Even when it’s somewhat minor, hearing loss can have a huge impact on your life. The way you connect with friends, coworkers, and family members can change drastically. It can become a challenge to perform day-to-day activities such as going shopping. But that doesn’t mean it has to be all doom and gloom. If you utilize a well calibrated hearing aid, it can make a huge difference.
Hearing aids improve your ability to hear, and that’s generally how most individuals think of them. And that’s not untrue. But how do hearing aids enhance quality of life? Just how far do the benefits of hearing aids go?
Hearing aid’s top ten advantages
It’s sort of fascinating, isn’t it, how humans can so frequently put together top ten lists for everything? I bet you didn’t think you would be reading a top ten list about hearing aids when you woke up this morning. Well, perhaps you did if you’ve been dealing with your hearing loss for a while.
So, what are the top ten benefits linked to wearing your hearing aid? Here they are!
1. You will have improved relationships.
For any relationship to be great, good communication is indispensable. But when you have untreated hearing loss, communication can be challenging. With hearing aids, you’ll finally hear more than little snippets of conversation. You’ll hear everything, you’ll get the full story, and you’ll be able to keep up with the conversation.
This also means you won’t feel left out of the conversation, and you won’t feel resentful that the conversations carry on without you. So you will have an improvement in your relationships with family, friends, and coworkers. There is a strong connection between relationships and hearing aids!
2. You’ll have more independence
Shopping at the grocery store or going to a restaurant when you’re dealing with neglected hearing loss can feel like an ordeal. When you can’t hear very well, communicating with cashiers and wait staff can be tricky. But with a set of hearing aids, the whole process suddenly becomes much easier. You can navigate a lot more independently.
Driving will also be less hazardous. That’s because your hearing aids will enhance your overall situational awareness (more on that later). You won’t be as anxious about doing things on your own when you can hear the world more clearly.
3. Better hearing could lead to higher pay
Think about this hypothetical scenario: if you’re missing large parts of what’s being discussed during meetings at work, your work performance will be affected negatively. This can result in diminished job opportunities and being passed-up for promotions.
With your hearing aids firmly in place and working properly, 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. Your tinnitus symptoms will lessen
Tinnitus is one of those things that the majority of people have experienced at times; it’s that buzzing or ringing in your ear. Tinnitus symptoms will commonly be more intense and frequent with hearing loss (there are a number of explanations for this, sometimes the tinnitus is just relatively louder because everything else is so quiet, for example).
Many people report that their tinnitus symptoms decrease when they use a hearing aid. The louder overall outside sound provided by the hearing aid might be, in some cases, simply drowning out the tinnitus symptoms. But we will take relief whenever we can, right?
5. Lower risk of mental decline
Hearing impairment and cognitive issues are strongly connected. For instance, untreated hearing loss can seriously increase your risk of developing dementia. There are lots of theories about why this may be, but the end result is that treating your hearing loss appears to be helpful! That’s why it’s not a good idea to forget to wear your hearing aid. You could be helping the health of your brain!
6. Music can once again be enjoyed
When you have hearing loss music is harder to hear clearly. That’s because hearing loss tends to impact one wavelength of sound first, then another. For example, you might be unable to pick up low frequencies. Because of this, the song you once enjoyed might just sound… strange.
With your hearing aids, though, those missing gaps in the music will be filled in, and you can enjoy music again! You’ll get the high notes and the low notes, instead of just one or the other (or a muffled mess). It can be a great relief to hear your favorite song again.
7. You’ll get a boost of confidence
Having better hearing and interacting more thoroughly will boost your confidence. And who doesn’t want confidence?
We’re not suggesting that you shouldn’t be confident just because you have hearing loss. We’re just saying that you may find yourself having a difficult time interacting with others, especially if your hearing loss is new.
Those connections can become easier again with hearing aids. And that can result in improved confidence.
8. You’ll have more energy
If your hearing loss has been gradually advancing, your brain has most likely been working harder. That’s because your brain doesn’t recognize your ears aren’t working correctly, so it’s constantly attempting to fill in the audio holes that your hearing impairment has produced. That’s hard work. And so, your brain is under continual strain.
When you invest in a hearing aid, you’re giving your brain a chance to relax and recharge. It will have less work to do. With this, continuous tiredness and weariness will be lessened. You’ll enjoy doing the things that are stimulating for you with this enhanced energy.
9. You’ll be safer and more perceptive of your surroundings
If your hearing loss is new, you might not yet have fully adjusted. Normally, you would hear approaching traffic before you step out into the road. You’re accustomed to hearing the emergency siren before you check the rearview mirror.
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 dangerous scenarios.
Hearing aids will help reestablish that lost awareness. Your decision making will be wiser and less hazardous.
10. You will set a good example!
The one thing that can be even more difficult than change is personal growth. You’re acknowledging that things aren’t working effectively now when you invest in a hearing aid. But you’re improving yourself too.
That’s a positive thing! It’s the type of thing we should all strive 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 use hearing aids you will hear better and that’s the main benefit. That goes without saying. But there are lots of advantages to using hearing aids. This top ten list is just that, one little list of only ten of these benefits.
You may have a totally different top ten list. No matter what benefits you look forward to the most, the first step is making an appointment with us to have your hearing tested.
