Ever ask yourself “what would it truly be like to wear hearing aids”? How does a hearing aid feel when you have one on, what does it sound like, and what does it feel like in your ears are all questions you may want to ask someone who already has hearing aids? If you really want to know what hearing aids are like, you need to come in for a demonstration, but for now, keep reading for a description of what you can expect.
1. Hearing Aids Occasionally Have Feedback
This isn’t the type of feedback that you get when someone tells you how what they think about your performance. When a microphone and a speaker detect each other’s signal, they interfere with each other creating a high-pitched whistling sound. Even modern microphone and speaker systems can have a sound loop created.
They may squeal like a speaker in the school auditorium just before the principal speaks.
Though this can be uncomfortable, when hearing aids are correctly tuned, it’s rare. You may need to re-fit or replace the earmolds if this keeps happening.
Some advanced hearing aids have a feedback cancellation system that recognizes feedback and stops it in its tracks.
2. You Can Hear Conversations in a Noisy Restaurant
If you have neglected hearing loss, eating dinner with your family or friends in a loud restaurant can feel like you’re eating alone. Conversations are virtually impossible to keep up with. You might find yourself sitting there, smiling and nodding most of the night.
But hearing aids nowadays have some pretty advanced technology that can cancel out background noise. They bring the voices of your children and the wait staff into crystal clarity.
3. It Gets a Little Sticky Sometimes
When something is not right, your body has a way of reacting to it. If you eat something too spicy hot, you produce more saliva to wash it out. You will make tears if something gets into your eye. Your ears also have a defense system of their own.
They produce extra wax.
As a result of this, earwax buildup can sometimes be a problem for people who use hearing aids. Thankfully, it’s only wax and it’s not a big deal to clean the hearing aids. (We’ll show you how.)
Then you’ll simply put that hearing aid back in and begin relishing your hearing again.
4. Your Brain Will Also Get The Benefit
This one may surprise you. When a person develops hearing loss, it very gradually begins to impact brain function if they don’t get it treated as soon as possible.
Accurately understanding spoken language is one of the first things to go. Then memory, learning new things, and solving problems become a challenge.
This brain atrophy can be slowed by wearing hearing aids as soon as you can. They re-train your brain. They can decrease and even reverse cognitive decline according to numerous studies. In fact, 80% of people had improved brain function, according to a study carried out by the AARP, after using hearing aids to manage their hearing loss.
5. The Batteries Need to be Replaced
Many people simply hate dealing with those tiny button batteries. And they seem to die at the worst times, like when you’re about to find out “whodunnit” in a mystery movie, or just as your friend is telling you the juicy particulars of a story.
But simple solutions exist to decrease much of this perceived battery hassle. You can substantially increase battery life by using the correct strategies. It’s not hard to bring an extra set because these batteries are inexpensive and small.
Or, you can choose a pair of rechargeable hearing aids which are available now. When you go to bed, just put them on the charging unit. Put it back on in the morning. You can even get some hearing aids with solar-powered chargers so you can charge them even if you are hiking or camping.
6. You Will Have a Learning Curve
Today, hearing aids have advanced technology. It’s not as difficult as learning to operate a new computer. But it certainly takes a little time for your brain to adapt to new hearing aids and to get the settings right.
It progressively gets better as you keep wearing your hearing aids. Try to be patient with yourself and your hearing aids throughout this transition.
Anyone who’s been using a pair of hearing aids for 6 months or more will tell you that it’s worth it.
This is what it’s really like to use hearing aids. Isn’t it time to learn for yourself?
References
https://www.aarp.org/health/brain-health/info-07-2013/hearing-loss-linked-to-dementia.html