Hearing loss can seriously effect how you live, even when it’s mild. There will be a dramatic change in the way you connect with family, friends, and coworkers. It can become challenging to complete day-to-day activities such as going shopping. But it doesn’t have to have this kind of negative impact on you. Quite the opposite, a well adjusted pair of hearing aids can make a big difference.
Most people tend to think of those advantages in a very linear sort of way: Hearing aids help you hear better. And that’s true. But how is the quality of life enhanced? What further benefits will hearing aids deliver?
The top ten reasons to invest in hearing aids
We humans just love making top ten lists. I bet you didn’t think you would be reading a top ten list about hearing aids when you woke up this morning. I mean, if you’ve been aware of your hearing loss for a while… perhaps you did!
So here are the top ten advantages of wearing hearing aids.
1. You will have better relationships.
Great communication is critical to any great relationship. But communication can be difficult when you have neglected hearing loss. But when you wear hearing aids, you’ll be capable of hearing the whole conversation without losing anything. You’ll be able to keep up with the conversation and get the whole story.
This also means you won’t feel left out of the conversation, and you won’t feel resentful that the conversations continue without you. So your general relationships, amongst your friends, co-workers, and loved ones, will improve. There is a strong link between relationships and hearing aids!
2. You’ll have greater independence
When you’re dealing with neglected hearing loss, activities such as shopping or dining out can be a real ordeal. Trying to communicate with wait staff and cashiers can be tricky when you can’t hear that well. But with a pair of hearing aids, the entire process suddenly becomes much easier. You can navigate much more independently.
Driving will also be less hazardous. That’s because your overall situational awareness will be enhanced by your hearing aids. You will be less anxious about doing things by yourself when you can hear the world more clearly.
3. You might make more money
Consider this hypothetical scenario: if you’re losing large parts of what’s being talked about during meetings at work, your job performance will be affected negatively. This can result in diminished job prospects and being passed-up for promotions.
With your hearing aids firmly in place and working correctly, you’ll be able to keep up with meetings, and you won’t be as tired all the time from straining to hear. By doing this you can have a chance to raise your income by increasing your ability to focus on work.
4. You’ll have diminished tinnitus symptoms
Tinnitus is one of those things that the majority of individuals have experienced from time to time; it’s that buzzing or ringing in your ear. When you suffer from hearing loss, tinnitus can often be felt much more intensely (there are a host of reasons for this, sometimes the tinnitus is just relatively louder because everything else is so quiet, for example).
With a hearing aid, many people observe that they experience reduced tinnitus symptoms. The louder overall external sound supplied by the hearing aid may be, in some situations, simply drowning out the tinnitus symptoms. But we will take relief whenever we can, right?
5. Decreased chance of cognitive decline
Hearing loss and cognitive decline are definitely connected. For example, neglected hearing loss can significantly elevate your chance of developing dementia. Managing hearing loss appears to be helpful, although there are numerous theories as to why. That’s why it’s not a good idea to forget to wear your hearing aid. You could be helping the health of your brain!
6. You can enjoy music again
When you have hearing loss music is harder to hear clearly. That’s because hearing loss tends to impact one wavelength of sound first, then another. Maybe you’re unable to hear low frequencies, for example. The music you used to like, consequently, might sound… different.
With your hearing aids, though, those missing gaps 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 a great relief to hear your favorite tune 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?
We’re not implying that you shouldn’t have confidence just because you deal with hearing loss. We’re just saying that you may find yourself having a hard time interacting with others, especially if your hearing loss is new.
Those connections can become easier again with hearing aids. And that can result in improved confidence.
8. You’ll have more energy
If your hearing loss has been slowly advancing, your brain has probably been working overtime. The audio gaps that your hearing loss is creating will try to be filled in by your brain because it doesn’t recognize that your ears aren’t working. That’s hard work. And it means that your brain is working (and strained) almost constantly.
Your brain gets to recharge and unwind when you wear a hearing aid. It won’t have to work as hard. With this, persistent tiredness and weariness will be lessened. You’ll enjoy doing the things that are exciting for you with this enhanced energy.
9. Being more aware of your surroundings will keep you safer
You may not have adjusted to your hearing loss, especially if it’s recent. Ordinarily, you would hear approaching traffic before you step out into the road. You’re accustomed to hearing the ambulance siren before you check the rearview mirror.
You might presume certain situations are safe when, because you’re not aware of your hearing loss, or you’ve disregarded it, they actually aren’t. That can put you in some really unsafe situations.
This lost awareness will be recovered by using hearing aids. Your decision making will be smarter and safer.
10. You’ll be a positive example!
The one thing that can be even harder than change is personal growth. When you invest in a hearing aid, you’re accepting that something isn’t actually working properly anymore. But you’re also attempting to improve the situation.
That’s a good thing! 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. (It’s okay, you can blush a bit, you deserve it.)
Schedule a hearing exam right away
The main benefit of hearing aids is that you get to experience hearing better. That goes without saying. But as you know, there are tons of immediate benefits of hearing aids! This top ten list is in no way complete.
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.