Over the years, hearing aids have had a stigma. Some people simply associate them with getting old. What is the outcome?
Countless people, both old and young, go without hearing aids and suffer unnecessarily from hearing loss, which itself is linked to several health concerns. The numbers reinforce this: 30 million individuals in the US dealing with hearing loss, yet only about 15 percent of that group has ever worn a hearing aid.
What’s more, the youth are suffering from hearing loss in higher numbers than they ever have: a WHO report from 2015 predicted that excessive use of headphones and overly loud concert events and festivals will cause over 1.1 billion teens and young adults to permanently injure their hearing.
However, developing technology and shifting attitudes have given hearing aids a new outlook, and soon they’ll be in the same class as eye-glasses – and contact lenses, for that matter.
If You Need Hearing Aids, You Should Wear Them, Here’s Why
There are a lots of reasons why you should use hearing aids, some of them are surprising and some are obvious.
Here are several of the most common reasons:
- One of the obvious factors is that you will be able to hear better
- You won’t have as hard a time having conversations
- You can enjoy social activities and settings again
- You won’t have to turn the music or TV up
- You’ll give your brain a break
- You can lessen tinnitus symptoms
- You’ll have the ability to earn more money
Are these reasons sounding good to you? Even somebody with mild hearing damage can find some advantage from using hearing aids.
What many people don’t know is that hearing loss is associated with mental decline, mental health issues, and conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Research points to a number of different reasons why this may happen, this includes the overworking of the brain as it struggles to comprehend sounds that it hears. It’s possible that the brain cells shrink and die because they don’t get enough stimulus, or it may be because of the leading cause of anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems which is social isolation.
By allowing you to hear words and sounds near you more clearly, hearing aids can help lessen these problems. Your brain can then process the sounds as it ordinarily would without having to use additional resources, while you will begin to enjoy conversations and social experiences again because you will have a boost in confidence.
Technological Developments in Hearing Aids
We told you why it’s essential for anybody with hearing loss, old or young, to use hearing aids. Now it’s time to learn how hearing aids have progressed in the last few years.
If really want one of those big over the ear hearing aids, you can still purchase one. They do their task adequately and have advanced to the point where most of them have no problem filtering out background sounds such as wind or determining which direction sound comes from. However, there are new and improved versions of hearing aids that are virtually invisible, yet pack quite a lot of technology to work with today’s digital world.
Do you want to connect your hearing aid to your smartphone, tablet, tv, or even your car’s navigation system? Then you’re in luck since many modern hearing aids come equipped with Bluetooth technology that allows them to connect with a variety of devices. There are even higher-end models keep track of your physical health, take calls for you, stream music. Smart hearing aids are becoming a must for anyone who has hearing loss because much like your smartwatch and smartphone, they’re just made to do more. So now that you are ready to deal with your hearing loss and start using a hearing aid, get in touch with us for an appointment and hearing assessment.
