Even when it’s relatively mild, hearing loss can have a huge impact on your life. There will be a dramatic change in the way you connect with loved ones, friends, and coworkers. Everyday tasks like going to the grocery store can become more difficult. But that doesn’t mean it needs to be all doom and gloom. On the contrary, a well adjusted pair of hearing aids can make a huge difference.
Most individuals usually think of those benefits in a really linear sort of way: Hearing aids help you hear better. And that’s not untrue. But how do hearing aids improve quality of life? What further benefits will hearing aids deliver?
The top ten reasons to get hearing aids
It’s kind of amazing, isn’t it, how people can so frequently put together top ten lists for anything? When you woke up today, did you think you’d be reading a top ten list about hearing aids? Well, perhaps you did if you’ve been coping with your hearing loss for a while.
So, what are the top ten benefits associated with using your hearing aid? Here they are!
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 be able to keep up with the conversation and get the whole story.
This also means you won’t feel left out of the conversation, and you won’t feel resentful that the conversations carry on without you. So you will have an improvement in your relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. The link between hearing aids and relationships is a powerful one!
2. You’ll be more independent
Shopping at the grocery store or going to a restaurant when you have neglected hearing loss can be an ordeal. When you can’t hear very well, communicating with cashiers and wait staff can be tricky. But the whole process gets easier when you have hearing aids. You can get around much more independently.
You’ll also be better able to drive safely. That’s because your overall situational awareness will be enhanced by your hearing aids. When you hear more of the world, you’ll be capable of doing more without any help, and you’ll be able to do it with less anxiety.
3. Better hearing may lead to higher income
Consider this hypothetical situation: if you’re attending a meeting at work and miss half of what’s discussed, you might not do your job adequately. This can lead to passed promotions or even dicey job opportunities.
With your hearing aids firmly in place and working properly, you’ll be able to follow along with meetings, and you won’t be so tired all the time from struggling to hear. This can boost your focus on work and put you in a stronger position to increase your income.
4. You’ll have reduced tinnitus symptoms
Tinnitus is one of those things that most people have experienced now and again; it’s that ringing or buzzing in your ear. Tinnitus symptoms will usually be more extreme and more often with hearing loss (tinnitus is sometimes more noticeable with hearing loss simply because everything else is quieter, but there might also be other reasons as well).
Many people observe that their tinnitus symptoms decrease when they wear a hearing aid. The louder overall outside sound supplied by the hearing aid may be, in some cases, just drowning out the tinnitus symptoms. But we will take relief whenever we can, right?
5. Less chance of developing dementia
Hearing impairment and cognitive issues are strongly connected. For example, untreated hearing loss can significantly elevate your risk of developing dementia. Managing hearing loss appears to be helpful, even though there are many theories as to why. That’s why it’s essential to be certain you wear your hearing aids. You could be giving your brain a greater chance of remaining healthy longer.
6. You can enjoy music again
When you suffer from hearing loss music is harder to hear clearly. That’s because hearing loss tends to impact one frequency of sound first, then another. For instance, you may be unable to pick up low frequencies. The music you used to like, consequently, may sound… different.
With your hearing aids, though, those missing holes 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 only one or the other (or a garbled mess). It can be an amazing relief to hear your favorite tune again.
7. You’ll get an increase in confidence
Having better hearing and interacting more thoroughly will boost your confidence. And confidence is a great thing.
This is not to say that hearing loss should take away your confidence. We’re just saying that you might find yourself having a hard time interacting with others, especially if your hearing loss is new.
Those connections can become easier again with hearing aids. And when that takes place, confidence will grow.
8. You’ll have more vigor
Your brain is probably working extra hard if your hearing loss is gradually progressing. The audio holes that your hearing loss is creating will try to be filled in by your brain because it doesn’t recognize that your ears aren’t working. That’s… a lot of work! And it means that your brain is working (and strained) almost continuously.
When you invest in a hearing aid, you’re giving your brain an opportunity to slow down and recharge. It will have less work to accomplish. Which means you won’t feel so continuously exhausted and depleted. You’ll enjoy doing the things that are exciting for you with this increased energy.
9. Being more conscious of your surroundings will keep you safer
If your hearing loss is recent, you may not yet have fully adapted. You’re used to being able to hear traffic before you step out into the road. Before you look up into your rearview mirror, you would ordinarily hear the oncoming sirens.
You may presume certain situations are safe when, because you’re unaware of your hearing loss, or you’ve neglected it, they really aren’t. That can put you in some really dangerous situations.
This lost awareness will be recovered by using hearing aids. Your decision making will be smarter and safer.
10. You’ll be a positive example!
Change can be hard, and personal growth harder still. You’re acknowledging that things aren’t functioning effectively now when you invest in a hearing aid. But you’re also trying to improve the situation.
There’s nothing wrong with that! We should all strive for this type of thing, right? So you’re acting as a role model and a positive example when you use your hearing aids. You should be proud of yourself.
Get your hearing tested today
The biggest benefit of hearing aids is that you get to enjoy hearing better. That one’s obvious. But as you can tell, there are boatloads of immediate advantages of hearing aids! This top ten list is just that, one little list of only ten of these advantages.
You may have a completely different top ten list. Making an appointment with us for a hearing test is the first step no matter what benefits you look forward to.