You heard me correctly: Your AirPods are hearing aids!
My wife thinks I might have a slight hearing deficit.
I beg to differ.
I got some good news this week.
No, I didn’t pass a hearing test.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the first over-the-counter hearing aid software.
Translation? I should be able to use Apple’s AirPod Pro device to take a 5-minute hearing test.
I will be empowered to assess my hearing from the comfort of my home, potentially identifying hearing loss early.
If I have any hearing loss, I will take proactive steps to protect my hearing.
First, let’s examine some of the health implications of hearing loss. I’ll then discuss the new FDA development.
The Hidden Risks of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is frustrating.
But you and I already know that.
But did you know that hearing loss can contribute to brain-wasting (atrophy)?
Hearing impairment was recently identified as the most prominent risk factor for dementia.
Researchers associated poor hearing performance with worse cognitive function in the UK Biobank and the CABLE study.
More specifically, the study showed that poor hearing performance is associated with lower tissue volumes in brain areas such as the temporal cortex, hippocampus, inferior parietal lobe, precuneus, etc., and with lower integrity of white matter (WM) tracts.
Hearing Loss and Social Isolation
Hearing loss can also cause social isolation.
Some experience less day-to-day contact with others, fewer fulfilling relationships, and a general loss of the sense of belonging.
With social isolation can come poorer habits, including smoking, alcohol use, depression, poor sleep, heart disease, and limited physical activity.
AirPods Are Hearing Aids!
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the first over-the-counter hearing aid software device on September 12, 2024.
FDA Authorizes First Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Software
The FDA authorized the first over-the-counter hearing aid software device, Hearing Aid Feature, intended to be used…www.fda.gov
The “Hearing Aid Feature” can be used with compatible Apple AirPods Pro headphones.
I look forward to installing the software update, as I can then test my hearing.
But here’s the coolest thing:
My AirPod Pros can amplify sounds (while dampening ambient noise) if I have perceived mild or moderate hearing impairment.
Making Tech Work For You
A study evaluated the hearing aid in 118 subjects with perceived mild-to-moderate hearing loss.
They enrolled participants in several sites in the United States.
The results?
Subjects using the AirPod-compatible software achieved similar perceived benefits as those receiving professional fitting of the same device.
Moreover, there was comparable performance in tests measuring ear canal sound amplification and speech understanding.
The researchers observed no adverse events related to the device.
My Take — AirPods Are Hearing Aids!
Apple’s AirPods Pro earbuds into over-the-counter hearing aids.
I love it.
More than 30 million American adults report some degree of hearing loss.
The AirPod Pro advance is an innovation that will expand easy hearing assessment to more folks like me.
The company said Apple’s hearing aid feature will be pushed to eligible devices through a software update in the coming weeks.
This development should advance health equity.
But…
I’ll end with this caveat: Consumer earbuds are not a good solution for people with severe hearing loss.
I suspect that most over-the-counter hearing devices will still require an evaluation and fine-tuning by an audiologist.
Thank you for reading “AirPods Are Hearing Aids!”
