# Tell Me About Hearing aids

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-hearing-aids/1020266>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [June 29, 2025, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-hearing-aids/1020266 "2025-06-29T18:46:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 8

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**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\
**Post date:** [June 29, 2025, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-hearing-aids/1020266/8 "2025-06-29T19:08:07Z")

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Prior to a few years ago, hearing aids in the U.S. were pretty much only available by prescription (more or less), and you needed to see a hearing specialist / audiologist in order to buy. A 2022 law now [allows hearing aid manufactures to sell over-the-counter](https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/hearing-aids/otc-hearing-aids-what-you-should-know), so it _is_ possible to just buy hearing aids directly.

However, hearing loss is not a simple thing, and AIUI, hearing aids aren’t really a “one size fits all” thing. Especially as you haven’t previously used them, it would likely be of benefit to you to actually see a specialist, have the particular nature of your hearing loss diagnosed, and get recommendations as to which sorts of hearing aids will best meet your particular needs. If you just buy a pair OTC, they might well be well-suited for what you need…but they might not be, either.

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