In the past, hearing aids have carried a stigma. Some people just associate them with aging. What is the result?
Many people of all ages put themselves in danger of numerous health problems because they forgo getting hearing aids and choose to live with hearing loss. This is backed up by the numbers: 30 million people in the United States suffering from hearing loss, yet only around 15 percent of that group has ever worn a hearing aid.
In addition, younger people are suffering from hearing loss in higher numbers than they ever have: a WHO report from 2015 forecasted that 1.1 billion teens and young adults would damage their hearing irreparably due to over the top use of headphones and extremely loud music festivals.
However, progressing technology and changing perceptions have given hearing aids a new life, and soon they’ll be in the same class as eye-glasses – and contact lenses, for that matter.
If You Require Hearing Aids, You Should Wear Them, Here’s Why
There are a ton of reasons why wearing hearing aids is a smart idea, some of them obvious and some of them unexpected.
Several of the most common reasons are as follows:
- You can listen to television and music at normal volumes
- You’ll be able to earn more money
- You’ll give your brain a break
- You can lessen tinnitus symptoms
- You can enjoy social activities and situations again
- You won’t struggle as much in conversations
- One of the obvious reasons is that you will be able to hear better
Are these reasons sounding beneficial to you? Even a person with slight hearing loss can get some benefit from using hearing aids.
What many people aren’t aware of is that hearing loss is linked to cognitive decline, mental health problems, and conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Studies point to a few different reasons why this might happen, including that the brain becomes overtaxed and overtired because it’s always striving to comprehend sounds. It could be that the brain cells don’t receive enough stimulation so they shrink and die, or it could be associated with social isolation, which is a leading cause of depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems.
Hearing aids can change things for the better by permitting you to hear clearly and understand the words and sounds near you. Your brain can then process the sounds as it ordinarily would without needing to use extra resources, while you will start to enjoy conversations and social activities again because you will gain more confidence.
Technological Advances in Hearing Aids
By now it should be apparent why people of any age should wear hearing aids if they need them. Now we’re going to talk about the how; as in, how hearing aid technology has progressed to the point where they’re nothing like your grandparents’ hearing aids.
If really want one of those big over the ear hearing aids, you can still get one. They perform their function effectively and have progressed to the point where the majority of them don’t have a problem filtering out background sounds like wind or determining what direction sound is coming from. Conversely, there are more modern versions of hearing aids that have sophisticated technology which makes it straight forward for them to fit in with today’s digital environment and are nearly unnoticeable.
Do you want to connect your hearing aid to your smartphone, tablet, tv, or even your car’s GPS? Most modern hearing aids come with Bluetooth technology so you’re in luck. There are even higher-end versions keep track of your physical health, take calls for you, stream music. Smart hearing aids are becoming a must for anyone who has hearing impairment because like your smartwatch and smartphone, they’re simply created to do more. So now that you’re ready to deal with your hearing loss and begin using a hearing aid, contact us for an appointment and hearing assessment.