Even when it’s fairly minor, hearing loss can have a huge impact on your life. The way you interact with friends, coworkers, and loved ones can change substantially. It can become a challenge to perform day-to-day activities such as going shopping. But that doesn’t mean it has to be all doom and gloom. On the contrary, a well calibrated set of hearing aids can make a big difference.
Most individuals 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 is the quality of life enhanced? Just how far do the advantages of hearing aids go?
Hearing aid’s top ten benefits
We humans 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 benefits of wearing hearing aids.
1. Your relationships will get better
Strong communication is crucial to any good relationship. But communication can be difficult when you have untreated hearing loss. With hearing aids, you’ll finally hear more than little bits 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 your overall relationships, amongst your friends, co-workers, and family members, will improve. There is a strong link between relationships and hearing aids!
2. You’ll have greater independence
Shopping at the supermarket or going to a restaurant when you’re dealing with untreated hearing loss can feel like an ordeal. When you can’t hear very well, communicating with wait staff or cashiers can be difficult. But with a set of hearing aids, the entire process quickly becomes much easier. You’ll have a lot more independence when you navigate the world around you.
Driving will also be less hazardous. That’s because your hearing aids will improve your overall situational awareness (more on that later). When you hear more of the world, you’ll be capable of doing more on your own, and you’ll be able to do it without as much anxiety.
3. You could make more money
Think about this hypothetical scenario: if you’re in a meeting at work and miss half of what’s said, you may not perform your job adequately. This can lead to diminished job opportunities and being passed-up for promotions.
With your hearing aids securely in place and working correctly, you’ll be able to follow along with meetings, and you won’t be as tired all the time from straining to hear. This can improve your focus on work and put you in a better position to grow your income.
4. You’ll have decreased tinnitus symptoms
Tinnitus is one of those things that the majority of individuals have experienced at times; it’s that buzzing or ringing in your ear. Tinnitus symptoms will frequently be more intense and more often with hearing loss (tinnitus is sometimes more noticeable with hearing loss simply because everything else is quieter, but there could also be other reasons as well).
With a hearing aid, many people note that they experience diminished tinnitus symptoms. In these instances, that’s because the hearing aid is overpowering the sound of the tinnitus. But we will take relief where we can get it, right?
5. Lower risk of cognitive decline
There is a solid connection between mental decline and hearing loss. For instance, untreated hearing loss can seriously raise your chance of developing dementia. There are many hypotheses about why this may be, but the end result is that managing your hearing loss appears to help! That’s why it’s essential to be certain you wear 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 one frequency of sound usually goes before the others. Maybe you’re unable to hear low frequencies, for example. The music you used to like, as a result, may sound… different.
With your hearing aids, though, 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 muffled mess). Hearing your favorite song again can be extremely enjoyable.
7. You’ll get an increase in confidence
Having better hearing and interacting more thoroughly will give you a boost of confidence. And confidence is a wonderful thing.
We’re not suggesting that you shouldn’t be confident just because you have hearing loss. It’s just that, especially if that hearing loss is recent, you might suddenly find it challenging to interact with others in the same ways you always have.
Those interactions can become easier again with hearing aids. And when that happens, confidence will improve.
8. You’ll have more energy
If your hearing loss has been slowly progressing, your brain has probably been working harder. That’s because your brain doesn’t know your ears aren’t working right, so it’s constantly attempting to fill in the audio gaps that your hearing loss has produced. That’s hard work. And it means that your brain is struggling (and strained) almost all the time.
When you get a hearing aid, you’re giving your brain an opportunity to slow down and recharge. It will have less work to accomplish. With this, persistent exhaustion and weariness will be reduced. You’ll enjoy doing the things that are stimulating for you with this increased energy.
9. Being more mindful of your surroundings will keep you safer
If your hearing loss is new, you may not yet have entirely adapted. Ordinarily, you would hear oncoming traffic before you step out into the street. You’re used to hearing the emergency siren before you look in the rearview mirror.
If your hearing loss is recent, or you aren’t aware of it, you may presume that some scenarios are safe when they really aren’t. And that can be a dangerous proposition.
This lost awareness will be restored by using hearing aids. So you’ll be capable of making smarter, less dangerous choices.
10. You’ll be a positive example!
The one thing that can be even harder than change is personal growth. When you get a hearing aid, you’re admitting that something isn’t necessarily working right anymore. But you’re bettering yourself as well.
That’s a positive thing! We should all strive for this type of thing, right? 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.)
Schedule an appointment for a hearing test right away
The primary advantage of hearing aids is that you get to enjoy hearing better. That one’s obvious. But as you know, there are lots of immediate advantages of hearing aids! This top ten list is by no means complete.
Your top ten list might look a little different. Scheduling an appointment with us for a hearing test is the first step no matter what advantages you look forward to.