In the past, hearing aids have carried a stigma. If you use one, people may think of you as aging. What is the result?
Countless people, both old and young, decide against hearing aids and suffer needlessly from hearing loss, which is actually linked to several health concerns. The numbers reinforce this: 30 million individuals in the United States dealing with hearing loss, yet only around 15 percent of that group has ever worn a hearing aid.
In addition, the youth are suffering from hearing loss in greater numbers than ever before: a WHO report from 2015 forecasted that 1.1 billion teens and young adults would damage their hearing irreparably due to over the top use of headphones and extremely loud music events.
However, shifting attitudes and advanced technology have given hearing aids a new life, and pretty soon they’ll be in the same class as eye-glasses – and contact lenses, for that matter.
If You Need Hearing Aids, You Should Use Them, This Is Why
There are a lots of reasons why you should wear hearing aids, some of them are surprising and some are obvious.
Several of the most common reasons are as follows:
- You can appreciate social activities and settings again
- You’ll increase your earning power
- One of the obvious reasons would be that you can hear better
- Conversations will be much smoother
- You can listen to music and television at safe volumes
- You can reduce tinnitus symptoms
- You’ll give your brain a break
Are these reasons sounding good to you? Some advantage can be gained by using hearing aids even for people with mild hearing loss.
What many people don’t know is that hearing loss is linked to mental decline, mental health problems, and conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
This may happen for a number of different reasons according to research, including that the brain gets overtaxed and overtired because it’s always striving to comprehend sounds. It might be that the brain cells don’t receive enough activation so they shrink and die, or it might be linked to social isolation, which is a leading cause of depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems.
Hearing aids can change things for the better by letting you hear clearly and understand the words and sounds near you. Your brain won’t have to make use of extra resources and will be capable of processing sounds in a standard way, while you’ll gain the ability and confidence to enjoy social activities and conversations again.
Technological Advances in Hearing Aids
We told you why it’s necessary for anybody with hearing loss, old or young, to use hearing aids. Now we’re going to tell you about the how; for example, how hearing aid technology has advanced to the point where they’re no longer your grandparents’ hearing aids.
The bulky, over-the-ear hearing aids are still out there for the people who want them. They also have advanced to the point that they can determine where sound is originating from and can filter out sound effectively. However, there are new and improved versions of hearing aids that are virtually unnoticeable, yet contain a lot of technology to work with today’s digital environment.
Would you like to connect your hearing aid to your smartphone, tablet, television, or even your car’s navigation system? Then you’re in luck since many modern hearing aids feature Bluetooth technology that permits them to sync with a variety of devices. There are even higher-end models keep track of your physical health, stream music, and take calls for you. Hearing aids nowadays are designed to do more – much like your smartphone and smartwatch, smart hearing aids will come to be a must-have accessory for anyone suffering from hearing impairment. So now that you’re ready to tackle your hearing loss and start using a hearing aid, consult with us for an appointment and hearing assessment.