
The main issue with modern hearing aids is their availability and convenience. Drawing from personal experience with hearing impaired family members, I can safely say that hearing aids are often times expensive and difficult to get set up properly, creating an environment where the ones in need face a whole heap of trouble getting the help they desire. This lack of accessibility has sparked a conversation about the use of Bluetooth earbuds as a potential alternative solution.
High-end earbuds, such as Apple’s AirPods Pro and other models from companies like Bose, Sennheiser, Samsung and Sony, now include features such as noise cancellation, transparency mode, and amplification of ambient sounds. These features, while primarily aimed at enhancing the audio experience for the general public, also cater to those with mild to moderate hearing loss. By amplifying sounds and reducing background noise, these earbuds provide users with an experience akin to that of entry-level hearing aids.
Benefits
I’ll preface this by saying that, although some of these benefits might seem quite promising, this is no medical advice, and for the time being I wouldn’t advise anyone to choose earbuds over proper hearing aids. Nevertheless, I believe that, with time and further innovation, earbuds could become a strong second option for individuals with hearing impairments due to factors like these:
- Price Average hearing aids are anywhere in between $2,000 and $7,000, which is quite steep. The aforementioned headphones are in the $200-$1,000 range.
- Discreetness Earbuds are generally small and discreet, making them less noticeable than traditional hearing aids, which can sometimes be bulkier or more conspicuous, and from the social acceptance point of view, some individuals may feel more comfortable wearing earbuds, especially in social situations, as they are more socially accepted than hearing aids.
- Portability and Convenience Using earbuds as hearing aids is typically as simple as pairing them with your phone or turning them on, without the need for medical prescriptions or specialized fitting
Downsides
Earbuds are usually designed to produce a flat frequency response, meaning they aim to reproduce sound as accurately as possible, preserving the artist’s original intent, and while this works for music, earbuds are not tailored for hearing loss. Hearing aids, on the other hand, are specifically tuned to the unique frequency range where a person experiences hearing loss, based on their audiogram. Simply amplifying all frequencies with earbuds doesn’t account for this personalized need, and in fact, it can potentially harm hearing further by over-amplifying sounds that the person can already hear well enough.
Consensus
Personally, I don’t believe we’re at a point where earbuds can truly replace hearing aids. Don’t get me wrong, I completely understand the desire to save money, but in the long run, cutting corners on something as important as hearing health just isn’t worth it. Hearing aids are specifically designed to address individual hearing loss patterns, while earbuds simply aren’t built with that in mind. Opting for the wrong solution could end up causing more harm than good. So, before you gift your grandma a pair of AirPods for Christmas, it’s important to consider if they’re truly the best choice for her.
Reference links:
- https://theconversation.com/earbuds-can-they-be-used-as-hearing-aids-194461
- https://www.techlicious.com/guide/tested-can-bluetooth-earbuds-be-used-as-hearing-aids/
- https://www.hearingaid.org.uk/hearing-aid-advice/hearing-aids-vs-earbuds
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/11/221115113924.htm
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/apples-new-airpods-pro-double-hearing-aid/
AI engine used: Microsoft Copilot
This is a very interesting article. I agree that we are not YET at the point where hearing aids can be replaced by earbuds. There is many things to think about like the fact that earbuds have to be connect to a phone, making them dependent on it. Also you have to charge them which is another minus. The price and looks of earbuds definetely is attractive to people that use or need hearing aids, because of the price and the looks. They can make a person feel more “connected’ to others and not stand out that much- I assume that especially younger people would apprieciate it. I think that in the future we will be able to see those “special” earbuds developed accordingly to the needs of people dealing with hearing loss and Im excited to see the results.