Hearing loss can really effect the way you live, even when it’s mild. There will be a dramatic change in the way you communicate with family, friends, and coworkers. It can become difficult to complete daily tasks such as going shopping. But that doesn’t mean it has to be all doom and gloom. If you use a well adjusted hearing aid, it can make a big difference.
Hearing aids help you hear better, and that’s typically how most people think of them. And that’s true. But how do hearing aids improve quality of life? Just how far do the advantages of hearing aids go?
The top ten reasons to invest in hearing aids
We humans just love creating top ten lists. When you got up today, did you think you’d be reading a top ten list about hearing aids? Well, perhaps you did if you’ve been dealing with your hearing loss for a while.
So, what are the top ten advantages connected with wearing your hearing aid? Here they are!
1. Your relationships will improve
For any relationship to be strong, strong communication is essential. But communication can be challenging when you have neglected hearing loss. But when you use hearing aids, you’ll be able to hear the whole conversation without losing anything. 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 your overall relationships, amongst your friends, co-workers, and family members, will improve. There is a strong link between relationships and hearing aids!
2. You’ll have greater independence
When you have neglected hearing loss, tasks such as shopping or eating out can be a real ordeal. When you’re unable to hear very well, communicating with wait staff or cashiers can be difficult. But the entire process becomes easier when you use hearing aids. You can navigate much more independently.
Driving will also be safer. That’s because your hearing aids will improve your overall situational awareness (more on that later). When you hear more of the world, you’ll be able to do more without any help, and you’ll be able to do it with less anxiety.
3. Better hearing may result in higher pay
Let’s toss out a hypothetical: if you’re in a meeting at work and miss a lot of what’s said, you may not perform your job adequately. This can result in passed promotions or even dicey job opportunities.
When you’re wearing properly calibrated hearing aids, you will be less exhausted from struggling to hear, and keeping up with those meetings will be much easier. By doing this you can have an opportunity to raise your income by improving your ability to focus on work.
4. You’ll have diminished tinnitus symptoms
Tinnitus is that buzzing or ringing in the ear that most of us have experienced occasionally. Tinnitus symptoms will normally be more extreme and more often with hearing loss (there are a host of reasons 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 outside sound supplied by the hearing aid may be, in some cases, simply drowning out the tinnitus symptoms. But relief is relief.
5. Less chance of developing dementia
Hearing loss and cognitive issues are strongly linked. For instance, neglected hearing loss can significantly elevate your risk of developing dementia. There are numerous theories about why this might be, but the end result is that managing your hearing loss appears to help! That’s why it’s not a good idea to forget to put in 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 impact one frequency of sound first, then another. Maybe you can’t hear low frequencies, for example. The music you used to like, consequently, might sound… different.
You will be able to enjoy music again with your hearing aids replacing missing sound. You’ll get the high notes and the low notes, instead of just one or the other (or a muffled mess). It can be an incredible relief to hear your favorite tune again.
7. Your confidence will improve
Your confidence will be enhanced when you can hear better and have more successful interactions. And who doesn’t want confidence?
This is not to say that hearing impairment should rob you of your confidence. We’re simply saying that you may find yourself having a hard time interacting with others, particularly if your hearing loss is new.
A hearing aid can make those connections easier again. And when that happens, confidence will improve.
8. Your vitality will be increased
If your hearing impairment has been slowly developing, your brain has most likely been working overtime. The audio gaps that your hearing loss is creating will try to be filled in by your brain because it doesn’t recognize that your ears aren’t working. That’s hard work. And so, your brain is under continual strain.
Your brain gets to refresh and relax when you wear a hearing aid. It will have less work to accomplish. With this, continuous exhaustion and fatigue will be lessened. You’ll enjoy doing the things that are inspiring for you with this enhanced energy.
9. You’ll be safer and more aware of your environment
You may not have adjusted to your hearing loss, especially if it’s new. Usually, you would hear approaching traffic before you step out into the street. Before you look up into 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 assume that some situations are safe when they actually aren’t. And that can be a hazardous proposition.
Hearing aids will help reestablish that lost awareness. Your decision making will be smarter and less hazardous.
10. You will set a good example!
Change can be hard, and personal growth still harder. When you get a hearing aid, you’re admitting that something isn’t necessarily working right anymore. But you’re also attempting to improve the situation.
That’s a positive thing! It’s the kind of thing we should all work for! So you’re becoming a role model and a positive example when you wear your hearing aids. (It’s okay, you can blush a bit, you deserve it.)
Schedule a hearing assessment right away
When you wear hearing aids you will hear better and that’s the biggest benefit. That one’s obvious. But there are lots of benefits to using hearing aids. This top ten list is certainly not exhaustive.
Your top ten list may look a little different. No matter what advantages you look forward to the most, the first step is making an appointment with us to have your hearing checked.
