Hearing loss can really effect the way you live, even when it’s minor. The way you connect with friends, coworkers, and family members can change dramatically. It can become a challenge to complete day-to-day activities such as going shopping. But that doesn’t mean it needs to be all doom and gloom. Quite the opposite, a well calibrated set of hearing aids can make a big difference.
Most individuals 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 do hearing aids improve quality of life? Just how far do the benefits of hearing aids go?
The top ten reasons to get hearing aids
We humans just love creating 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, what are the top ten benefits associated with using your hearing aid? Here they are!
1. Your relationships will get better
Great communication is crucial to any great relationship. But communication can be difficult when you have neglected hearing loss. But when you use hearing aids, you’ll be capable of hearing the whole conversation without losing anything. You’ll hear everything, you’ll get the whole story, and you’ll be able to keep up with the conversation.
You won’t be resentful and feel excluded from conversations. So your general relationships, amongst your friends, co-workers, and family members, will improve. The connection between hearing aids and relationships is a powerful one!
2. You’ll be more independent
When you have neglected hearing loss, tasks such as shopping or dining out can be a real ordeal. Trying to communicate with wait staff and cashiers can be challenging when you can’t hear that well. But with a set of hearing aids, the entire process suddenly becomes much easier. You can get around a lot more independently.
You’ll also be in a better position to drive safely. That’s because your hearing aids will increase your all-around situational awareness (more on that later). You will be less anxious about doing things on your own when you can hear the world more clearly.
3. Better hearing may lead to higher income
Let’s throw out a hypothetical: if you’re missing large portions of what’s being talked about during meetings at work, your work performance will suffer. This can result in lost promotions or even dicey job prospects.
When you’re wearing precisely tuned hearing aids, you will be less fatigued from straining to hear, and keeping up with those meetings will be much easier. By doing this you can have a chance to raise your income by increasing your ability to focus on work.
4. Your tinnitus symptoms will diminish
Tinnitus is one of those things that most individuals have experienced at times; it’s that ringing or buzzing in your ear. When you suffer from hearing loss, tinnitus can usually be experienced much more intensely (tinnitus is sometimes more noticeable with hearing loss simply because everything else is quieter, but there may also be other reasons as well).
With a hearing aid, many people note that they experience reduced tinnitus symptoms. In these instances, that’s because the hearing aid is overpowering the sound of the tinnitus. But relief is relief.
5. Less chance of developing dementia
There is a firm connection between cognitive decline and hearing loss. Your risk of developing dementia can be seriously increased by ignoring hearing loss, for instance. Managing hearing loss seems to be helpful, although there are many theories as to why. That’s why it’s essential to be sure you use your hearing aids. You could be helping the health of your brain!
6. Music can once again be enjoyed
When you suffer from hearing loss music is harder to hear clearly. That’s because hearing loss tends to effect one wavelength of sound first, then another. Maybe you’re unable to hear low frequencies, for example. The music you used to like, consequently, may sound… different.
With your hearing aids, however, those missing holes in the music will be filled in, and you can appreciate music again! You’ll hear all of the wavelengths and your music won’t sound so muffled. It can be an incredible relief to hear your favorite band again.
7. You’ll get an increase in confidence
Having better hearing and interacting more completely will give you a boost of confidence. And who doesn’t want confidence?
This isn’t to say that hearing loss should take away your confidence. It’s just that, especially if that hearing loss is new, you may suddenly find it a challenge to interact with others in the same ways you usually do.
A hearing aid can make those connections easier again. And when that happens, confidence will grow.
8. You’ll have more vigor
Your brain is probably working overtime if your hearing loss is gradually progressing. The audio gaps 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 functioning. That’s hard work. And so, your brain is under persistent strain.
Your brain gets to refresh and unwind when you use a hearing aid. It won’t need to work so hard. With this, continuous exhaustion and weariness will be reduced. You’ll have more vitality to do the things you love to do!
9. You’ll be safer and more perceptive of your environment
If your hearing loss is recent, you may not yet have fully adjusted. You’re used to being able to hear oncoming 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 conscious of it, you might assume that some scenarios are safe when they really aren’t. That can put you in some very unsafe situations.
Hearing aids will help regain that lost awareness. So you’ll be able to make smarter, less dangerous decisions.
10. You will set a good example!
The one thing that can be even more challenging than change is personal growth. When you get a hearing aid, you’re accepting that something isn’t necessarily working right anymore. But you’re improving yourself as well.
There’s nothing wrong with that! We should all strive for this type of thing, right? So when you put in your hearing aids, you’re making yourself a positive example and role model. You should be proud of yourself.
Schedule an appointment for a hearing exam right away
The primary benefit of hearing aids is that you get to enjoy hearing better. That one’s obvious. But as you know, there are tons of immediate advantages of hearing aids! This top ten list is by no means exhaustive.
Your top ten list might look a little different. Making an appointment with us for a hearing assessment is the first step no matter what benefits you look forward to.