Ever wish you could get the inside scoop on what hearing aids are really like? How does a hearing aid feel when you have one on, what does it sound like, and what does it feel like in your ears are all questions you may want to ask someone who already has hearing aids? Here’s a description of what hearing aids are like, but if you truly want to know, come in for a demo.
1. Hearing Aids Occasionally Have Feedback
This isn’t the kind of feedback that you get when someone tells you how they feel about your results. When a microphone and a speaker pick up each other’s signal, they interfere with each other causing a high-pitched whistling sound. It causes a sound loop that even advanced speakers like the ones in hearing aids don’t know what to do with.
They may squeal like a speaker in the school auditorium right before the principal speaks.
While this might sound mortifying, and it is uncomfortable, it is rare when a hearing aid is properly tuned. If you’re encountering it, the earmold might not be properly fitted or you need to replace it.
Feedback can be removed, in some more advanced hearing aids, by a built-in feedback suppression system.
2. Conversations Are Easier to Follow in a Loud Setting
Eating dinner out with the family can seem like eating dinner by yourself if you have untreated hearing loss. It’s almost impossible to follow the conversations. You might wind up sitting there, nodding and smiling most of the night.
But hearing aids nowadays have some pretty sophisticated technology that can drown out background noise. The voices of your family and the wait staff become crystal clear.
3. At Times it Gets a Little Sticky
Your body has a way of telling you when something doesn’t belong. If you eat something overly spicy hot, you secrete more saliva to rinse it out. If you get an eyelash in your eye, you generate tears to flush your eye. Your ears have their own way of getting rid of a nuisance.
They produce extra wax.
As a result of this, earwax accumulation can sometimes be a problem for individuals who use hearing aids. It’s only wax, fortunately, so cleaning it isn’t a problem. (We can help you learn how.)
Once you’re finished the cleaning you’re quickly back to good hearing.
4. There Are Benefits For Your Brain
You might be surprised by this one. When somebody develops hearing loss, it very slowly starts to affect cognitive function if they don’t get it treated quickly.
One of the first things you lose is the ability to understand what people are saying. Solving problems, learning new things, and memory will then become difficult.
This brain atrophy can be stopped in its tracks by wearing hearing aids as soon as you can. Your brain gets re-trained. Research shows that they can decrease cognitive decline and even reverse it. In fact, 80% of people had improved cognitive function, according to research carried out by the AARP, after using hearing aids to manage their hearing loss.
5. The Batteries Have to be Replaced
Many individuals simply hate dealing with those little button batteries. And these batteries seem to pick the worst time to lose power, like when you’re waiting for a call from your doctor.
But most of the perceived challenges with these batteries can be easily resolved. There are strategies you can use to greatly extend battery life. It’s not hard to bring an extra set because these batteries are inexpensive and small.
Or, today you can buy hearing aids that are rechargeable. At night, simply dock them on the charging unit. In the morning, just put them back on. There are also solar-powered hearing aid docks so you can even recharge your hearing aid while out fishing. camping, or hiking.
6. There’s a Learning Curve
The technology of modern-day hearing aids is quite sophisticated. It’s a lot easier than learning to use a computer for the first time. But it certainly takes a little time for your brain to adapt to new hearing aids and to get the configurations right.
The longer and more regularly you use hearing aids the better it gets. Throughout this adjustment period, try to be patient with yourself and your new hearing aids.
Individuals who have stayed the course and worn their hearing aids for six months or more usually will say it’s all worth it.
Only actually wearing hearing aids can give you the experiencing of what they’re really like. Isn’t it time to learn for yourself?
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References
https://www.aarp.org/health/brain-health/info-07-2013/hearing-loss-linked-to-dementia.html