New Reasons to Use Hearing Aids
Do you have difficulty catching words in conversations or on TV? Do you ask people to repeat themselves? Maybe you’re starting to avoid social gatherings because it’s too hard to hear. If so, you may have some hearing loss. This common problem affects one in three people between the ages of 65 and 75, and nearly half of those older, according to National Institutes of Health.
Untreated hearing loss can have serious consequences. You might not catch instructions from your doctor or respond to smoke alarms and doorbells. Hearing loss is also linked to depression, anxiety and social isolation, according to the American Academy of Audiology. Because you lose hearing gradually in both ears as you age, you might not realize how much your hearing has changed until it affects your daily activities.
Although hearing aids can’t replicate normal hearing, they can dramatically improve what you understand, as well as what you hear. When you strain to catch words, you can suffer from what researchers call “cognitive overload.” You put so much effort into hearing that your brain doesn’t process the actual content of what’s said.
Today's Digital Hearing Aids
Fortunately, hearing loss is one medical problem that’s easily managed. And the latest generation of high-tech hearing aids offers vast improvements over last-decade’s models.
“Technology has made a quantum leap, especially in handling noise, which is the number one concern of patients who use hearing aids," says Houchin Tang, Ph.D., an audiologist with the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. “All the hearing aids now are digital, so we can fine-tune them based on your hearing loss and listening needs."
Using wireless technology, you can now connect your hearing aids to your cell phone, the GPS in your car, your television and other devices.
“You can pair up to seven devices all at once, depending on the model,” Tang says. “So you can listen to your TV and you can get your phone calls through the hearing aid. When a phone call is coming in, it mutes the TV. Amazing, right?”
Consult a Hearing Expert
Hearing aids come in several sizes and styles, depending on the severity of your hearing loss, your dexterity and your lifestyle. Some are so small that they are not noticeable to others. Talk to an audiologist to help you choose the model that’s best for you.
Depending on the features, a pair of hearing aids usually costs between $2,000 and $7,000, but that one-time investment can make a big difference in your quality of life. (California law states that you may return your hearing aids within 45 days of purchase.)
To get the most out of your hearing aids, your audiologist will meet with you several times to fine-tune them and help you “practice, practice, practice to make sure you know what to do—it makes a big difference,” Tang says.
Putting in a hearing aid can also be tricky at first, Tang says. “It’s like putting in contact lenses—you have to do it by feel. So it requires a little training,” she says.
Give it Time
It will take about a month to get used to your hearing aids and to hearing sounds you have not heard for a while, Tang says.
Tang recommends wearing your new hearing aid for one to two hours the first day, then gradually increasing the time by an hour each day. By two weeks, you should be wearing it during all waking hours. Remember, the more you wear your hearing aids, the faster you’ll get used to them.