This article will review the Eargo 5, covering some its benefits, drawbacks, fit, and specifications.
Benefits And Drawbacks Of Eargo 5
Benefit #1: Professional support
Eargo offers a team of audiologists and associated services to all of its customers. Their audiologists are able to assist you with setup, as well as answer any questions you may have about the hearing aid.
Benefit #2: Small, open fitting
The Eargo 5 hearing aids fit within the ear canal and thus are essentially invisible. Moreover, they have an open fitting style that is more amenable to patients with mild to moderate hearing loss who require amplification of higher pitches.
Benefit #3: The Sound Match hearing test
The Sound Match hearing test offered within the Eargo app is an in situ (“situational”) hearing test, which means that sound output is programmed according to the sound coming out of the hearing aids when they’re actually in your ears. This enables better calibration of the hearing aids to your specific hearing profile.
Benefit #4: Compatible with wearing a mask
Many patients who wear masks in the time of the pandemic often risk losing hearing aids that fit behind the ear. Since the Eargo 5 hearing aids fit inside the ear, you have a much lower risk of losing them when wearing a mask.
Benefit #5: Rechargeable
The Eargo 5 hearing aids come with a rechargeable case, offering up to 16 hours of full-time use on a single charge.
Drawback #1: No Bluetooth compatibility
The Eargo 5 do not offer Bluetooth compatibility, meaning that you can’t listen to music or take phone calls through the hearing aids.
Drawback #2: No sound therapy features
The Eargo 5 are unfortunately not designed to offer tinnitus sound therapy, and can only provide amplification of environmental sounds in the immediate vicinity.
Drawback #3: Under investigation by DOJ
As of 2021, Eargo is currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice regarding concerns about insurance billing. This is important to consider, especially if you are a federal employee thinking about using your hearing aid benefit with Eargo.
Fit
The Eargo 5 hearing aids come with various interchangeable rubber tips called pedals, which can be switched out according to how much ambient sound you want to let in.
The fitting range for the Eargo 5 is mild to moderate, working best for hearing loss skewed towards higher pitches. If you have hearing loss in the moderate to severe range, you may want to look into other options and seek consultation with an independent professional.
The Eargo 5 offers different programs. You can change their preset programs and make any adjustments by putting the hearing aids in their rechargeable case and then wirelessly connecting the case to a smartphone. When wearing the hearing aids, you can toggle between programs by tapping next to your ear. It’s also important to remember that the best way to maximize the performance of these hearing aids is to seek out the assistance of an audiologist.
Comparable Products
Another premium hearing aid with a similarly “invisible” design is the Phonak Lyric. While the Lyric is more expensive, it also fits deeper inside the ear. Specifically, it’s designed to be kept inside the ear (even during sleep) and changed only every six to eight weeks with the assistance of an audiologist. An additional hearing aid to consider is the Bose Sound Control—feel free to check out our article that compares it to the Eargo 5 in more detail.
What To Do Next For Hearing Loss
At Treble Health, we know the importance of finding the right hearing aids to suit your ears and your lifestyle. We put together a consumer guide to help you find the best hearing aids on the market so you can live a full life without having to worry about hearing loss. Click here to get the free Hearing Aids in 2022: Consumer Guide.
Want to speak with an expert audiologist about hearing aids instead? At the tap of a finger, you can schedule a free Hear From Home™ telehealth consultation today! You’ll be connected with a real audiologist, not a salesperson, and there is no obligation or commitment.
