The Risks of Wearing Apple AirPods Pro 2Instead of Hearing Aids
For those with hearing loss
Overview | What are they? | Customisation | Amplification | The fit | Sound quality | Medical oversight | Conclusion
Overview
Over the years, the Apple AirPods Pro 2 have gatheredattention for being a hearing aid alternative. A scary thought and here's why...
With a feature that allows these wireless earbuds to assist with hearing by amplifying sounds and providing some hearing assistance, many people with hearing loss are wondering if AirPods Pro 2 can be an effective solution for their needs.
While the technology is impressive, it’s important to understand the risks of using these earbuds for hearing loss management and disregarding hearing aids completely.
What are AirPods Pro 2 andhow do they offer hearing support?
The AirPods Pro 2, with their advanced features, have been marketed as a device that could support those with mild to moderate hearing loss, especially since the rise ofover-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids.
The earbuds are equipped with active noise cancellation features, which can help reduce background noise and amplify certain everyday sounds.
Apple has also introduced a feature that allows the AirPods Pro 2 to be customised forthose with hearing challenges, allowing them to adjust the sound profile to suit their personal hearing needs on some level.
Lack of customisation
One of the most significant risks of using AirPods Pro 2 as a hearing aid alternative is the lack of personalised customisation that a modern hearing aid provides.Hearing aids are adjusted to a specific hearing profile, including the degree of hearing loss, the frequency range of sounds people struggle to hear, and their lifestyle needs.
In contrast, AirPods Pro 2 provide a generalised sound amplification thatdoes not adequately address the unique needs of someone with hearing loss.
Although Apple offers some customisation through the "Live Listen" feature, which can amplify sounds, this function doesn’t offer the detailed frequency adjustments and amplification controls that hearing aids provide. Hearing aids are designed to improve clarity across different environments, ensuring that wearers can hear speech and other important sounds more clearly.
Over-amplification
Another concern is the risk of over-amplifying sound. When using AirPods Pro 2 to aid hearing, there's a danger that users may set the amplification too high. Unlike professional hearing aids, which are designed with safeguards to prevent excessive amplification, earbuds like AirPods Pro 2 simply don’t have the same built-in protections.
Excessively loud sounds, especially in the high-frequency range, can cause further damage to the ear, worsening hearing loss over time.
For people with hearing loss, who already have damaged hair cells in the inner ear, using earbuds that boost sound without proper guidance can increase the risk of further auditory damage. The prolonged exposure to loud sounds can accelerate the degeneration of remaining hearing capacity, potentially leading to permanent hearing damage.
Poor fit and comfort
Hearing aids are custom-fitted to the wearer’s ears, ensuring that they stay in place and deliver the best possible sound quality. AirPods Pro 2, while offering some level of fit customisation with different ear tips, are not designed for long-term wear in the same way hearing aids are. Poor fit can lead to discomfort, less effective sound delivery, and even further hearing issues.
If the AirPods don’t sit securely in the ear canal, the sound amplification might not be as effective, and users could be tempted to increase the volume, leading to potential ear strain.
People with significant hearing loss may need to wear their hearing aids for long periods throughout the day. AirPods, on the other hand, were primarily designed as music and communication devices and do not provide the comfort needed for all-day use, especially for people with advanced hearing impairments.
Limited soundquality
AirPods Pro 2 offer good sound quality for general listening and media consumption, but they are not specifically engineered for the complex acoustic environment that a hearing aid needs to navigate. Professional hearing aids are designed to filter and amplify sound based on the environment, whether it’s a quiet room, a noisy street, or a crowded social setting.
AirPods Pro 2, while equipped with noise cancellation, will not perform as well in real-world situations where specific frequencies need to be amplified for clarity, such as distinguishing speech from background noise.
For those with moderate to severe hearing loss, the inability to adapt to these dynamic sound environments could result in frustration and reduced effectiveness, especially in situations where communication is important. Such as during conversations or in loud social settings.
Lack of medical oversight
Perhaps one of the most significant risks of using AirPods Pro 2 instead of professionally prescribed hearing aids is the lack of medical oversight.
Hearing aids are professionally and safely fitted andprogrammed by audiologists, who ensure that they are working at their best and are tailored to the wearer’s hearing needs. Audiologists provide follow-up care, adjustments, and guidance on hearing aid usage.
In contrast, AirPods Pro 2 are devices that don’t offer any level of medical expertise or professional support. Without proper guidance, people might not realise they’re misusing the device, leading to frustration or even further damage to their hearing.
Hearing loss can sometimes be a symptom of an underlying medical condition, and using an over-the-counter device like AirPods Pro 2 may delay a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
