High priced hearing aids

[Gandtee]

Can someone explain why hearing aids are so expensive? High tech electronic sound gadgets seem to be so much cheaper than hearing aids. Could it be that the producers know that sooner or later many people will require one, and so hold them to ransom. I'm sure that if the prices were reduced, more people would buy them instead of suffering in silence (pun intended) I wonder when hearing aid banks will emerge?

[bazmlb]

The ones I looked at (Widex) from Dmed were about 60,000 baht, the reason i see them being expensive is the size of the unit and the tasks it performs, they were able to map the hearing and adjust around 20 frequency ranges to compensate hearing back to what normal would sound like.

[bradenroger]

Yeah, I've always assumed that the high price for top of the line aids are due to the intricate technology involved. Alas, even the best ones cannot give me normal hearing. I have had so many pairs from so many different providers (including Widex, Seimen, Starkey, etc.) over the years and I've bought them in the US as well as here in Thailand. (Prices don't seem to differ much between the two countries.) If anyone knows of a great product, please share it....Sure wish someone could develop an implant technology for those of us suffering from nerve deafness...This is especially disheartening for someone who plays a musical instrument.

[gamini]

I used hearing aids of many types ranging from Bt20-Bt45k. I never could hear very well with them. So I opted for the best, Over Bt100k for a single one and it has really made a difference. It has 30 channels and brings back sound I lost years ago

[uptheos]

I used hearing aids of many types ranging from Bt20-Bt45k. I never could hear very well with them. So I opted for the best, Over Bt100k for a single one and it has really made a difference. It has 30 channels and brings back sound I lost years ago

Can you share the make and model please?

[thailandbeachisland]

Technology costs nothing, they are just cheaters that's all !

[Sirius1935]

Yeah, I've always assumed that the high price for top of the line aids are due to the intricate technology involved. Alas, even the best ones cannot give me normal hearing. I have had so many pairs from so many different providers (including Widex, Seimen, Starkey, etc.) over the years and I've bought them in the US as well as here in Thailand. (Prices don't seem to differ much between the two countries.) If anyone knows of a great product, please share it....Sure wish someone could develop an implant technology for those of us suffering from nerve deafness...This is especially disheartening for someone who plays a musical instrument.

Oh Roger!

I am in exactly the same position as you. I play the clarinet but the notes sound off key and I can't even listen to any music these days as it all sounds as if the different instruments are playing in different keys. (Thai music, no problem, it always sounds like that).

Hardly a week goes by these days without one reading of some miraculous breakthrough in medical science, so I am sure there will be a cure for nerve deafness one day. Please let me know if you "hear" of it first.

To answer the OP: I got my hearing aids in Singapore. Starkeys. The moulds had to be sent to Australia to me made up. That would add to the expense. Then the audiologist's mark up would be huge to cover the costs of a surgery in a shopping plaza and audiometry testing which they usually provide free. My hearing aid cost about the same as they would have cost in Thailand or Australia.

[m3dave]

I used hearing aids of many types ranging from Bt20-Bt45k. I never could hear very well with them. So I opted for the best, Over Bt100k for a single one and it has really made a difference. It has 30 channels and brings back sound I lost years ago

[m3dave]

Got one of ebay from china when I was in uk 2years ago for my wife rechargeable in ear she then used to have tv to quiet for me to hear cost £15 incl post, alas 2days ago went wrong anyone know of any about? Or have to get another off ebay and get my son to post it here.

[Gandtee]

My wife bought me one from the local chemist for baht 500 (10 quid?) It was adjustable for volume but for me, no good at all. I need one for the high pitch sounds. If it is only volume that you want I suggest you try the local chemist. Ours is across the road from Queen Sirikit Hospital in Sattahip. I hope this is helpful.

Edited December 18, 2013 by Gandtee

[m3dave]

Thanks grantee I'll try the local chemist I never thought of that!

[bazmlb]

The problem with an off the shelf unit is they aren't tuned to what your ear needs, they will usually amplify all sound and not the frequencies that you need, to be done correctly with a multi channel unit requires your hearing to first be mapped then the multi channel hearing aid to be configured to boost the degraded frequencies accordingly. I do not know of any multi channel units that are user configurable, but I imagine a lot would be interested to hear about them.

[harrry]

I think most is profit. In Australia Penisoners etc can get a unit free. The government pays about $450 a unit. the same unit if you are not a pensioner costs round $2000 at the same place. Another area of high markups.