Can I Use Someone Else's Hearing Aids?

Using someone else’s hearing aids is a legitimate question. Although this might sound like an easy thing to do, there are several drawbacks to trying to use someone else's hearing aids. This is particularly true when you don't have any prior experience with hearing aids. Here is an example of a scenario where someone wonders if they can use a hearing aid that belonged to someone else: “My friend’s father passed away recently, and she offered me a pair of hearing aids that her dad had purchased several years ago.  I don’t know if they will work for me?  I tried to put them in my ears, but one kept falling out and the other was so loud it made my head hurt.  Should I try to use them when I feel I need them to hear better?” In a short answer, the response is "no!"  In a long answer, there are several reasons why using a pair of hearing aids which are not your own isn’t a good idea.

A product regulated by the FDA

To start, what most people don’t know, is that hearing aids are medical devices regulated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). As a consequence, each unit has a specific serial number on each one, assigning the hearing aid to the person fit with it. Hearing health professionals use hearing aid serial numbers to program the devices in their computer software. In addition, hearing aid manufacturers use these serial numbers to track warranties purchased on their hearing aids.

Hearing aids are specifically programmed for an individual

You have to know that hearing aids are programmed to each individual’s unique hearing loss. Someone’s hearing loss in all likelihood is different than yours. And the prescription in their hearing aids is even more unique to them. Prescriptions in hearing aids are applied based on an individual’s

• hearing loss
• hearing history

If someone’s hearing aids are programmed loud enough for their needs, then the devices may actually be programmed much too loud for yours. Therefore it could potentially increase the volume of sound too much for your hearing. Oftentimes, a pair or hearing aids will have different settings programmed in. This might not be identifiable to you without knowledge of the programming or compatibility of the devices with a smartphone or paired accessory.

Hearing aids are specifically fitted for an individual

With regards to the fit of a hearing aid, there are several risk factors in using a device that isn’t fit correctly to your ear. The first foreseeable problem is that, like you experienced, it keeps falling out!  If the hearing aid falls out, then it’s probably going to get lost quickly. The second problem with a hearing aid not seated properly in your ear is that if the sound from the device flows out of your ear instead of in, then you might have noticed that pesky ‘whistle’ sound called “feedback” happening. Here is an audio sample similar to a feedback noise. No one definitely like that type of noise in their ears. Finally you might not wear what you would like when you use someone else’s hearing aid. There are several types of hearing aids you could choose from. And for many people having a hearing aid that seems “invisible” is a high priority.  

Conclusion

To summarize, it is not the best practice to use someone else's hearing aids. Hearing aids have to be made for you or your hearing loss. As a general guideline, hearing aids:

• are medical devices specifically assigned to their user
• must be programmed on a computer to your unique hearing loss
• need to be configured to your hearing preferences

If hearing hearing aids don’t fit your ear correctly, they are liable to fall out and become lost. As the cost of a pair of hearing aids could be quite high, you have to be very cautious with them. Also you will most likely experience whistle from feedback too and this is a discomfort you want to avoid. You will find some hearing healthcare professionals that will charge you a fee to reprogram hearing aids. However you have to be careful with this approach. Charges and fees can start to add up quickly when minor adjustments, repairs and servicing are needed. And you will still have to take into consideration follow up care. Whatever path you are ready to go, we strongly suggest you talk to a professional first. Otherwise this could leave your desire to hear better with a bitter feeling.  

Recommended reading 

• Learn how to detect when you could have potential hearing loss
• Learn what you need to know before going to your first appointment