Why would my audiologist suggest hearing aids when I hear fine most of the time?  You may have been advised to consider hearing aids even though you believe you just don’t have that much trouble.

1)      Better hearing in noise.  Noisy environments are a challenge even to those with great hearing. If you have even a slight hearing loss, much more of what you’re trying to hear gets drowned out. This is because many speech sounds become muffled in noise. Hearing aids can help reduce background noise and preserve the speech clarity that is necessary to hear in spite of noise.

2)      Tinnitus reduction.  Even mild hearing loss can be associated with ringing or other sounds in the ears, or tinnitus. When hearing is improved by hearing aids, this often reduces those sounds. Today’s hearing aids may be programmed in ways to “disguise” the tinnitus or allow you to work with your audiologist to create a tinnitus therapy program customized for you and your hearing loss.

3)      Increased energy.  Straining to hear tires a person out more than most people realize. When you can relax knowing that you will likely hear most conversations well, it gives you more energy to focus on other things.

4)      Safety. This one is often overlooked. If you have a hearing loss, especially when one ear hears better than the other, it can be difficult to determine the source of something like an ambulance on the road. Where is it coming from? Is it behind me? Do I need to move?

5)      Improved memory. There appears to be a relationship between untreated hearing loss and early onset of dementia and/or memory loss. It is easier to commit something to memory when ALL senses were involved in forming that memory. And let’s be realistic: you can’t remember what you didn’t hear or heard incorrectly.

Today’s hearing instruments are tiny computers that address hearing loss in all new ways. The sooner you let these tiny miracles help you hear, the better-equipped you’ll be to deal with life’s other problems!