Over the years, hearing aids have carried a stigma. If you use one, people might think of you as aging. The result?
Lots of people, both young and old, decide against hearing aids and suffer needlessly from hearing loss, which itself is linked to a number of health problems. The numbers back this up: 30 million people in the US dealing with hearing loss, yet only around 15 percent of that population has ever worn a hearing aid.
In addition, the youth are suffering from hearing loss in greater numbers than they ever have: a WHO report from 2015 predicted that 1.1 billion teens and young adults would injure their hearing irreparably due to excessive use of headphones and louder and louder music shows.
Still, progressing technology and changing perceptions have given hearing aids a new life, and soon they’ll be in the same category as eye-glasses – and contact lenses, for that matter.
Why You Should Wear Hearing Aids
There are a lots of reasons why you should wear hearing aids, some of them are unexpected and some are obvious.
Here are some of the most common reasons:
- You’ll have the ability to earn more money
- You’re able to hear better (As we said, there were some obvious ones on the list)
- You can reduce tinnitus symptoms
- You can listen to music and television at safe volumes
- You’ll give your brain a rest
- You won’t have as hard a time having conversations
- You can enjoy social activities and situations again
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 aren’t aware of is that hearing loss is linked to cognitive decline, mental health issues, and conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Studies point to a few different reasons why this may happen, including that the brain gets overtaxed and overtired because it’s always attempting to comprehend sounds. It might be that the brain cells don’t get enough stimulation so they shrink and die, or it could be related to social isolation, which is a major cause of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
By letting you hear words and sounds near you more clearly, hearing aids can help lessen these issues. Your brain won’t need to use additional resources and will be capable of processing sounds in a standard way, while you’ll gain the ability and confidence to enjoy social experiences and conversations again.
Technological Developments in Hearing Aids
By now it should be apparent why people of any age need to use hearing aids if they require them. Now it’s time to find out how hearing aids have advanced in the past few years.
If really think you would like one of those large over the ear hearing aids, you can still purchase one. They also have advanced to the point that they can figure out where sound is coming from and can filter out sound adequately. However, there are more modern versions of hearing aids that have sophisticated technology which makes it easy for them to work with today’s digital environment and are virtually unnoticeable.
Is syncing your hearing aids to your Bluetooth devices like your tv, smartphone, or tablet something you would 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 made to do more – much like your smartwatch and smartphone, smart hearing aids will come to be a must-have accessory for anyone who has hearing loss. Are you ready to deal with hearing loss and get yourself a hearing aid? Get in touch with us to discover what kind of hearing aid will work best for you.