Hearing is one of the most precious senses. It helps us connect with the world, communicate with others, and exchange information with loved ones.
However, hearing can decrease over time and there are many reasons for this including old age, chronic exposure to loud noises, and as a result of severe health conditions like heart disease, brain injury, or tumors. Although hearing impairment cannot be restored completely, there is a way to make it easier and that is with the help of hearing aids.
While the main purpose of hearing aid devices is to improve hearing abilities, there are other reasons why people rely on them.
So, before you go out and search for the best hearing aids for sale in the nearest store, read our post to learn about the five major reasons why people use hearing aids.
To hear better
Obviously, the first and main reason why you should use hearing aids is to be able to hear better. If you noticed lately that you have been unable to hear certain sounds such as leaves rustling in the wind, birds singing, the doorbell ringing, or raindrops, then it may be high time to buy your first set of hearing aids.
Before you make a purchase, it is advised that you schedule an appointment with an audiologist to help you determine the severity of your hearing loss and suggest the right type of hearing device for you.
To improve communication
Another reason why you should consider using hearing aids is to improve your communication. Generally speaking, hearing plays an important role in oral communication as it allows you to communicate with others and exchange information. Any loss of hearing you experience at work, home, or at social events can instantly cause frustration, anxiety, mental fatigue, and feelings of isolation.
However, with the help of hearing aids, you will be able to engage in conversations with friends, family, and colleagues with ease. This way you won’t have to worry about not being able to hear them properly.
To prevent auditory deprivation
Auditory deprivation is a condition where the auditory system doesn’t work properly. It occurs when the brain stops receiving sound signals, or receives fewer of them, causing you to lose the ability to process sounds. This leads to hearing loss, which if not treated early enough the impairment can damage the hearing nerves and all the brain areas responsible for hearing.
Therefore, to prevent suffering these bad consequences of untreated hearing loss, it is recommended that you use hearing aids. For this case, it is even better to purchase two hearing devices for both ears so both sides don’t atrophy.
To reduce auditory fatigue
Auditory fatigue refers to the temporary loss of hearing after chronic exposure to sound. When we communicate with another person, our brain must do a lot of work to process all the information it receives. It also determines which information is relevant and which is not.
However, when you experience hearing loss, the brain must work even harder to make sense of the information it receives from the inner ear, which can be mentally exhausting. This is mainly because the hair cells in the ear have died or been damaged, making the auditory system lose its ability to translate a specific pitch or frequency.
Hearing aids can help reduce auditory fatigue as your brain won’t work extra hard to process sounds.
To mask tinnitus
Tinnitus is when you experience ringing, whistling, clicking, or roaring in one or both of your ears. The noise can be intermittent or continuous, with variations in loudness. Usually, up to 90% of people with tinnitus also have some level of noise-induced hearing loss. These patients can greatly benefit from using hearing aids as the amplification provided by the device can mask out the tinnitus and provide the individual with relief.
For those patients with only tinnitus and no hearing loss, there are other ear-worn devices that can be used for treatment. Either way, it is best to first find the underlying cause of tinnitus before any treatment regimen is begun.
Photo by Mark Paton from Unsplash
Final thoughts
If you start experiencing any difficulties hearing, communicating with others, or ringing in your ears, you should consult with your doctor and consider getting yourself a set of hearing aids. Although these devices cannot restore your hearing completely, they can help improve it as well as aid in enhancing your overall health.
For more information on hearing aids, refer to our guide and read about the main reasons why people use them.
