The Minnesota Academy of Audiology (MAA), an organization
representing audiologists within the state, is actively warning hearing
healthcare consumers that the purchase of hearing aids over the Internet
may have serious consequences to their health. The sale of any
hearing device, whether a personal sound amplifier or hearing aid,
without the diagnostic and rehabilitative services of a qualified,
licensed professional puts the consumer at risk, according to the MAA. This is because audiologists must ensure a patient’s hearing loss is not
due to medical or surgical conditions. Unfortunately for the consumer,
a simple online hearing test does not successfully identify hearing
loss that can be treated medically.