There are no stupid questions, only questions that were not asked. Perhaps you’ve been considering a hearing aid for yourself or a loved one, but didn’t know where to start. Here are a few of the more frequently asked questions (FAQ). Hopefully the answers will encourage you to learn more about how hearing aids can help maintain a full, active life for years to come.
Q: Do I need a doctor’s prescription or hearing test in order to buy MDHearingAids?
Federal law permits a fully informed adult to sign a waiver statement declining the medical evaluation for religious or personal beliefs that preclude consultation with a physician. Children under the age of 18 are not eligible for a waiver.
MDHearingAid and the U.S. FDA recommend that a person with hearing loss have a medical evaluation by a licensed audiologist or physician (preferably a physician who specializes in diseases of the ear) before purchasing any hearing aid. Consult a doctor prior to purchase if you have any of the following conditions:
- Visible deformity of the ear
- Fluid or drainage from the ear within the past 90 days
- Sudden, rapidly progressing, or fluctuating hearing loss
- Spells of acute or chronic dizziness
- Hearing loss only on one side that worsened in the past 90 days
- Ear canal blockage, a lasting ear infection or a ‘plugged up’ fullness feeling
- Excessive wax buildup, or a history of excessive wax buildup
- Pain or discomfort in the ear
- Ringing in one or both ears within last 90 days
Q: Should I buy one hearing aid or two?
The brain processes signals from both ears for improved clarity and balanced sound. You will be able to hear much better with two hearing aids; your overall satisfaction with hearing aids will be much higher. If you only use one hearing aid, but have hearing loss in both ears, your brain has to process two different sound and clarity levels, which makes the sound signal more difficult to understand. In addition, you will save more if you purchase two hearing aids at one time as opposed to buying them separately.
Q: Can I wear hearing aids with eyeglasses or oxygen tubing?
Many people successfully wear eyeglasses and hearing aids. For best results, put your glasses on. Place the hearing aid body between your glasses and your outer ear. To avoid problems when removing your glasses or putting them back on, resist tilting your glasses up or down as you take them off or put them on.
It is also possible to use supplemental breathing tubes or nasal cannulas and wear hearing aids. After securing the hearing aid body behind your ear, drape the tubing over the ears as you normally would. Secure the cannula tubing in the manner that you prefer.
Some experimentation might be necessary to find the best way to wear your hearing aid, oxygen tubing, and/or eyeglasses, but the rewards are worth it.
Q: Do hearing aids work with cell phones?
Digital cell phones and digital hearing aids communicate well with each other. For best results, be sure that the cell phone microphone is not held up to the ear, but slightly up and back from where you normally would hold it.
Analog hearing aids typically do not communicate with digital cell phones as well as digital hearing aids.
Q: Will private insurance or Medicare cover the cost of hearing aids?
Most insurance policies and Medicare do not cover the cost of, nor reimburse for, hearing aids; the majority Americans pay out of pocket for hearing aids. Expense is the main reason most people who need hearing aids go without them. MDHearingAid was founded so those who couldn’t afford thousands of dollars for hearing aids could get the high quality hearing aids they needed, affordably and without hassle.
If your insurance policy does cover hearing aids, please contact us and we’ll be happy to provide you with the documentation necessary to submit a claim.
Q: Is it possible to finance my hearing aids?
We’ve made it easy to finance your hearing aids. Simply select either the Affirm or PayPal payment option during the checkout process.
Have more questions?
You can find answers to other frequently asked questions here. If you don’t see the answer to your question, our skilled customer service staff is only a phone call or email away.