Dispelling Myths About Hearing Loss

By Ross Cushing, AuD

Live Better Hearing + Balance

. https://www.livebetterhearing.com

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Dispelling Myths About Hearing Loss

When hearing loss cannot be corrected by medical means (medication or surgery), hearing aids are often recommended.Unfortunately, there are many who have inaccurate or incomplete information, which leads to disappointment and frustration.
Myth Hearing aids cure hearing loss.
Fact A hearing aid is a device that amplifies sounds that the ear is having difficultyhearing. It is not fixing the damaged ear, therefore, it is an aid which helps you to hear better. It is not a cure.Hearing aids do work very well for people with many degrees of hearing loss from very mild to profound.
Myth When wearing hearing aids, you will hear speech clearly, even if you have a severe hearing loss.
Fact Although hearing aids help you to hear significantly better, depending on the type and extent of the hearing loss, they cannot always clear up speech.The goal is to help the brain to receive more pieces of the speech sounds so it can hear and understand more of the words.There can be situations due to the room acoustics, level of background noise, or the speakers voice quality, which hinder a complete understanding of the conversation. Hearing aids with a higher level of technology can be more beneficial in these environments.
Myth One hearing aid brand or type is better than the others.
Fact Although advertising may lead a person to think that there is the perfect hearing aid for everyone, this just isnt the case. Each person has a unique hearing loss, hearing needs, and brain processing. Working with your audiologist is essential to determine the best device for you, since environment and listening situations that are specific to your lifestyle certainly impact what the audiologist may recommend.
Myth You only need to wear hearing aids when you think you need them.
Fact We really hear with our brain. Our ears just pick up sound and send it to the brain. When you have hearing loss, the brain will need to re-learn what it has been missing to achieve the best results. For this reason, wearing the hearing aids consistently throughout the day is critical to hear the best you can in a variety of situations and to maintain your quality of life.
Myth There is no real difference between one hearing aid and another, so price is a key factor in making the decision.
Fact Not all hearing aids are created equal. Todays most sophisticated hearing aids, which usually provide the most natural hearing, are really just custom-made computers for your ears. Because of the degree of customization and audiologists care (that is part of the price), they are, of course, more expensive than non-customizable aids.
Myth It is hard to adjust to hearing aids.
Fact Anything new will take some time to get accustomed to, but if the hearing aids are fitting comfortably and work properly, the benefits will far outweigh any adjustment issues.Motivation to hear more naturally, patience, and realistic expectations are vital to the process. Follow-up with the audiologist is important to answer any questions and to be sure the hearing aids are adjusted properly.
Myth A retail hearing aid company is the same as an audiology practice.
Fact Audiologists have at least six years of college training and most have been trained for eight years.They perform thorough examinations, hearing tests, and then make recommendations based on years of advanced training.