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A CMU study compares the effectiveness of self-fitted and professionally fitted hearing aids

The FDA is moving to approve OTC hearing aids, in a change that lawmakers and advocates have long called for. Here, a man displays his hearing aid before taking part in a meeting.
Keith Bedford
/
Boston Globe via Getty Images
The FDA is moving to approve OTC hearing aids, in a change that lawmakers and advocates have long called for. Here, a man displays his hearing aid before taking part in a meeting.

A CMU researcher has found that professionally fitted hearing aids are more effective than those fitted by the user.

Dr. Yunfang Zheng, an associate professor at CMU’s Center for Communication Sciences and Disorders, said her research suggests people with mild to extreme hearing loss may still need to seek professional help to improve the effectiveness of their hearing aids.

“It's like eyeglasses,” Zheng said, “they can go to the store to buy their own glasses, right, if they need help they can get a better fit from the professionals, optometrists.”

Zheng said that professional fits provide a wider range of functions and those functions require professional knowledge.

The study comes as the FDA is considering allowing the sale of over-the-counter hearing aids.