Phoenix Audiologists Explain Pros and Cons of Apple Airpod Hearing Aids for Hearing Loss

Apple's introduction of AirPods Pro as a potential over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid has brought both excitement and skepticism to the hearing health community, especially Phoenix Audiologists. As hearing and tinnitus professionals, we see the following pros and cons to the Apple AirPods Pro Hearing Aid features.

Pros:

1. Increased Awareness of Hearing Health: The AirPods Pro functioning as a hearing aid can bring more attention to the importance of hearing health, potentially encouraging more people to seek solutions for their hearing loss. Untreated hearing loss can lead to various health issues, including cognitive decline, increased risk of falls, and tinnitus. Currently there are 42 million Americans with hearing loss in the United States, but only about 15% seek treatment, so there is definitely room for improvement!
2. Convenience and Accessibility of the Apple Hearing Test: The Apple hearing test offers a convenient, although very basic hearing screening. This can be beneficial for individuals who suspect they have some degree of hearing loss but don’t want to take the time to schedule a hearing evaluation unless needed.

Cons:

1. Lack of Professional Testing, Programming, and Care. Successful medical treatment of hearing loss starts with a full diagnostic evaluation by a qualified hearing health care provider who will perform much more than just the “hear the beep, push the button” test used by the Apple hearing aid. An audiologic evaluation will tell you if your hearing loss is caused by ear wax or some other kind of treatable physiologic condition. It will also evaluate your understanding of speech in quiet and in noise in order to prescribe the correct amount of speech support. Missing out on that testing and expertise could mean you miss having the correct diagnosis or prescription.
2. Physical Comfort and Ear Canal Occlusion: AirPods Pro fully plug the ear canal, which can lead to a feeling of the ears being "plugged up," also known as the occlusion effect. Professionally fitted hearing aids are designed to leave the ear canal open, providing a more natural sound and reducing the sensation of being blocked. Furthermore, many people find AirPods uncomfortable for extended wear due to their size and fit, while professionally fitted hearing aids are tailored for comfort over long periods.
3. Battery Life: AirPods Pro have a limited battery life of about 4.5–6 hours when used with hearing aid features, requiring users to recharge them 1-2 times per day. In contrast, traditional hearing aids can last up to 16-30 hours on a single charge, providing uninterrupted support throughout the day.
4. Not Approved for Treating Tinnitus: Over-the-counter hearing devices are not approved for treating tinnitus (ringing in the ears), which occurs in many patients with hearing loss. Effective tinnitus treatment requires professional evaluation and treatment for best results.
5. Social Perception and Stigma: Although AirPods Pro are widely accepted as earbuds, their use as hearing aids can lead to social confusion. People may not realize that the wearer is using the AirPods as a hearing aid and may assume they are listening to music or on a call, which could lead to social discomfort in various situations.
6. Sound Adjustments and Customization: While AirPods Pro offer customization through the Apple Health app, they do not provide the same level of sound frequency adjustments that professional hearing aids offer. Issues like the inability to distinguish between speech and background noise as effectively as traditional hearing aids can limit their effectiveness in noisy environments.
7. FDA Approval and Limitations: The AirPods Pro 2 have received FDA approval to be used as an OTC hearing aid, but they are mainly effective for those with mild to moderate hearing loss. For most cases, professionally fitted hearing aids remain the more effective option.

In general, anything that increases awareness of hearing loss and encourages its treatment is a win in our book, but our hope is that this will be used as an introduction to treating hearing loss and will encourage people to seek out professional diagnosis and treatment of this important and treatable condition.