Advantages and disadvantages of wearing hearing aids
If you’ve recently been diagnosed with some form of hearing loss and are debating whether to buy a pair of hearing aids you’ll want to start by considering the advantages and disadvantages of wearing “assisted listening devices” to see if the pros outweigh the cons in your particular situation. While the benefits of wearing hearing aids are obvious to most people, there are also some significant disadvantages that come to mind, especially if you’ve not yet gotten accustomed to wearing hearing aids in public. To help make your decision easier we’ve compiled the main advantages and disadvantages of wearing hearing aids into a neatly organized list below for your reference:
Advantages of Hearing Aids
Aside from the primary benefit of improving overall hearing proficiency, wearing hearing aids offers the following advantages:
- Enhanced Directional Perception
If you hear better in one ear you may find it difficult to locate where sounds are coming from because your usual perception is off due to the fact that you’re receiving input of a decreased volume from one side while the other side is hearing frequencies loud and clear. If you have such problems with directional perception, hearing aids can correct this by balancing out your frequency levels in both ears. This is not only a convenience but also an added safety accessory because it can help you locate incoming objects, people, or vehicles during an unexpected accident, mishap, or collision.
- Improved Conversational Comprehension
Hearing aids do a good job of amplifying the starts, stops, and high-pitched sounds that are common in speech. People with hearing loss may find it difficult to distinguish sounds like “th” or “s” from one another, and whispering is especially challenging to comprehend. With hearing aids you’ll be able to hear the “S” in the word “she” instead of mistaking it for the word “he” or “the.” With an enhanced ability to comprehend speech in conversation you’ll find yourself caught in fewer awkward social situations because you won’t experience as many miscommunications.
- Targeted Amplification of Specific Voices or Sounds You’re Trying to Focus On
Today’s hearing aids can detect which voice you’re trying to listen to and make it more pronounced. You can even have multiple profiles saved with each one containing set preferences for a specific type of environment. For example, you could have one preset programmed to match the acoustics in your living room, while another preset is set to cancel noise and clarify speech at your favorite restaurant. This feature simplifies the process of comprehending speakers in crowded environments while also streamlining environmental adjustments on-the-go.
- Available in a Variety of Styles and Configurations
There is a common misconception that hearing aids have to be ugly or easy-to-notice. Nowadays hearing aids come in a wide variety of styles and configurations, including super stealthy models like the Completely-in-Canal (CIC) or Behind-the-Ear (BTE) configurations, both of which do an excellent job of concealing the receiver so that it is not obvious to onlookers. Alternatively, there are also some quite stylish, yet more noticeable models that incorporate a broad range of colors, shapes, and custom molds for a sleeker appearance.
Disadvantages of Hearing Aids
Of course most people would find fewer disadvantages to wearing hearing aids, as there really aren’t that many, but of the potential shortcomings that do exist, the following are the most notable:
- High Price
Yes, it is true that hearing aids can be costly, with a top-of-the-line brand new model costing about $2,000 per pair. However, some would argue that a couple thousand is a nominal price to pay when you consider how much you can improve your quality of life by having your hearing restored to comfortable levels.
- Potential Discomfort
If you choose the wrong configuration type or style, or the custom mould is not fitted properly, you could encounter some discomfort. However, this is usually an easy fix as a simple visit to your audiologist will get you on track with a more suitable model. Then there is also the potential for social discomfort when wearing the hearing aids in public, particularly if you’re conscientious about letting other people know that you’re wearing them.
- Maintenance Issues
Finally, keep in mind that you may have to perform maintenance on your hearing aids from time to time. This may include removing any built up ear wax from the casing. Fortunately, most hearing aids come with a cleaning kit and instructions on how to maintain the device.
Author Bio: Paul Harrison is a dedicated blogger with a passion for sharing content that enriches the experiences of others. He’s currently in collaboration with YourHearing, a renowned online provider of digital hearing aids based in the United Kingdom.
Wearing two hearing aids can increase your safety and awareness. The ability to know where sound is coming from depends on hearing with both ears. Everyday examples might be turning in the correct direction when you hear your name called, or knowing where an ambulance or fire truck is when you hear a siren in traffic.
my question is when you wear it longer period can there be any side effect to existing hearing level. And also if you use low price device then again will there be any possibilities for such damages. The third query is will there be battery waste when it is not in use.
Thanks
I have the same concerns as Don. I’m wearing hearing aid for more than a month now. I noticed when I took them off, my hearing feel worse than before. Is my hearing becoming dependable? Or it’s just by comparison to the volume when the aids are on? Has there been research on the long term effects of using hearing aid to your hearing? Hope to get an answer. Thanks
Hello my daughter had an adenoid surgery and until now she can’t speak every thing sound ta ta but answers her name please can hearing aid help her?
Hi Dorathy
A hearing might help her but we cannot really advise as we are not medical experts. Please speak with your daughter’s audiologist who can advise best.
I like that the hearing aids are able to filter out background noise. Even if that means that you have to program them. I have even seen hearing aids that can be paired with a phone to play music or take phone calls. These are immeasurable benefits to hearing aids, they cause you to hear better.
I am 69 and have just received my NHS hearing aids from Specsavers who now can give you a hearing test and supply hearing aids on behalf of the NHS.
As I aged I slowly lost the higher end of the audio frequency band and the TV was turned up louder to compensate, the speaker was used on the landline telephone and I misheard things a few times which was embarrasing but sometimes funny.
I went to my doctor ( adviseable to do first as you need him or her to refer you before you can get free NHS hearing aids. Free but your National Insurance money pays for the aids , 50 years of it in my case).
To say that the aids surpass any thoughts I previously had on hearing aid devices would be a very big understatement.
They are behind the ear devices and very discreet and the sounds I hear now are amazing and well worth any time invested with your medical practitioner and audiologist.
I know its early days for me but the aids are fantastic and technology has made them really good at eliiminating the back ground noise I was expecting to hear, but I can hear clearly the other sounds I really want to hear.
My advice, try the hearing aids it will bring a new dimension to your life.
Thank you. GW at 17.30 on Tuesday the 27th of June 2017.
That’s fantastic feedback, so glad you are getting the benefit of hearing aids and a world full of new sounds.
Thanks Tina, my own daughter contracted meningitis at the age of 4, it left her profoundly deaf, even after 2 cochlear implants. Her cochlears had ossified and the surgeon could not get the implant electrodes into the cochlea of each ear,
My daughter is now nearly 37 with a daughter of her own and living life.
I have had my new heaing aids in since 14.00 hours and I have been aware of a clock ticking away in the living room, a sound I have been unaware of until today.
Bye for now, GW at 00.38 on Wednesday the 28th of June 2017.
I love a ticking clock, I couldn’t hear that with hearing aids but with cochlear implants, I can hear that loud and clear from across the room.
Sometimes cochlear implants don’t work for everyone, and even with them, we are still deaf to a degree.
Hello, GW
I was inspired ny your good news & new hearing aids. I am 61 & have worn hearing aids since age 27. how great your news came today while I was searching the web for a replacement Text Relay system for mum who is now totally deaf (to no avail – her old system has been discontinued) but it appears there is nothing for her as sje cannot receive internet due to living in a low-lying valley nr Oldham!
I will keep searching & also investigate my own chances of going the Specsavers route!
Have a wonderful day!
What I liked the most was when you said that there were a wide variety of options of hearing aids and that there were behind-the-ear configs that do a good job in concealing the receiver so that other people don’t notice. Well, I do have a problem with my left ear, and I pretty much have already accepted that fact that I might need hearing aids. However, I am embarrassed to let people see that I’m wearing one. Maybe I can ask my provider if they offer BTE hearing aids. Thanks for sharing. I appreciate it.
It sure was nice that you mentioned that one of the benefits of using hearing aid was the idea that it will help the person avoid danger by recognizing incoming objects like object, people, and even vehicles. That got my attention the most because I am aware that my friend was nearly run over by a car a few weeks ago because she has bad hearing. I told her that she needs to get herself a pair of hearing aids, but she didn’t seem to take heed of my request. That was why it was good that I came across this article. Hopefully, this can help me change her mind. Thank you.
My father is having ear problems nowadays, and I want to be ready if in case he would need to have hearing aids. I love that you talked about how some of them are stylish with different colors and shapes. My father cares a lot about how he looks, so this is good news for me and for him in the future. Thanks!
I like how you mentioned that hearing aids help to amplify the starts and stops of speech, allowing the user to understand conversations more easily. I’ve noticed that my dad has been having trouble understanding people, especially when there’s a large group talking. Maybe I could encourage him to get a hearing aid so he can achieve comprehension more easily.
Thank you for citing the advantages of wearing a hearing aid to solve your hearing loss or issues. I like when you said that it amplifies the words being uttered by the speaker hence improving your ability to understand the conversation. I find it weird when I always ask my boss to repeat his statements over and over because I tend to miss out some phrases and pertinent words in our meetings. In this case, I would consult an expert to check my condition and possibly prescribe me to get a pair of hearing aids to improve my listening comprehension.
I like that you say hearing aids help to improve comprehension in social outings and conversations. My dad has a hard time understanding friends and family when having conversations and there are typically a lot of miscommunications and getting hearing aids could help him a lot. Also, the fact that hearing aids are available in many different styles is great because this way it can be comfortable for my dad and they will not be obvious to others.
You got my attention when you said that there are hearing aids nowadays that can be excellently concealed to make sure that they won’t appear to be too obvious. Actually, my sister badly needs the help of hearing aids, but she refuses to buy one. She doesn’t want others to know that she has been suffering from hearing problems, so I’ll share your blog with her.
I just done my hearing test today as often I can’t hear clearly or catch what people talking either one to one or in group. Feeling sad that Dr advise to use hearing aid as audiometic test doesn’t look good on both ears. This is also to prevent further deteriorating of my hearing ability. But I am just at my middle age! So I have to wear the hearing aid for the rest of my life! 🙁
While looking into pros and cons of wearing hearing aid. I found this chat group. Thanks for all the sharings. I am feeling better now and less fear on the fact that I have to wear hearing aid. I have to start looking for one pair.
I agree with you when you said that the primary benefit of hearing aid s to improve the overall hearing proficiency of the patient involved. Thanks for highlighting the advantages and some of its disadvantages in your article. If ever that I will suffer from hearing loss, I’ll make sure to get a hearing aid assistance.
Hello,
Lots of good advice here. Indeed, hearing aid devices have their own advantages and disadvantages. It’s good to hear and read each individual’s experience here. Hearing aids are one of the best devices today to allow people who have hearing problems to communicate again.
My husband appreciates how you talked about how hearing aids can help you to understand conversations better. My husband has some hearing problems because his job exposes him to a lot of loud noises and now he can’t understand conversations as well. Maybe we will look into getting him a hearing aid.