Over the years, hearing aids have had a stigma. Some people just associate them with old age. What is the result?
Many people of every age put themselves in danger of a number of health concerns because they decide not to get hearing aids and decide to live with hearing loss. The numbers back this up: 30 million individuals in the United States dealing with hearing loss, yet only around 15 percent of that group has ever used a hearing aid.
Also, more and more young people are dealing with hearing loss: a WHO report from 2015 forecasted that too much use of headphones and overly loud music shows and festivals will cause over 1.1 billion teenagers and young adults to permanently damage their hearing.
However, shifting attitudes and sophisticated technology have begun to frame hearing aids in a new light, and people are beginning to view them in a similar way they look at eye-glasses.
Why You Should Wear Hearing Aids
There are a ton of reasons why you should wear hearing aids, some of them obvious and some of them unexpected.
Some of the most common reasons are as follows:
- You’ll increase your earning power
- You can hear better (As noted, there were some obvious ones on this list)
- You’re brain won’t need to work so hard
- You can listen to music and television at normal volumes
- You can appreciate social activities and settings again
- Conversations will be much smoother
- You can reduce tinnitus symptoms
Do these sound like good reasons to you? Even somebody with minor hearing damage can get some benefit from using hearing aids.
What many people aren’t aware of is that hearing loss is associated with cognitive decline, mental health problems, and conditions such as Alzheimers disease and dementia.
This may happen for a few different reasons based on recent studies, this involves 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 receive enough stimulus, or it may be connected to social isolation, which is a major 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 around you. Your brain can then process the sounds as it normally would without needing to use extra resources, 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 wear hearing aids if they require them. Now we’re going to tell you about the how; as in, how hearing aid technology has advanced to the point where they’re nothing like your grandparents’ hearing aids.
The bulky, over-the-ear hearing aids are still available for the people who want them. They also have progressed to the point that they can determine where sound is coming from and can filter out sound adequately. Conversely, there are new and improved versions of hearing aids that have advanced technology which makes it effortless for them to work with today’s digital world and are almost unnoticeable.
Is connecting your hearing aids up with your Bluetooth devices such as your television, phone, or tablet something you might want to do? Most modern-day hearing aids come with Bluetooth technology so you’re in luck. There are even higher-end models keep track of your physical health, stream music, and take calls for you. Smart hearing aids are becoming a must for anybody who has hearing loss because just like your smartphone or smartwatch, they’re just made to do more. Are you ready to tackle hearing loss and buy yourself a hearing aid? Contact us to find out what type of hearing aid will work best for you.