Avoiding the Biggest Mistake in Treating Your Hearing Loss

Do you remember the Q-Ray Bracelets? You know, the magnetic bracelets that promised to grant immediate and substantial pain relief from arthritis and other chronic conditions?

Well, you won’t find much of that advertising anymore; in 2008, the producers of the Q-Ray Bracelets were legally obligated to reimburse customers a maximum of $87 million as a consequence of deceitful and fraudulent advertising.¹

The issue had to do with rendering health claims that were not backed by any scientific confirmation. For that matter, powerful evidence existed to show that the magnetized wristbands had NO influence on pain reduction, which did not bode well for the producer but did wonders to win the court case for the Federal Trade Commission.²

The wishful thinking fallacy

Fine, so the Q-Ray bracelets didn’t function (besides the placebo effect), yet they ended up selling amazingly well. What gives?

Without diving into the depths of human psychology, the straight forward reply is that we have a powerful inclination to believe in the things that seem to make our lives better and quite a bit easier.

On an emotional level, you’d love to believe that using a $50 bracelet will eradicate your pain and that you don’t have to bother with high price medical and surgical treatments.

If, for instance, you happen to suffer from chronic arthritis in your knee, which approach seems more desirable?

a. Scheduling surgery for a complete knee replacement

b. Going to the mall to pick up a magnetic bracelet

Your instinct is to give the bracelet a try. You already wish to trust that the bracelet will deliver the results, so now all you need is a little push from the marketers and some social confirmation from having seen other people donning them.

But it is specifically this natural instinct, combined with the inclination to seek out confirming evidence, that will get you into the most trouble.

If it sounds too good to be true…

Keeping in mind the Q-Ray bracelets, let’s say you’re suffering from hearing loss; which solution sounds more appealing?

a. Scheduling an appointment with a hearing specialist and obtaining professionally programmed hearing aids

b. Purchasing an off-the-shelf personal sound amplifier online for 20 bucks

Just as the magnetic bracelet seems much more appealing than a visit to the physician or surgeon, the personal sound amplifier seems to be much more appealing than a trip to the audiologist or hearing instrument specialist.

Nevertheless, as with the magnetic wristbands, personal sound amplifiers won’t cure anything, either.

The difference between hearing aids and personal sound amplifiers

Before you get the wrong impression, I’m not saying that personal sound amplifiers, also referred to as PSAPs, are fraudulent — or even that they don’t function.

On the contrary, personal sound amplifiers often do deliver results. Just like hearing aids, personal sound amplifiers consist of a receiver, a microphone, and an amplifier that receive sound and make it louder. Thought of on that level, personal sound amplifiers work fine — and for that matter, so does the act of cupping your hands behind your ears.

However when you ask if PSAPs work, you’re asking the wrong question. The questions you should be asking are:

How well do they deliver the results?
For which type of person do they work best?

These are precisely the questions that the FDA answered when it produced its guidance on the difference between hearing aids and personal sound amplifiers.

As reported by the FDA, hearing aids are classified as “any wearable instrument or device designed for, offered for the purpose of, or represented as aiding persons with or compensating for, impaired hearing.” (21 CFR 801.420)³

Quite the opposite, personal sound amplifiers are “intended to amplify environmental sound for non-hearing impaired consumers. They are not intended to compensate for hearing impairment.”

Although the distinction is transparent, it’s simple for PSAP producers and sellers to get around the distinction by simply not pointing it out. For instance, on a PSAP package, you might find the tagline “turning ordinary hearing into extraordinary hearing.” This promise is unclear enough to skirt the issue entirely without having to define exactly what the catch phrase “turning ordinary hearing into extraordinary hearing” even means.

You get what you pay for

As outlined by by the FDA, PSAPs are basic amplification devices ideal for individuals with normal hearing. So if you have normal hearing, and you desire to hear better while hunting, bird watching, or tuning in to far off conversations, then a $20 PSAP is perfect for you.

If you suffer from hearing loss, however, then you’ll require professionally programmed hearing aids. Although more expensive, hearing aids offer the power and features needed to address hearing loss. Listed below are some of the reasons why hearing aids are superior to PSAPs:

Hearing aids amplify only the frequencies that you have trouble hearing, while PSAPs amplify all sound indiscriminately. By amplifying all frequencies, PSAPs won’t permit you to hear conversations in the presence of background noise, like when you’re at a party or restaurant.
Hearing aids come with integrated noise reduction and canceling functions, while PSAPs do not.
Hearing aids are programmable and can be perfected for maximum hearing; PSAPs are not programmable.
Hearing aids contain various features and functions that block out background noise, provide for phone use, and provide for wireless connectivity, for example. PSAPs do not typically come with any of these features.
Hearing aids come in diverse styles and are custom-molded for maximal comfort and aesthetic appeal. PSAPs are typically one-size-fits-all.

Seek the help of a hearing professional

If you think you have hearing loss, don’t be enticed by the low-cost PSAPs; rather, set up a consultation with a hearing specialist. They will be able to precisely measure your hearing loss and will make sure that you receive the most effective hearing aid for your lifestyle and needs. So although the low-cost PSAPs are tempting, in this circumstance you should listen to your better judgment and seek expert assistance. Your hearing is well worth the work.

Sources

Federal Trade Commission: Appeals Court Affirms Ruling in FTCs Favor in Q-Ray Bracelet Case
National Center for Biotechnology Information: Effect of “ionized” wrist bracelets on musculoskeletal pain: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Food and Drug Administration: Guidance for Industry and FDA Staff: Regulatory Requirements for Hearing Aid Devices and Personal Sound Amplification Products