The Total Hearing Care Difference

The Critical Differences Between OTC and Prescription Hearing Aids

• Dr. Jill Copley • Episode 9

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What’s The Difference Between Over-the-counter And Prescription Hearing Aids? 

Choosing the right hearing aid can transform your quality of life, but navigating the sea of options between over-the-counter and prescription devices can feel overwhelming. Dr. Jill Copley breaks down this complex decision with clarity and expertise in our latest episode.

We start by exploring the history behind OTC hearing aids—a well-intentioned government initiative to increase hearing solution accessibility. While these devices serve adults with mild to moderate hearing loss who might hesitate at higher costs, they function primarily as simple amplification tools with basic smartphone adjustments. You'll learn why children should never use these options and always consult proper medical professionals.

The contrast with prescription hearing aids becomes clear as Dr. Copley explains their precision-programming, advanced background noise management, and automatic environmental adjustments. Beyond superior technology, the ongoing professional support makes a crucial difference. While retail staff selling OTC devices lack specialized training, audiologists provide comprehensive guidance on device usage, cleaning, positioning strategies, and continuous adjustments as your hearing needs evolve.

Most revealing is Dr. Copley's neurological perspective on hearing loss. "It's occurring in the brain," she explains, comparing it to other conditions requiring long-term medical relationships. This framing helps listeners understand why proper treatment extends beyond simply amplifying sound—it's about brain health and quality of life.

Whether you're considering your first hearing aid or wondering if your current solution is optimal, this episode delivers valuable insights to guide your decision. Ready to experience the Total Hearing Care difference? Call 469-218-4833 to schedule an appointment and take the next step toward better hearing and better living.

To learn more about Total Hearing Care visit:
https://www.TotalHearingCare.com
Total Hearing Care
Multiple Locations Across the DFW Metroplex
469-218-4853

Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Total Hearing Care Difference where we help you experience life through better hearing. Hosted by the experts at Total Hearing Care, a leading private audiology practice serving the DFW Metroplex, we're here to provide guidance on hearing loss, tinnitus and the latest advancements in audiology. Transform your life through better hearing. Let's get started.

Speaker 2:

All hearing aids aren't the same. Let's explore the key differences between over-the-counter and prescription options to help you make the right choice. Welcome back everyone. I'm Sofia Yvette, co-host, slash producer, back in the studio with Dr Jill Copley. Dr Copley, how's it going today? Going?

Speaker 3:

wonderful Thanks for having me back.

Speaker 2:

Of course. Now, dr Copley, hearing aids are life-changing for many people. Hearing aids are life-changing for many people, but choosing the right type can feel overwhelming. What's the difference between?

Speaker 3:

over-the-counter and prescription hearing aids. So that's a great question and I want to start with a little bit of history. So several years ago and this was prior to COVID times the government was, or Congress was, asked to come up with ideas on how to make hearing instruments more affordable, and so what they came up with is taking basically simple hearing instruments and providing them over the counter. So it had a lot of great ideas and they're good for some people and not for others, and we can get into that in a second. Prescriptive hearing aids are different Now. Prescriptive hearing aids are probably what you think of when you think of hearing instruments. That's where you come see an audiologist or another hearing healthcare provider and they actually do a hearing test and they actually program via computer the hearing instruments for you. So it's a very exacting process and it fits your hearing loss perfectly. Over-the-counter does that in a more general way.

Speaker 2:

Now let's get into the biggest differences. What are the biggest differences in performance between over-the-counter and prescription hearing aids?

Speaker 3:

So over-the-counter devices are more like an amplification, so they have a little bit of controlling things if things get too loud, but basically they're just amplifying. Get too loud, but basically they're just amplifying. You have control via your phone in adjusting the volume and sometimes adjusting for background noise, whereas prescriptive hearing aids are going to have your top technology for assisting in background noise, assisting with the TV, assisting with the phone, assisting in meetings, and they're going to be able to adjust automatically. So a lot of it has to do with the automatic adjustment and that way you are not having to adjust things yourself. It's going to be a much higher tier of technology in prescriptive devices.

Speaker 2:

Now, who would benefit the most from over-the-counter hearing aids versus a prescription one?

Speaker 3:

So over-the-counter devices were really meant for people that have a mild to moderate loss. So maybe they're noticing that they're missing some things, but they're not missing everything. Now, in our opinion, prescriptive hearing aids are still going to help better because they're more precise to the hearing loss. But some people with a mild to moderate loss may not be able to justify the cost, the higher cost for prescriptive hearing aids, and so they're using these over the counter devices to just help them in those certain situations. Now I want to mention, just for reference, that over-the-counter hearing instruments are geared towards adults. The FDA has said that children still need to see an otolaryngologist or an EMT, as well as an audiologist. They should not be using the over-the-counter devices.

Speaker 2:

Now, how does professional audiology support improve the effectiveness of prescription hearing aids on the flip side, that's a wonderful question.

Speaker 3:

So over-the-counter devices do not require any kind of support. So if you do have trouble with them, you either have to call the company or they also recommend going back to where you bought them, which may be a place like CVS or Best Buy, and the people that work there are not professional audiologists. They may be trained a little bit in how to sell these devices, but they're not trained in really helping you use the devices. So when you see an audiologist and you get prescriptive devices, there's going to be a lot more training. There's going to be training on cleaning them, how best to use them. When you're in background noise, you know, for instance, the microphones on prescriptive hearing instruments are going to adjust for what's behind you when you get into noise, and so you want to sit or stand a certain way, you want to use the TV in a certain way, and so there's a lot of tips and recommendations that audiologists can give. When you actually come in for prescriptive hearing aids and get the appropriate counseling on how to use them best Over the counter, you're just basically downloading an app and connecting it to those devices and then you're on your own.

Speaker 3:

Wow, now what about the cost difference between the two options of devices that would be less expensive. So you go from things like that might be $30 for a device and I can tell you right now those will never work. You'll be very disappointed with those. But you might go up to something that may be $1,500 or $2,000 for two devices and those you're probably going to hear better with. You know, when you have companies like maybe Apple or Bose, who already have research and development into good sound quality, those are probably going to sound better to you and be easier to use Any final words for us today, Dr Copley, on the difference between over-the-counter and prescription hearing aids.

Speaker 3:

I think what I really want to say is it's the assistance that you're getting with prescriptive devices. You're getting precision to your hearing loss and you're getting the assistance that you need long-term, because hearing loss is a neurological condition. It's occurring in the brain, and so it's something that you're going to have to be treated for long term, and so it's just like any other kind of disease, like a heart disease or dementia. You're going to be treating that with your physician long term, and that's the way we consider hearing loss is. It's something that's neurological, it's going to be there, and we want to help you long term throughout your hearing journey.

Speaker 2:

Wow, what an important conversation today, dr Copley. Understanding the differences in hearing aid options can empower people to make the best decisions for their hearing health. Thanks again, and we'll catch you on your next episode. Okay, great, thank you for the conversation. Decisions for their hearing health.

Speaker 3:

Thanks again, and we'll catch you on your next episode Okay great.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for the conversation. Thank you for listening to the Total Hearing Care Difference. If you're in the DFW Metroplex and ready to take the next step toward better hearing, call 469-218-483 to book an appointment or visit TotalHearingCarecom, because when you hear better, you live better. See you next time.