Even when it’s fairly mild, hearing loss can have a huge impact on your life. There will be a considerable change in the way you communicate with family, friends, and coworkers. Everyday tasks like going to the supermarket can grow more difficult. But it doesn’t have to have this type of negative affect on you. If you use a well calibrated hearing aid, it can make a big difference.
Hearing aids help you hear better, and that’s normally how most people think of them. And that’s true. But how do hearing aids enhance quality of life? What further benefits will hearing aids create?
Hearing aid’s top ten benefits
We humans just love making top ten lists. I bet you didn’t think you would be reading a top ten list about hearing aids when you woke up this morning. I mean, if you’ve known about your hearing loss for a while… perhaps you did!
So here are the top ten advantages of wearing hearing aids.
1. Your relationships will get better
Strong communication is crucial to any good relationship. But when you have untreated hearing loss, communication can be a real challenge. But when you use hearing aids, you’ll be able to hear the entire conversation without losing anything. You’ll be able to keep up with the conversation and get the entire story.
This also means you won’t feel excluded from the conversation, and you won’t feel resentful that the conversations carry on without you. So your general relationships, among your friends, co-workers, and family members, will improve. The connection between hearing aids and relationships is a strong one!
2. You’ll have more independence
Shopping at the supermarket or going to a restaurant when you’re dealing with neglected hearing loss can feel like an ordeal. Attempting to communicate with wait staff and cashiers can be challenging when you can’t hear that well. But with a pair of hearing aids, the whole process suddenly becomes a lot easier. You’ll have much more independence when you navigate the world around you.
You’ll also be better able to drive safely. That’s because your hearing aids will improve your total situational awareness (more on that later). You won’t be as anxious about doing things by yourself when you’re able to hear the world more clearly.
3. You could make more money
Let’s chuck out a hypothetical: if you’re in a meeting at work and miss a lot of what’s said, you may not execute your job adequately. This can lead to passed promotions or even dicey job opportunities.
With your hearing aids securely in place and working correctly, you’ll be able to follow along with meetings, and you won’t be so tired all the time from struggling to hear. By doing this you can have a chance to raise your income by increasing your ability to focus on work.
4. You’ll have reduced tinnitus symptoms
Tinnitus is that ringing or buzzing in the ear that most of us have experienced now and then. Tinnitus symptoms will normally be more intense and frequent with hearing loss (there are a number of explanations for this, sometimes the tinnitus is only relatively louder because everything else is so quiet, for instance).
Many people observe that their tinnitus symptoms ease up when they use a hearing aid. The louder overall external sound supplied by the hearing aid might be, in some situations, simply drowning out the tinnitus symptoms. But we will take relief whenever we can, right?
5. Less chance of developing dementia
There is a solid connection between cognitive decline and hearing impairment. For example, neglected hearing loss can seriously elevate your risk of developing dementia. Treating hearing loss seems to be helpful, even though there are numerous theories as to why. That’s why it’s not a good idea to forget to wear your hearing aid. You might be giving your brain a better chance of staying healthy longer.
6. Music can once again be appreciated
When you have hearing loss music is more difficult to hear clearly. That’s because hearing loss tends to effect one frequency of sound first, then another. Maybe you can’t hear low frequencies, for instance. Because of this, the song you once enjoyed might just sound… strange.
With your hearing aids, though, those missing holes in the music will be filled in, and you can enjoy music again! You’ll hear all of the frequencies and your music won’t sound so garbled. Hearing your favorite tune again can be extremely enjoyable.
7. Your confidence will grow
Having better hearing and interacting more completely will give you a boost of confidence. And who doesn’t like confidence?
We’re not suggesting that you shouldn’t be confident simply because you have hearing loss. It’s just that, especially if that hearing loss is new, you might suddenly find it difficult to interact with others in the same ways you usually do.
A hearing aid can make those connections easier again. And when that takes place, confidence will grow.
8. You’ll have more vigor
Your brain is probably working overtime if your hearing loss is gradually advancing. The audio gaps that your hearing loss is producing will try to be filled in by your brain because it doesn’t understand that your ears aren’t functioning. That’s… a lot of work! And so, your brain is under constant strain.
When you get a hearing aid, you’re giving your brain an opportunity to relax and refresh. It won’t need to work so hard. Which means you won’t feel so constantly exhausted and depleted. You’ll enjoy doing the things that are stimulating for you with this increased energy.
9. Being more aware of your surroundings will keep you safer
If your hearing loss is recent, you might not yet have entirely adapted. Usually, you would hear approaching traffic before you step out into the street. Before you look up into your rearview mirror, you would ordinarily hear the oncoming sirens.
If your hearing loss is new, or you aren’t aware of it, you may assume that some situations are safe when they really 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 capable of making wiser, less dangerous choices.
10. You will set a good example!
Change can be hard, and personal growth harder still. When you invest in a hearing aid, you’re accepting that something isn’t necessarily working right anymore. But you’re bettering yourself as well.
That’s a positive thing! We should all strive for this type of thing, right? So you’re becoming a role model and a positive example when you use your hearing aids. (It’s fine, you can blush a bit, you deserve it.)
Schedule a hearing test right away
When you wear hearing aids you will hear better and that’s the main advantage. That goes without saying. But as you know, there are boatloads of immediate benefits of hearing aids! This top ten list is by no means complete.
You might have a totally different top ten list. Scheduling an appointment with us for a hearing exam is the first step no matter what advantages you look forward to.