Ever wish you could get the inside scoop on what hearing aids are really like? What would your good friend say if you asked honest questions about what hearing aids sound like, what it feels like, and how they really feel about using one? If you truly want to know what hearing aids are like, you should come in for a demo, but for now, continue reading for an explanation of what you can expect.
1. Hearing Aids Occasionally Have Feedback
No, not the type you may receive on a work evaluation. “Feedback “ is a whistling noise that a speaker makes when its microphone picks up the sound produced by the speaker. Even modern microphone and speaker systems can have a sound loop created.
They might squeal like a speaker in the school auditorium just before the principal speaks.
While this may sound mortifying, and it is unpleasant, it is rare when a hearing aid is correctly tuned. You may need to re-fit or replace the earmolds if this continues happening.
Feedback can be eliminated, in some more sophisticated hearing aids, by a built-in feedback cancellation system.
2. You Can Follow Conversations in a Noisy Restaurant
Eating dinner out with the family can seem like eating dinner by yourself if you have untreated hearing loss. It’s virtually impossible to follow the conversations. Most of the night, you may wind up just nodding and smiling.
But hearing aids today have some pretty sophisticated technology that can cancel out background noise. The voices of your family and the restaurant staff become crystal clear.
3. It Gets a Little Sticky at Times
Your body has a way of telling you when something shouldn’t be there. Your body will make saliva if you eat something too spicy. If you get something in your eye, you generate tears to flush your eye. Your ears have their own way of removing a nuisance.
Earwax production.
So it’s hardly surprising that individuals who wear hearing aids often get to manage wax buildup. Thankfully, it’s only wax and it’s not a problem to clean the hearing aids. (We’ll show you how.)
Once you’re done the cleaning you’re quickly back to good hearing.
4. There Are Benefits For Your Brain
This one might surprise you. If somebody begins developing hearing loss it will gradually impact brain function as it progresses.
One of the first things you lose is the ability to comprehend what people are saying. Then memory, learning new things, and problem-solving become a difficulty.
Getting hearing aids sooner than later helps stop this brain atrophy. Your brain gets re-trained. Research shows that they can slow down cognitive decline and even reverse it. As a matter of fact, 80% of individuals had increased brain function, according to research carried out by the AARP, after wearing hearing aids to treat their hearing loss.
5. You Have to Replace The Batteries
Many people simply hate dealing with those little 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 details of a story.
But straight forward solutions exist to decrease much of this perceived battery trouble. There are strategies you can use to greatly extend battery life. The batteries are small and inexpensive, so it’s easy to carry an extra set in your wallet.
Or, currently you can purchase rechargeable hearing aids. Just dock it on the charger at night. In the morning, simply put them back on. You can even get some hearing aids that have solar-powered chargers so they will be available to you even if you are camping or hiking.
6. You Will Experience a Learning Curve
Nowadays, hearing aids have sophisticated technology. It’s a lot simpler than learning to use a computer for the first time. But getting used to your new hearing aids will definitely take a little time.
The longer and more routinely you use hearing aids the better it gets. Try to be patient with yourself and your hearing aids during this transition.
People who have stayed the course and worn their hearing aids for six months or more typically will say it’s all worth it.
This is what it’s actually like to wear hearing aids. If you want to find out, contact us.
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References
https://www.aarp.org/health/brain-health/info-07-2013/hearing-loss-linked-to-dementia.html