Stigma About Wearing Hearing Aids Subsiding

In the past, hearing aids have carried a stigma. If you wear one, people might think of you as old. The consequences?

Countless people, both old and young, decide against hearing aids and suffer unnecessarily from hearing loss, which itself is linked to a number of health problems. This is backed up by the numbers: 30 million individuals in the US dealing with hearing loss, yet only around 15 percent of that group has ever worn a hearing aid.

At the same time, an increasing number of young people are dealing with hearing loss: a WHO report from 2015 predicted that 1.1 billion teens and young adults would damage their hearing permanently due to excessive use of headphones and louder and louder music festivals.

Still, changing attitudes and sophisticated technology have started to frame hearing aids in a new light, and people are beginning to view them in a similar way they look at eye-glasses.

If You Need Hearing Aids, You Should Wear Them, This Is Why

There are a lots of reasons why wearing hearing aids is a good idea, some of them obvious and some of them unexpected.

Several of the most common reasons are as follows:

• You can appreciate social activities and situations again
• You can listen to music and television at normal volumes
• You'll give your brain a break
• You can hear better (As we said, there were some obvious ones on this list)
• You'll have the ability to earn more money
• You won't have as hard a time having conversations
• You can minimize tinnitus symptoms

Do these sound like beneficial reasons to you? Even somebody with minor hearing damage can get some advantage from using hearing aids.

What many people aren't aware of is that hearing loss is associated with mental decline, mental health issues, and conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Studies point to several different reasons why this may happen, including that the brain gets overtaxed and overtired because it's always attempting to comprehend sounds. It may be that the brain cells don't get enough stimulation so they shrink and die, or it may be related to social isolation, which is a leading cause of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.

Hearing aids can change things for the better by allowing you to hear clearly and comprehend the words and sounds near you. Your brain won't need to utilize extra resources and will be able to process sounds in a normal way, while you'll gain the confidence and ability to find enjoyment in social activities and conversations again.

Technological Developments in Hearing Aids

We told you why it's necessary for anyone with hearing loss, old or young, to wear hearing aids. Now it's time to find out how hearing aids have progressed in the last few years.

If really want one of those large over the ear hearing aids, you can still purchase one. They do their job effectively and have progressed to the point where most of them have no problem filtering out background sounds like wind or determining what direction sound comes from. However, there are more modern versions of hearing aids that have sophisticated technology which makes it straight forward for them to work with today's digital environment and are virtually unnoticeable.

Is connecting your hearing aids up with your Bluetooth devices including your television, phone, or tablet something you would want to do? Then you're in luck since the majority of modern hearing aids feature Bluetooth technology that allows them to connect with a range of devices. There are even higher-end versions keep track of your physical health, stream music, and take calls for you. Hearing aids today are made to do more – just like your smartphone and smartwatch, smart hearing aids will come to be a must-have accessory for anyone who has hearing impairment. Are you ready to tackle hearing loss and get yourself a hearing aid? Consult with us to find out what kind of hearing aid will be the right one for you.