I often wonder what people expect from hearing aids (HAs) before they walk into my office. Do they think that a HA will fix all of their hearing problems? Do they believe it’s a quick one-shot deal where you put HAs in and that’s it, problem solved? Do they have reservations because of poor experiences that friends or family have had? Are they afraid of being mislead or taken for a ride? Do they understand what I am as an audiologist and what my training has covered? Do they see me as a salesman? There are many stigmas and tidbits of information regarding HAs out there, so today I will attempt to shed some light on a few of those topics.
First off, HAs are an AID, they do not fix any of the underlying parts in your hearing system. HAs simply function to amplify the sounds that you no longer hear naturally. This gives you more speech information so you can better understand what’s being said. The problem many people don’t quite appreciate is that, in most cases, you have a hearing loss because part of your inner ear (i.e. the nerves) is damaged or dead. We, as audiologists or hearing instrument practitioners, have to try and replicate how your natural hearing system works, but without the full system at our disposal. It’s kind of like going fishing in a boat full of holes, we can stay afloat but only if we bail constantly and don’t run into any big waves. With hearing aids, we typically do better with them than without them, but we will continue to have problems in certain situations. The key to being a successful HA user is to realize that there will be issues and to be prepared for them. Don’t go fishing without your bailing bucket, so to speak.
Most people, even those with normal hearing, have more difficulty hearing when there is a lot of background noise present. So, can we expect HAs to make this situation as easy as it was when we were teenagers? Can we expect that a hearing AID will replace our lost ability to hear perfectly in groups or crowds, even though the hearing system itself is damaged? It’s not realistic to expect that we can duplicate naturally perfect hearing, but all is not lost. For those who struggle to hear in noisy places and have hearing loss, today’s digital hearing aids can be accurately programmed to improve your ability to follow conversation. Granted, it’s not perfect, but it’s better than nothing, and A LOT better than it was in years past. Today’s HAs can do a lot, but we need some patience from the user as it may take us several “tune-up” appointments to get it right. We promise to do our part, but you also have to do yours.
One of the most curious things I’ve noticed about working with HAs is how many people believe, or have been told, that one HA works as well as two. Would you buy one shoe of a pair? Put one lens in your glasses? Not likely, because it doesn’t really make sense. It is no secret that HAs are expensive, and if finances are the reason why only one HA is purchased, then that’s perfectly understandable. However, if you have the financial backing and truly desire an improvement in your communicative abilities, then wearing two HAs is of critical importance. I state it this way because in the vast majority of cases when we have hearing loss it is in both ears, and we need both ears working together to give us the best chance to hear. Most people tell me that they struggle the most in group situations and this is where they want my help, yet many of them only want to purchase one HA. The problem with this approach is that humans need two ears to hear in complex situations (i.e. in background noise). Wear one HA in this environment and you will likely continue to struggle, simply because you haven’t provided your body with the assistance it needs. The truth of it all comes down to this statement, “we were born with two ears for a reason.” All I ask is that you think strongly about your decision and accept the difficulties you will likely have, if you choose to buy one HA when you have hearing loss in both ears.
There are many people who think that today’s HAs are the same as those their parents/family/friends had back in the 1980’s, 90’s, or even in the early years of the new century. This leads many people to come into my office partially convinced that HAs will not work, even though they’ve never tried one. I always try to help people feel excited about purchasing HAs. You have a hearing problem, HAs help with this problem; but, we can’t be successful if you don’t believe in the solution we have to offer. Unfortunately, there are few options for people with hearing loss, and if you want to improve your communication abilities then HAs may be your only recourse. I simply recommend trying them to see if they work. If your wife/husband/family is at their wits end because you’re always asking them to repeat or because the TV is up too loud, what do you have to lose? If you give it a sincere, committed attempt, and it doesn’t work, then you’ve done your part to at least give it a shot. But, to just say “Oh, HAs don’t work, they’re no good for nothing” without even trying them yourself, that’s a cop-out that doesn’t serve anyone well. I hope there are less and less of these people as time goes on because the quality of HAs today has dispelled a lot of the issues that ravaged our industry in the past.
To all those people who think there’s a chance they have a hearing loss, don’t be afraid to find out for sure. Audiologists (and hearing instrument practitioners) are here to help, not pressure you into buying a HA if that’s not what you want. We can tell you your options and then we can decide together if it’s time to try HAs. You have nothing to lose and potentially an entire world of communication to gain. As I’ve written about before, you are entitled to at least a two month trial period at all respectable HA dispensaries, so the HAs can be returned if they aren’t helping you as you hoped they would. Use this safety cushion to your advantage, be open-minded about the products, give them an honest try, and you’ll be successful more often than not. Best of luck!!
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