In the past, hearing aids have had a stigma. Some people simply correlate them with getting old. The result?
Lots of people, both young and old, go without hearing aids and suffer unnecessarily from hearing loss, which itself is linked to a number of health concerns. This is backed up by the numbers: 30 million people in the United States suffering from hearing loss, yet only around 15 percent of that group has ever worn a hearing aid.
At the same time, more and more young people are dealing with hearing loss: a WHO report from 2015 forecasted that excessive use of headphones and overly loud music shows and festivals will cause over 1.1 billion teens and young adults to permanently damage their hearing.
However, shifting attitudes and advanced technology have given hearing aids a new outlook, and soon they’ll be in the same class 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.
Some of the most common reasons are as follows:
- You can listen to television and music at normal volumes
- Social activities will be more enjoyable
- You’re brain won’t need to work as hard
- You’ll be able to earn more money
- You can decrease tinnitus symptoms
- You’re able to hear better (As we said, there were some obvious ones on this list)
- You won’t have as hard a time having conversations
Are these reasons sounding beneficial to you? Even somebody with minor hearing loss can get some benefit from using hearing aids.
What many people don’t know is that hearing loss is connected to cognitive decline, mental health problems, and conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
This may happen for a number of different reasons according to recent studies, this involves the overworking of the brain as it struggles to comprehend sounds that it hears. It may be that the brain cells don’t receive enough activation so they shrink and die, or it may be due to the number one cause of anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems which is social isolation.
Hearing aids can change things for the better by permitting you to hear clearly and understand the words and sounds around you. Your brain can then process the sounds as it typically would without having to use extra resources, while you will begin to enjoy conversations and social activities again because you will have a boost in confidence.
Hearing Aids Have Developed in Sophistication
By now it should be obvious why people of any age should use hearing aids if they require them. Now it’s time to find out how hearing aids have progressed in the last few years.
If really think you would like one of those large over the ear hearing aids, you can still buy one. They also have advanced to the point that they can determine where sound is originating from and can filter out sound adequately. However, there are more modern versions of hearing aids that are nearly unnoticeable, yet contain quite a bit of technology to work with today’s digital environment.
Would you like to connect your hearing aid to your cellphone, tablet, tv, or even your car’s navigation system? Then you’re in luck since many modern hearing aids come equipped with Bluetooth technology that enables them to sync with a variety of devices. There are even higher-end models that can automatically take and make calls for you, keep track of your physical activity, and stream music. Hearing aids nowadays are designed to do more – much like your smartwatch and smartphone, smart hearing aids will become a must-have accessory for anyone who has hearing loss. So now that you are ready to deal with your hearing loss and begin using a hearing aid, get in touch with us for an appointment and hearing assessment.