Over the years, hearing aids have carried a stigma. Some people just associate them with aging. What is the result?
Many people, both young and old, go without hearing aids and suffer needlessly from hearing loss, which itself is linked to numerous health concerns. The numbers reinforce this: 30 million individuals in the US suffering from hearing loss, yet only around 15 percent of that population has ever used a hearing aid.
In addition, younger people are suffering from hearing loss in greater numbers than they ever have: a WHO report from 2015 predicted that 1.1 billion teens and young adults would injure their hearing irreparably due to excessive use of headphones and extremely loud music events.
However, progressing technology and changing perceptions have begun to frame hearing aids in a new light, and people are starting to view them in a similar way they view eye-glasses.
If You Need Hearing Aids, You Should Use Them, Here’s Why
There are a lots of reasons why you should wear hearing aids, some of them obvious and some of them unexpected.
Here are several of the most common reasons:
- Social activities will be more pleasant
- You’ll boost your earning power
- You’re brain won’t have to work so hard
- You can decrease tinnitus symptoms
- You won’t have as hard a time in conversations
- You’ll be able to hear better (As noted, there were some obvious ones on the list)
- You can listen to music and television at safe volumes
Are these reasons sounding good to you? Some advantage can be gained by using hearing aids even for people with minor hearing loss.
What many people aren’t aware of is that hearing loss is linked to mental decline, mental health issues, and conditions like Alzheimers disease and dementia.
This may happen for a number of different reasons as reported by recent studies, this involves the overworking of the brain as it struggles to understand sounds that it hears. It might be that the brain cells don’t receive enough stimulation so they shrink and die, or it could be because of the number one cause of depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems which is social isolation.
Hearing aids can change things for the better by permitting you to hear clearly and comprehend the words and sounds near you. Your brain won’t have to utilize extra resources and will be able to process sounds in a normal way, 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 obvious why people of any age should use hearing aids if they require them. Now it’s time to learn how hearing aids have progressed in the last few years.
If really think you would like one of those large over the ear hearing aids, you can still purchase one. They also have progressed to the point that they can determine where sound is coming from and can filter out sound effectively. Conversely, there are more modern versions of hearing aids that are nearly unnoticeable, yet contain quite a bit of technology to fit in with today’s digital environment.
Would you like to connect your hearing aid to your smartphone, tablet, tv, or even your car’s navigation system? Most modern-day hearing aids come with Bluetooth technology so you’re in luck. There are even higher-end versions that can automatically take and make telephone calls for you, track your physical activity, and stream music. Hearing aids today are designed to do more – much like your smartphone and smartwatch, smart hearing aids will become a must-have accessory for anyone who has hearing loss. So now that you are ready to manage your hearing loss and begin wearing a hearing aid, contact us for an appointment and hearing assessment.