Even when it’s relatively minor, hearing loss can have a big impact on your life. The way you connect with friends, coworkers, and family members can change drastically. Everyday tasks like going to the grocery store can grow more difficult. But it doesn’t need to have this kind of negative affect on you. Quite the opposite, a well calibrated set of hearing aids can make a big difference.
Most people usually think of those advantages in a really linear sort of way: Hearing aids help you hear better. And that’s not untrue. But how do hearing aids better quality of life? Just how far do the advantages of hearing aids go?
The top ten reasons to invest in hearing aids
We people just love producing 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 dealing with your hearing loss for a while.
So here are the top ten advantages of using hearing aids.
1. You will have better relationships.
For any relationship to be great, good communication is essential. But when you have neglected 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 capable of keeping up with the conversation.
You won’t be resentful and feel excluded from conversations. So you will have an improvement in your relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. The connection between hearing aids and relationships is a powerful one!
2. You’ll have more independence
When you have untreated hearing loss, tasks like shopping or eating out can be a real ordeal. Attempting to communicate with wait staff and cashiers can be tricky when you can’t hear that well. But the whole process gets easier when you use hearing aids. You can navigate much more independently.
Driving will also be safer. That’s because your hearing aids will enhance your total situational awareness (more on that later). You will be less anxious about doing things on your own when you’re able to hear the world more clearly.
3. Stronger hearing could lead to higher income
Think about this hypothetical scenario: if you’re in a meeting at work and miss half of what’s discussed, you may not perform your job quite as well. This can lead to diminished job prospects and being passed-up for promotions.
When you’re wearing properly calibrated hearing aids, you will be less fatigued from struggling to hear, and keeping up with those meetings will be much easier. This can improve your focus on work and put you in a stronger position to grow your income.
4. You’ll have reduced tinnitus symptoms
Tinnitus is that buzzing or ringing in the ear that the majority of us have experienced occasionally. When you suffer from hearing loss, tinnitus can frequently be felt much more powerfully (tinnitus is sometimes more noticeable with hearing loss simply because everything else is quieter, but there might also be other reasons as well).
Many individuals observe that their tinnitus symptoms ease up when they use a hearing aid. In these instances, that’s because the hearing aid is overpowering the sound of the tinnitus. But we will take relief whenever we can, right?
5. Less chance of developing dementia
There is a firm connection between cognitive decline and hearing loss. Your chance of developing dementia can be seriously increased by neglecting hearing loss, for example. There are lots of theories about why this may be, but the bottom line 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 could be helping the health of your brain!
6. Music can once again be appreciated
It’s tough to enjoy music, in its whole entirety, when you suffer from hearing loss. That’s because hearing loss tends to impact one frequency of sound first, then another. For instance, you may be unable to pick up low frequencies. Because of this, the song you used to enjoy might just sound… weird.
With your hearing aids, however, 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 garbled mess). It can be an amazing relief to hear your favorite tune again.
7. You’ll get a boost of confidence
Your confidence will be boosted when you can hear better and have more effective interactions. And confidence is a wonderful thing.
We’re not implying that you shouldn’t have confidence just because you have hearing loss. We’re simply saying that you may find yourself having a difficult time interacting with others, especially if your hearing loss is new.
Those interactions can become easier again with hearing aids. And when that takes place, confidence will improve.
8. You’ll have more energy
If your hearing impairment has been slowly progressing, your brain has most likely been working overtime. The audio holes that your hearing loss is producing will try to be filled in by your brain because it doesn’t understand that your ears aren’t working. That’s hard work. And so, your brain is under persistent strain.
Your brain gets to recharge and relax when you wear a hearing aid. It will have less work to accomplish. With this, continual exhaustion and weariness will be minimized. You’ll have more vitality to do the things you love to do!
9. Being more conscious of your surroundings will keep you safer
You might not have adapted to your hearing loss, particularly if it’s recent. Normally, you would hear oncoming traffic before you step out into the road. Before you look up into your rearview mirror, you would usually hear the oncoming sirens.
If your hearing loss is recent, or you aren’t conscious of it, you may presume that some situations are safe when they actually aren’t. And that can be a dangerous proposition.
This lost awareness will be recovered by using hearing aids. So you’ll be capable of making smarter, safer choices.
10. You will set a good example!
The one thing that can be even more difficult than change is personal growth. You’re admitting that things aren’t functioning properly now when you invest in a hearing aid. But you’re also trying to improve the situation.
There’s nothing wrong with that! It’s the sort of thing we should all strive for! So you’re becoming a role model and a positive example when you use your hearing aids. (It’s fine, you can blush a bit, you deserve it.)
Have your hearing tested as soon as you can
The biggest benefit of hearing aids is that you get to experience hearing better. That goes without saying. But as you can tell, there are boatloads of immediate benefits of hearing aids! This top ten list is by no means complete.
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.
