Even when it’s relatively mild, hearing loss can have a big impact on your life. There will be a considerable change in the way you connect with loved ones, friends, and coworkers. It can become difficult to perform daily activities such as going shopping. But it doesn’t have to have this type of negative impact on you. If you utilize a well calibrated hearing aid, it can make a huge difference.
Most people tend to think of those advantages in a very linear sort of way: Hearing aids help you hear better. And that’s not untrue. But how is the quality of life enhanced? What further advantages will hearing aids create?
The top ten reasons to get hearing aids
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 got up this morning. Well, maybe you did if you’ve been coping with your hearing loss for a while.
So here are the top ten benefits of wearing hearing aids.
1. Your relationships will get better
For any relationship to be strong, strong communication is crucial. But communication can be difficult when you have neglected hearing loss. With hearing aids, you’ll finally hear more than little bits of conversation. You’ll be able to follow along with the conversation and get the entire story.
You won’t be resentful and feel excluded from conversations. So you will have an improvement in your relationships with family members, friends, and coworkers. There is a strong link between relationships and hearing aids!
2. You’ll have more independence
Shopping at the grocery store or going to a restaurant when you have neglected hearing loss can feel like an ordeal. When you can’t hear all that well, communicating with cashiers and wait staff can be challenging. But the entire process becomes easier when you use hearing aids. You’ll have a lot more independence when you navigate the world around you.
Driving will also be safer. That’s because your hearing aids will increase your overall situational awareness (more on that in a bit). You will be less anxious about doing things by yourself when you can hear the world more clearly.
3. You could make more money
Consider this hypothetical situation: if you’re attending a meeting at work and miss a lot of what’s said, you may not execute your job adequately. This can lead to decreased job prospects and being passed-up for promotions.
With your hearing aids securely 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. This can boost your focus on work and put you in a better position to grow your income.
4. You’ll have diminished tinnitus symptoms
Tinnitus is one of those things that the majority of individuals have experienced at times; it’s that buzzing or ringing in your ear. When you have hearing loss, tinnitus can usually be felt much more intensely (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 wear a hearing aid. In these instances, that’s because the hearing aid is drowning out the sound of the tinnitus. But relief is relief.
5. Less chance of developing dementia
Hearing loss and cognitive issues are definitely connected. For instance, neglected hearing loss can significantly elevate your chance of developing dementia. Treating hearing loss appears to be helpful, even though there are many theories as to why. That’s why it isn’t a good idea to forget to put in your hearing aid. You could be giving your brain a greater chance of staying healthy longer.
6. You can enjoy music again
It’s difficult to appreciate music, in its full entirety, when you suffer from hearing loss. That’s because one wavelength of sound typically goes before the others. For example, you might be unable to pick up low frequencies. The music you used to like, as a result, may sound… different.
You will be able to appreciate music again with your hearing aids filling in the missing sound. You’ll get the high notes and the low notes, instead of only one or the other (or a garbled mess). Hearing your favorite band again can be extremely enjoyable.
7. Your confidence will improve
Your confidence will be enhanced when you can hear better and have more successful interactions. And confidence is a wonderful thing.
This isn’t to say that hearing loss should take away your confidence. It’s just that, particularly if that hearing loss is new, you might suddenly find it challenging to interact with people in the same ways you always have.
Those interactions can become easier again when you use hearing aids. And that can lead to a boost in confidence.
8. Your energy will be higher
Your brain is most likely working overtime if your hearing loss is gradually progressing. The audio gaps that your hearing loss is creating will try to be filled in by your brain because it doesn’t understand that your ears aren’t working. That’s… a lot of work! And so, your brain is under continual strain.
Your brain gets to refresh and unwind when you wear a hearing aid. It will have less work to do. With this, continuous exhaustion and weariness will be minimized. You’ll enjoy doing the things that are inspiring for you with this increased energy.
9. You’ll be safer and more mindful of your surroundings
If your hearing loss is recent, you might not yet have completely adapted. You’re used to hearing traffic before you step out into the road. Before you look in your rearview mirror, you would normally hear the oncoming sirens.
If your hearing loss is new, or you aren’t aware of it, you might presume that some scenarios are safe when they really aren’t. And that can be a hazardous proposition.
Hearing aids will help reestablish that lost awareness. So you’ll be capable of making wiser, less dangerous choices.
10. You will set a good example!
The one thing that can be even harder than change is personal growth. You’re acknowledging that things aren’t functioning properly now when you get a hearing aid. But you’re also trying to better the situation.
There’s nothing wrong with that! We should all strive for this type of thing, right? So you’re becoming a role model and a positive example when you wear your hearing aids. 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 goes without saying. But as you can tell, there are lots of immediate benefits of hearing aids! This top ten list is only that, one little list of just ten of these benefits.
Your top ten list might look a little different. No matter what benefits you look forward to the most, the first step is scheduling an appointment with us to have your hearing tested.