Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids
What OTC Hearing Aids Can and Can't Do
Since 2022, over-the-counter hearing aids in Columbus, NE and everywhere else can be sold without a prescription to adults 18 and older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. You set them up yourself, usually with a phone app. For some people, that's a reasonable first step. The catch is that nobody tests your hearing first, so you can't be sure your loss is actually mild or that the device is set correctly for your ears.
Dr. Nora Fuchs, Au.D., CCC-A
Owner & Audiologist
Why a Prescription Fitting Often Works Better
Prescription hearing aids from AUDIO-LOGIC, PC start with a full hearing test and are programmed to your results, then checked with Real Ear Measurement. They cover mild through profound hearing loss, offer tinnitus features, and come with three years of included cleanings, batteries, and refittings. If your hearing changes, Dr. Fuchs adjusts them. An OTC device leaves all of that to you. The difference is verified hearing care from someone who knows your history.
Learn About Dr. FuchsPrescription vs. OTC: Common Questions
Straight answers about OTC and prescription hearing aids for Columbus-area adults, including who OTC devices are meant for and why a hearing test should come first.
OTC hearing aids are sold off the shelf or online, and you adjust them yourself with an app or preset buttons. They're meant only for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. No one measures your hearing, checks your ear canals, or confirms the sound reaching your eardrum.
Prescription hearing aids are selected and programmed by a licensed audiologist using your hearing test results. At AUDIO-LOGIC, PC, Dr. Fuchs verifies each fitting with Real Ear Measurement and reprograms the devices as your hearing changes. Prescription devices also cover severe and profound hearing loss and uneven loss between the ears, which OTC devices aren't designed for. For many people, that professional fitting makes the difference in how well they understand speech.
The FDA limits OTC hearing aids to adults 18 and older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. "Perceived" is the key word. The rules rely on your own sense of how well you hear, not on a test, and many people underestimate their hearing loss or don't realize it's worse in one ear.
OTC devices aren't intended for children, for sudden or rapidly worsening hearing loss, for ear pain or drainage, or for severe hearing loss. Those situations need a professional evaluation, and some need a physician. A hearing evaluation at our Columbus office shows where your hearing actually stands so you can choose with real numbers. Call (402) 564-9198 to schedule one.
For an OTC device it isn't required, but it's still a smart step. A hearing test shows the type and degree of hearing loss in each ear and how well you understand speech. Without that information, you're guessing at settings, and a hearing aid that's simply louder may not make words any clearer.
Testing can also turn up problems hearing aids won't fix, such as a blocked ear canal, a middle-ear issue, or a difference between ears that a physician should check. At AUDIO-LOGIC, PC, the test includes a look in your ears, tone and speech testing, and a middle-ear check, and Dr. Fuchs explains every result. Even if you decide to try OTC afterward, you'll know what you're working with.
A hearing aid bought online can't account for the shape of your ear canal or the exact pattern of your hearing loss. An audiologist can. Dr. Fuchs programs prescription hearing aids to your test results and confirms the fit with Real Ear Measurement, which measures the sound in your own ear instead of relying on an average.
Then there's everything after the purchase. At AUDIO-LOGIC, PC, cleanings, batteries, and refittings are included for three years, repairs are handled in our office or sent to the manufacturer for you, and your hearing is retested over time. You also get a local audiologist who has served Columbus since 1992 and knows your history. That ongoing care is what keeps hearing aids in your ears instead of in a drawer.
Our Promise Doesn't End at the Fitting
Every hearing aid fitted at AUDIO-LOGIC, PC is verified with Real Ear Measurement, so we know it delivers the sound prescribed for your hearing — in your own ear. From there, our better-hearing follow-up program includes cleanings, batteries, and refittings for three years after your purchase, keeping you on track as your hearing and lifestyle change. Since 1992, Columbus patients have counted on us to stay with them long after day one.
Patient Reviews
Hear from Columbus-area patients who trust our audiology team for unhurried, expert, doctor-led hearing care since 1992.
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Trusted by Columbus-area families for unhurried, audiologist-led hearing care built around your life and your hearing goals.
We’re All Ears
Visit Us in Columbus
Our Columbus office in the Fox Hollow Professional Center is where Dr. Fuchs provides hearing evaluations, hearing aids, and tinnitus care for patients of all ages.
- Independent, locally owned & women-owned practice
- Doctor of Audiology care at every step
- Hearing care for all ages, from infants to seniors
- Serving Columbus patients since 1992
“As a new customer the check-in process including the paper work was extremely easy and we were made to feel welcome and comfortable. The Doctor was superb! She allowed my husband to be present. She asked a few initial questions, explained the testing process and findings. She answered all of our questions. If you have hearing issues I highly recommend Audio-Logic, PC”— Scott T., Google Review
AUDIO-LOGIC, PC
Hearing ClinicFox Hollow Professional Center, 3763 39th Ave, Ste 300, Columbus, NE 68601
| Monday | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Thursday | Closed |
| Friday | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Closed daily for lunch, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
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