Hearing aids have been around for a very long time. In fact, ever since people have suffered from hearing loss, there has been a quest to design devices capable of compensating for this handicap. With the advent of wireless earbuds like Apple AirPods, exciting new possibilities are opening up for those living with hearing loss.
Hearing aids have taken every conceivable form, from what now seems comical—like wearing a huge copper ear trumpet—to state-of-the-art sound amplification technologies, and everything in between. Hearing plays an immense role in our life experience. From birth and the first voices of our parents to discovering our favorite music genres, the ability to interact with the world around us through sound weighs heavily on our development.
When a person is born with incomplete hearing, certain measures can be taken: hearing aids, cochlear implants, or even auditory rehabilitation. Learning to lip-read and navigate the world without the full range of auditory input requires significant learning. For those who lose hearing later in life, this disability can be devastating.
In the United States alone, millions of people live with hearing loss, with varying degrees of severity. For many, treatment involves devices like hearing aids, which come in many styles and models.
Hearing aids can treat mild or moderate hearing loss as well as severe hearing loss. For millions of people, these devices are the most effective way to correct the effects of hearing loss and regain a normal life. But what exactly is a hearing aid, and how does it work? And most importantly, how does a hearing aid differ from a device like Apple AirPods, and how can AirPods help someone with hearing loss?
To answer these questions, let's start by understanding what a hearing aid actually is.
What is a hearing aid?
Traditionally, a hearing aid is a device that allows you to hear certain frequencies that you have naturally lost the ability to perceive. When we experience hearing loss, our decibel threshold increases to abnormal levels.
Sounds are made up of energy waves that travel at precise frequencies and have a natural power or force. This force is measured in decibels. The decibel indicates how loud or powerful a sound is. Think of a conversation with a close friend who speaks very softly.
In a quiet environment, their voice is produced at a natural decibel level that you recognize and hear without difficulty. However, if you move into, say, a subway station, the ambient noise pollution is likely to cover your friend's voice and drown it out completely.
This is an example of a decibel threshold: your friend's soft voice has naturally become too quiet to be heard over other sounds. A hearing aid targets the precise frequencies that are no longer perceptible and amplifies them to a decibel level that is audible again.
There are two ways to obtain these devices: over-the-counter or by prescription. The differences between prescription hearing aids and over-the-counter hearing aids are considerable.
Prescription Hearing Aids
Prescription hearing aids can only be obtained—you guessed it—with a prescription from a healthcare professional. This process involves various specialists, such as ENT doctors and audiologists. It also involves costly hearing tests, which some private insurance companies may cover.
For many people, private insurance does not cover the cost of prescription hearing aids, and Medicaid/Medicare does not cover any of the costs of the entire process. These hearing aids do, however, offer an advantage that may justify their high price. This is mainly due to the fact that a prescription hearing aid is custom-programmed to your exact hearing needs.
This feature means that not all sound waves will be indiscriminately amplified: only the frequencies you have trouble perceiving will be boosted. This is a much more precise method for correcting hearing loss. Furthermore, depending on the model chosen, the casing itself will be custom-made to fit your ear canal.
Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids
Over-the-counter hearing aids differ from prescription models mainly because they cannot be custom-programmed to your exact hearing profile. They are also mass-produced, based on a one-size-fits-all principle.
Their appeal lies in their convenience and affordability. Even if an over-the-counter hearing aid is not finely tuned to your decibel threshold deficits, it still amplifies sounds generally and brings sound waves to a more easily recognizable level.
This is a good solution for many people with mild to moderate hearing loss who do not want to spend literally thousands of dollars on prescription hearing aids. At CLARIA, our iconic EV1 and EV3 over-the-counter hearing aids are specially designed to alleviate the burden of hearing loss without emptying your wallet.
Our unique, high-quality hearing aids offer an affordable solution that will truly change your hearing loss journey, for less than a hundred dollars. We currently offer the smallest in-ear hearing aids on the market, and our one-size-fits-all design has been proven with hundreds of satisfied customers.
Thanks to advanced sound technology, we filter out background noise and help you distinguish the sounds you want to hear from unwanted noise pollution.
Can I use my AirPods as hearing aids?
While CLARIA's EV1 and EV3 are excellent options for people over 65 with mild to moderate hearing loss, what if you already own a pair of Apple AirPods? Apple has long been one of the most famous technology companies on the planet, and its iconic line of wireless headphones is among the best on the market.
These devices don't just stream clear audio from your devices: they also include microphones and can be used for phone calls, FaceTime, or Zoom. Apple generally designs its products to work best within its ecosystem: AirPods perform best with an iPhone rather than paired via Bluetooth to an Android device.
Among the features Apple has integrated into its tech ecosystem is Live Listen. This unique feature helps people with hearing loss get an extra boost from their Apple devices when using their AirPods.
"While devices like AirPods can be very effective, they are not a substitute for hearing aids." — Drew Sutton, M.D., Board-Certified Otolaryngologist.
In summary: yes, Apple AirPods can be used as a hearing aid; however, they are not a substitute for a true medical device, whether prescription or even over-the-counter.
For anyone experiencing hearing loss, the need to consult an ENT doctor and have a comprehensive hearing evaluation by an audiologist remains very real. Apple AirPods do not mean you should not seek real medical care, but they can be an additional tool in your hearing loss journey.
Live Listen: How it works
The unique feature of Live Listen is that it turns your Apple device—iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch—into a microphone. These devices are already equipped with remarkable microphones, designed to pick up precise frequencies, such as voices in a noisy environment.
When you activate Live Listen, it's the microphone on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch that hears for you, and the sound is streamed directly to your Apple AirPods.
How to activate it
To activate this feature, simply make sure your Apple device is updated to version 14.3, which you can do via the software update option in the settings. Once confirmed, go to the Control Center settings and select the "Hearing" button, represented by a blue ear. Add it to your Control Center, then open it by pulling down the drop-down menu.
Finally, tap the ear icon to activate Live Listen and place your phone near the sound source you want to amplify: it's that simple! The phone starts streaming the sound it picks up to your AirPods, and you're all set!
Sources:
Hearing Aid History: From Ear Trumpets to Digital Technology | EMBS
Quick Statistics About Hearing | NIDCD
Use Live Listen with AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, or Powerbeats Pro | Apple.com
What Noises Cause Hearing Loss? | NCEH
