In the past, hearing aids have had a stigma. If you wear one, people might think of you as aging. The effect?
Many people of all ages put themselves at risk from numerous health problems because they forgo getting hearing aids and decide to deal with hearing loss. The numbers back this up: 30 million people in the United States dealing with hearing loss, yet only around 15 percent of that group has ever worn a hearing aid.
In addition, younger people are suffering from hearing loss in greater numbers than ever before: a WHO report from 2015 forecasted that 1.1 billion teenagers and young adults would damage their hearing irreparably due to excessive use of headphones and louder and louder music shows.
However, advancing technology and changing perceptions have begun to frame hearing aids in a new light, and people are beginning to look at them in a similar way they view eye-glasses.
If You Require Hearing Aids, You Should Wear Them, This Is Why
There are a ton of reasons why wearing hearing aids is a smart idea, some of them obvious and some of them surprising.
Some of the most common reasons are as follows:
- You won’t struggle as much in conversations
- You can lessen tinnitus symptoms
- You won’t need to crank the music or TV up
- You’ll be able to earn more money
- You’re able to hear better (As noted, there were some obvious ones on the list)
- Social activities will be more enjoyable
- You’ll give your brain a rest
Are these reasons sounding good to you? Even someone with mild hearing damage can find some advantage from wearing hearing aids.
What many people aren’t aware of is that hearing loss is linked to mental decline, mental health problems, and conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Studies point to a few different reasons why this might happen, including that the brain becomes overtaxed and overtired because it’s always attempting to comprehend sounds. it could be that the brain cells shrink and die because they don’t get enough stimulation, or it could be associated with social isolation, which is a major cause of depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems.
By allowing you to hear words and sounds around you more clearly, hearing aids can help alleviate these problems. Your brain won’t need to use additional resources and will be able to process sounds in a normal way, while you will begin to enjoy conversations and social activities again because you will gain more confidence.
Hearing Aids Have Advanced in Sophistication
By now it should be apparent why people of all ages need to use hearing aids if they require them. Now it’s time to find out how hearing aids have advanced in the past few years.
The bulky, over-the-ear hearing aids are still out there for the people who like them. They also have advanced to the point that they can determine where sound is coming from and can filter out sound adequately. Conversely, there are more modern versions of hearing aids that are nearly invisible, yet contain quite a bit of technology to fit in with today’s digital world.
Is syncing your hearing aids to your Bluetooth devices such as your tv, phone, or tablet something you might want to do? Then you’re in luck since most modern hearing aids come equipped with Bluetooth technology that enables them to connect with a variety of devices. There are even higher-end models that can automatically take and make telephone calls for you, keep track of 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 start wearing a hearing aid, contact us for an appointment and hearing assessment.