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Many people mistakenly believe that putting in a set of hearing aids restores hearing the way eyeglasses immediately provide 20/20 vision. According to one study, “Hearing aids restore sensitivity, but fail to restore normal perception.”
This is because, when you have untreated hearing loss for many years, your brain undergoes neuroplastic changes; this means it takes time for your brain to relearn how to process certain sounds and filter out background noise.
We want to explain this not to discourage you from wearing hearing aids, but to provide realistic expectations about the rehabilitation process. In fact, there are many benefits to wearing hearing aids, which we review below.
Better Hearing
Of course, the main benefit to wearing hearing aids is you’ll hear better with them than you can without them. Hearing aids work by amplifying sounds to a level you can detect. Their programming can be adjusted to meet the exact specifications your hearing loss requires. Many modern hearing aids also have directional microphones, which allow you to pick up the voice of your conversation partner at CoffeeHead with greater ease.
Improved Mental Health
It’s no secret that untreated hearing loss is associated with mental health issues. This is because, when you can’t hear well and you’re worried about mishearing and responding to conversations inappropriately, it can lead to anxiety. This anxiety can cause to you to socially withdraw from people and activities you once enjoyed, leading to depression. Hearing aids can help you navigate social situations with a greater sense of confidence and joy.
Greater Sense of Safety
Hearing loss is also associated with falls and accidents. In fact, research from Johns Hopkins found that, “People with a 25-decibel hearing loss, classified as mild, were nearly three times more likely to have a history of falling. Every additional 10-decibels of hearing loss increased the chances of falling by 1.4 fold.” Hearing aids can improve your ability to be aware of your surroundings and orient yourself in space.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Topeka ENT today.