There's a lot of misinformation and down right scams out there in the hearing industry,  and today we want to address some big ones to watch out for.  When you see ads in magazines, on tv and in the newspaper, you need to be mindful and use a buyer beware lens.  Here are some tips and good examples to show you how to be a smart shopper.

1.) Take a look at the fine print...

Here is a fine example of an advertisement from a local franchise.  The issue we have is that the fine print states that this specific device fits a hearing loss UP TO 35 dB.   Normal hearing is 20 dB, so this device is not going to help most folks ready to take the big step of addressing their hearing loss, not to mention the overly expensive cost for such a product.  You can normally purchase good hearing aids that work for 95% of all hearing losses for the same cost.  This is typically what the industry calls a bait and switch ad.  When you are tested, they then state you have too much hearing loss for this particular product and you need to upgrade to the aids that are much more expensive.  That is when a high pressure sales process can begin...

When I reached out to this company online, the representative could not answer my questions.  Primarily "Is this a hearing aid, or an amplifier".  If I would give them all my info, they could get that information to me.  When you try to review the technology, it's clear these products are not programmed to specific hearing losses and at over $1200 for their top of the line aids, they are not $200.  They do have an analog aid available for the above $199, but remember that technology came out in the 1960's and there's a reason it is typically not used anymore.   We are in the digital age these days!  For just a little bit more, you can get advanced digital technology and a local professional to help you with your needs moving forward.