Hearing loss can really impact the way you live, even when it’s mild. There will be a considerable change in the way you interact with family, friends, and coworkers. Everyday tasks like going to the grocery store can grow more difficult. But that doesn’t mean it needs to be all doom and gloom. If you use a well adjusted hearing aid, it can make a huge difference.
Most people tend to think of those benefits in a really linear sort of way: Hearing aids help you hear better. And that’s not untrue. But how do hearing aids improve quality of life? What further advantages will hearing aids deliver?
Hearing aid’s top ten advantages
It’s sort of extraordinary, isn’t it, how humans can so frequently put together top ten lists for everything? When you got up today, did you think you’d be reading a top ten list about hearing aids? I mean, if you’ve been aware of your hearing loss for a while… maybe you did!
So here are the top ten advantages of wearing hearing aids.
1. Your relationships will get better
For any relationship to be strong, strong communication is indispensable. But when you have neglected hearing loss, communication can be challenging. But when you use hearing aids, you’ll be capable of hearing the entire conversation without missing anything. You’ll hear everything, you’ll get the full story, and you’ll be capable of keeping up with the conversation.
You won’t be resentful and feel excluded from conversations. So your overall relationships, amongst your friends, co-workers, and family members, will improve. There is a strong connection between relationships and hearing aids!
2. You’ll be more independent
Shopping at the grocery store or going to a restaurant when you have untreated hearing loss can be an ordeal. Trying to communicate with wait staff and cashiers can be tricky when you can’t hear that well. But the whole process becomes easier when you use hearing aids. You can navigate much more independently.
Driving will also be safer. That’s because your general situational awareness will be increased by your hearing aids. You will be less anxious about doing things without help when you’re able to hear the world more clearly.
3. Stronger hearing could result in higher income
Think about this hypothetical situation: if you’re attending a meeting at work and miss a lot of what’s discussed, you may not perform your job adequately. This can lead to decreased job prospects and being passed-up for promotions.
When you’re wearing properly tuned hearing aids, you will be less exhausted from straining to hear, and following along with those meetings will be a lot easier. This can increase your focus on work and put you in a stronger position to increase your income.
4. Your tinnitus symptoms will lessen
Tinnitus is one of those things that most people have experienced now and again; it’s that buzzing or ringing in your ear. When you suffer from hearing loss, tinnitus can often be felt much more powerfully (tinnitus is sometimes more noticeable with hearing loss simply because everything else is quieter, but there might also be other reasons as well).
With a hearing aid, many individuals note that they experience diminished tinnitus symptoms. The louder overall external sound provided by the hearing aid could be, in some situations, simply drowning out the tinnitus symptoms. But we will take relief whenever we can, right?
5. Lower risk of mental decline
There is a firm connection between cognitive decline and hearing loss. For instance, untreated hearing loss can significantly elevate your chance of developing dementia. There are lots of hypotheses about why this may be, but the end result is that managing your hearing loss seems to be helpful! That’s why it isn’t a good idea to forget to put in your hearing aid. You may be giving your brain a greater chance of remaining healthy longer.
6. You can enjoy music again
It’s tough to enjoy music, in its whole entirety, when you suffer from hearing loss. That’s because hearing loss tends to impact one wavelength of sound first, then another. Maybe you can’t hear low frequencies, for example. Because of this, the song you used to enjoy may just sound… weird.
With your hearing aids, however, those missing holes in the music will be filled in, and you can enjoy music again! You’ll hear all of the wavelengths and your music won’t sound so muffled. It can be an incredible relief to hear your favorite band again.
7. You’ll get an increase in confidence
Your confidence will be boosted when you can hear better and have more effective interactions. And who doesn’t want confidence?
We’re not suggesting that you shouldn’t have confidence simply because you have hearing loss. It’s just that, especially if that hearing loss is recent, you might suddenly find it a challenge to interact with people in the same ways you usually do.
A hearing aid can make those interactions easier again. And when that takes place, confidence will improve.
8. Your vitality will be higher
If your hearing loss has been slowly progressing, your brain has likely been working harder. The audio gaps that your hearing loss is producing will try to be filled in by your brain because it doesn’t recognize that your ears aren’t functioning. That’s hard work. And so, your brain is under persistent strain.
Your brain gets to refresh and relax when you wear a hearing aid. It will have less work to do. With this, constant tiredness and weariness will be lessened. You’ll enjoy doing the things that are inspiring for you with this increased energy.
9. You’ll be safer and more perceptive of your surroundings
If your hearing loss is recent, you may not yet have completely adjusted. You’re used to hearing oncoming traffic before you step out into the street. You’re accustomed to hearing the ambulance siren before you look in the rearview mirror.
You may assume certain situations are safe when, because you’re unaware of your hearing loss, or you’ve ignored it, they actually aren’t. That can put you in some very unsafe situations.
This lost awareness will be recovered by using hearing aids. So you’ll be able to make wiser, less dangerous choices.
10. You will set a good example!
The one thing that can be even more challenging than change is personal growth. You’re acknowledging that things aren’t functioning effectively now when you get a hearing aid. But you’re also attempting to improve the situation.
There’s nothing wrong with that! It’s the kind of thing we should all work for! So when you pop in your hearing aids, you’re making yourself a positive example and role model. You should be proud of yourself.
Schedule a hearing exam right away
When you wear hearing aids you will hear better and that’s the principal benefit. That one’s obvious. But there are plenty of benefits to using hearing aids. This top ten list is certainly not complete.
You may have an entirely different top ten list. Making an appointment with us for a hearing exam is the first step no matter what advantages you look forward to.