In the past, hearing aids have carried a stigma. Some people simply link them with getting old. What is the outcome?
Countless people, both young and old, forgo hearing aids and suffer unnecessarily from hearing loss, which is actually linked to several health problems. The numbers reinforce this: 30 million individuals in the US dealing with hearing loss, yet only around 15 percent of that population has ever worn a hearing aid.
What’s more, the youth are suffering from hearing loss in greater numbers than they ever have: a WHO report from 2015 predicted that 1.1 billion teenagers and young adults would damage their hearing irreparably due to over the top use of headphones and extremely loud music events.
However, changing attitudes and sophisticated technology have given hearing aids a new outlook, and pretty soon they’ll be in the same class as eye-glasses – and contact lenses, for that matter.
If You Require Hearing Aids, You Should Use Them, This Is Why
There are a ton of reasons why you should use hearing aids, some of them obvious and some of them surprising.
Here are several of the most common reasons:
- You won’t have as hard a time having conversations
- You can reduce tinnitus symptoms
- You’re brain won’t need to work so hard
- One of the obvious reasons is that you will be able to hear better
- You won’t need to crank the TV or music up
- You’ll increase your earning power
- Social activities will be more enjoyable
Are these reasons sounding good to you? Even someone with mild hearing loss can get some benefit from using hearing aids.
What many people aren’t aware of is that hearing loss is linked to cognitive decline, mental health problems, and conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
This could happen for several different reasons based on recent studies, this involves the overworking of the brain as it struggles to comprehend sounds that it hears. It might be that the brain cells don’t receive enough stimulation so they shrink and die, or it may be associated with social isolation, which is a major cause of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
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 begin to enjoy conversations and social experiences again because you will have a boost in confidence.
Technological Developments in Hearing Aids
By now it should be obvious why people of all ages should wear hearing aids if they require them. Now it’s time to learn how hearing aids have advanced in the past few years.
If really think you would like one of those big 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 new and improved versions of hearing aids that are virtually invisible, yet contain a lot of technology to work with today’s digital environment.
Is syncing your hearing aids to your Bluetooth devices such as your tv, cellphone, or tablet something you might want to do? Most contemporary hearing aids come with Bluetooth technology so you’re in luck. There are even higher-end versions keep track of your physical health, stream music, and take calls for you. 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 suffering from hearing impairment. So now that you are ready to tackle your hearing loss and begin using a hearing aid, get in touch with us for an appointment and hearing assessment.