hearing aids need to be correctly fitted to be of any use. Maybe buying online isn't a good idea for that reason alone.

Hear-Hear

If you are considering purchasing hearing aids privately - and there are a variety of reasons why people choose to do so - then you must ensure that you get at least one second opinion. Choose one that is recommended to you, and for comparison choose one of the big companies that has an Audiologist based at the practice you intend to use.

Also, make sure that you get a full money-back guarantee of at least 60 days, so that you can return the aids if they are not delivering what you need, either in terms of performance or comfort. Don't end of paying for something you will never use, and don't accept any form of deduction of your outlay for use during a trial period.

A correctly fitted pair of hearing aids that suit your personal listening needs, backed up by full, long-term, easily-accessible, aftercare from your audiologist, is life-changing !