Apple AirPods as hearing aids?

Quick Boost #16. Know anyone in your family who is hard of hearing and reluctant to use a hearing aid?

Apple has revealed that its popular AirPods Pro will soon be equipped with a hearing aid capacity for those with mild to moderate hearing loss. Set to launch in the U.S. this fall, this tech upgrade could further improve hearing health accessibility for tens of millions of Americans, and many more millions of people around the world. In addition, I believe that many families will buy stubborn grandpa new earbuds for the holidays this year, with varying degrees of stealthy execution. Let me explain.

One of the more frustrating parts of primary care can be convincing people of a need for hearing aids. Sometimes I shout through a visit (not great for HIPAA compliance), or even resort to writing my questions and replies on a sheet of paper handed back and forth. I’m not trying to shame anyone, and I appreciate the burden and frustration that hearing loss presents. There is a perceived stigma to wearing hearing aids, too. Perhaps they are an outward sign of aging in an ageist society. But wouldn’t it be great for everyone - patients, doctors, family members and friends - if there were an easier way to get less expensive, potentially fun help for people with significant hearing loss?

The FDA approved over-the-counter hearing aids two years ago, and this has helped clear the financial and logistical high bars for some. But a lack of consumer education, difficulty comparing products, still pretty high costs, and a high return rate of purchases have been real world obstacles to fixing the problem.

What are the problems again? Some quick stats from the CDC (these numbers are before hearing aids went OTC, but not much changed):

• About 28.8 million U.S. adults could benefit from using hearing aids.

• Among adults ages 70 and older with hearing loss who could benefit from hearing aids, fewer than 30% have ever used them.

• Even fewer adults ages 20-69 (approximately 16%) who could benefit from wearing hearing aids have ever used them.

• Men are almost twice as likely as women to have hearing loss among adults ages 20-69.

Using hearing aids has been linked to reductions in the frequency or severity of cognitive decline, depression and other health problems in older adults. 

Apple's Airpods Pro go beyond simply amplifying sound. They will also be equipped with the ability to perform a hearing test, and allow the user to customize personalized audio output. The built-in hearing test could also clear the hurdle of seeing an audiologist for many people.

Apple stuff still has a cool factor, which might reduce some of the stigma of hearing aids. Their approach of integrating hearing aid functionality into an existing popular product could accelerate the trend towards wider adoption begun with making aids OTC.

Apple stock did not rise this week on news of this added hearing aid capability for one of its products. In fact most people focused on the AI capabilities of the new iPhones coming out, and overlooked the new AirPod feature.

But Bank of America estimates the hearing-aid market is a $13 billion market opportunity. About 1.5 billion people around the world are living with hearing loss, according to the World Health Organization. AirPods Pro 2, as they will be marketed, cost $249. They are expected to receive marketing authorization from more global health authorities soon and to be available this fall in more than 100 countries and regions.

Apple continues to blur the lines between consumer and health products. I’m looking forward to the day they figure out how to include continuous, no-prick glucose monitors in their Apple Watches. Supposedly they are getting close.

Back to hearing aids. Despite the potential benefits, there are some concerns:

• Adaptation: Users may struggle to adjust to the hearing aid feature without professional support.

• Limited support: Unlike traditional hearing aids, there's no built-in support system if users encounter difficulties.

• Pricing: While cheaper than most hearing aids, the $249 price tag for AirPods Pro may still be a barrier.

• AirPods are pretty obvious as they stick out of the ear. This might look even more obvious than typical hearing aids, or make other people wonder if the person wearing them is listening to the Examined Podcast or the conversation at hand.

Low tech prevention and protection are still key, even if we have already lost some degree of our hearing. Consistently limiting exposure to loud noises is crucial, whether by avoiding noisy environments or using appropriate hearing protection like earplugs or noise-canceling headphones. Common sources of loud noise that can potentially damage hearing include lawn mowers, airplanes, vacuum cleaners, power tools, concerts, sporting events, movie theaters, fireworks displays, heavy machinery at construction sites, and loud music played through headphones or car stereos. I hold my ears shut when an ATV/dirt bike pack obnoxiously drives by, or while an ambulance siren blaring 100 decibels echoes off the city buildings. Additionally, maintaining overall health through a good diet, regular exercise, and not smoking can contribute to better hearing health, as these factors influence blood flow to the delicate structures of the inner ear.

So, while questions remain about the effectiveness of AirPods as hearing aids compared to professional options, this development marks a great step forward in hearing health accessibility for those with mild to moderate hearing loss. Some grandparents and grandkids alike may soon be sporting Airpods together. Hopefully grandkids take them out and grandparents leave them in to interact more with the real world and each other. 😎

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For those readers wanting to read more, here’s a link to a post I did about 2 years ago (*gulp*) in which I dove into the 12 modifiable risk factors that together account for up to 40% of dementia cases. The part about hearing loss goes like this: Studies have shown that severe hearing loss increases dementia risk 5 fold. Within just 3 years of starting to wear hearing aids, dementia incidence drops. There is an update on these risk factors out this summer, and I have a half-written post in the queue for you soon, but the above still stands. And finally, it always bears repeating: Prevagen is crap.