Gilberts Audiology & Hearing Aid Center - Oklahoma

Two women talking about what hearing aids are really like while having coffee at a table.

Ever wish you could get the inside scoop on what hearing aids are truly like? What would your best friend say if you asked candid questions about what it sounds like, what it feels like, and how they really feel about wearing one? Here’s a description of what hearing aids are like, but if you really want to know, come in for a demo.

1. Hearing Aids Sometimes Get Feedback

This isn’t the type of feedback that you get when someone tells you how what they think about your results. “Feedback “ is a whistling noise that a speaker makes when its microphone picks up the sound produced by the speaker. It creates a sound loop that even modern speakers like those in hearing aids don’t know what to do with.

They may squeal like a speaker in the school auditorium just before the principal speaks.

While this might 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 keeps happening.

Feedback can be eliminated, in some more advanced hearing aids, by a built-in feedback suppression system.

2. You Can Hear Conversations in a Noisy Restaurant

Eating dinner out with the family can feel like eating dinner by yourself if you have untreated hearing loss. It’s almost impossible to keep up with the conversations. You might wind up sitting there, nodding and smiling most of the night.

But hearing aids nowadays have some pretty advanced technology that can cancel out background noise. The voices of your family and the restaurant staff become crystal clear.

3. It Gets a Bit Sticky at Times

When something isn’t right, your body has a way of reacting to it. Your body will make saliva if you eat something overly spicy. You will generate tears if something gets into your eye. Your ears also have a defense system of their own.

Earwax production.

Due to this, earwax accumulation can sometimes be a problem for individuals who wear hearing aids. It’s just wax, thankfully, so cleaning it isn’t an issue. (We can help you learn how.)

Once you’re finished the cleaning you’re quickly back in business.

4. Your Brain Will Also Get The Benefit

You might be surprised by this one. If somebody starts to develop hearing loss it will gradually affect cognitive function as it progresses.

Accurately understanding spoken language is one of the first things you lose. Problem solving, learning new things, and memory will then become difficult.

This brain atrophy can be stopped in its tracks by wearing hearing aids as soon as you can. They re-train your brain. Studies show that they can decrease mental decline and even reverse it. In fact, 80% of individuals had increased mental function, according to a study carried out by the AARP, after wearing hearing aids to treat their hearing loss.

5. The Batteries Have to be Replaced

Many individuals simply hate managing those tiny button batteries. And they seem to run out of juice at the worst times, like when you’re about to hear “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 trouble. There are strategies you can use to greatly extend battery life. It’s not hard to bring an extra set because these batteries are inexpensive and small.

Or, currently you can purchase hearing aids that are rechargeable. At night, just put them on the charging unit. In the morning, just put them back on. There are also solar-powered hearing aid chargers so you can even recharge your hearing aid while out fishing. camping, or hiking.

6. There’s a Learning Curve

The technology of modern hearing aids is quite advanced. It’s a lot easier than learning to use a computer for the first time. But it certainly takes a little time for your brain to adapt to new hearing aids and to get the settings right.

The longer and more regularly you use hearing aids the better it gets. Try to be patient with yourself and the hearing aids throughout this transition.

People who have stayed the course and used their hearing aids for six months or more usually will say it’s all worth it.

This is what it’s really like to wear hearing aids. Isn’t it time to learn for yourself?

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References

https://www.aarp.org/health/brain-health/info-07-2013/hearing-loss-linked-to-dementia.html

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.
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