Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids Are as Effective as Prescription Devices, Study Finds

“Anytime there is a direct-to-consumer moment in health care, there is always a lot of hesitation,” says Vinaya Manchaiah, a professor of otolaryngology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and director of audiology at the University of Colorado Hospital.

Manchaiah, who co-authored the JAMA Otolaryngology study, said he and his fellow researchers wanted to publish their results quickly to address those concerns, but he acknowledged that a study limitation is the lack of long-term data.

They are continuing to monitor the study subjects and will publish updated results after six months, Manchaiah says. The study was funded by the hearing aid manufacturer.

Reed says it’s not unusual for problems with a hearing aid to crop up after the six-week mark. Most over-the-counter devices have some type of online support. Reed notes that you could also always see an audiologist to help you solve issues with an over-the-counter device after you buy it.

“A professional may still play a role even if they’re not needed up front,” he says.

Advice for hearing aid consumers

Another limitation of the study, Reed says, is that it looked at only one type of over-the-counter device: Lexie Lumen hearing aids, which retail for about $800 a pair.

“This is good technology. It’s smartphone integrated, and it allows some very deep fine-tuning,” Reed says. “The over-the-counter market is not going to shake out with only these kinds of devices. There will be good over-the-counter devices and bad over-the-counter devices.”

If you’re shopping for an over-the-counter hearing aid, Reed recommends looking for a product that is labeled “self-fitting,” which indicates a more sophisticated device with customizable settings.

In addition, you should consider getting an assessment from a certified audiologist before you buy, says Lindsay Creed, associate director of audiology practices at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

“This testing is almost always covered by insurance and will determine if the individual is a good candidate for over-the counter hearing aids, including ruling out any ear-related medical conditions,” she says.

Creed and other experts say they look forward to more research on over-the-counter hearing aids, including studies that investigate which types of patients are most likely to benefit.

One 2017 study that came out before over-the-counter hearing aids were available found a benefit from seeing an audiologist. In the earlier study, published in the American Journal of Audiology, researchers found that those who tried a device without a fitting from an audiologist were not as happy with the process as a group who had help from an audiologist fitting the same device. The study found, however, that the hearing of both groups was helped by the hearing aids. (A placebo group with a device that didn’t have amplification were, not surprisingly, not helped.)

For now, Reed says, if you don’t like the idea of adjusting and setting up a device yourself, by all means, go to an audiologist. But he says if you are comfortable with technology, your hearing loss is not severe and you want to save some money, why not try an over-the-counter option? (Find out How to Shop for Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids​)

“This study is helping me and everyone else believe that with these self-fit ones, you’re not going to do any worse than you would having an audiologist fit the device,” Reed says. “This is building trust.”