5 Reasons Why 2020 Is The Year You Need To Start Wearing Hearing Aids
When it comes to people with hearing loss, whether due to genetic, lifestyle or ageing factors, studies have showed that up to 80% of people with hearing loss do not seek treatment. As the idea of having a hearing aid is a turn off for most people.
Research has shown that most people reject the idea of hearing aids, one prominent reason that many people expect to get 100% restored hearing after wearing hearing aids. These are unrealistic expectations, as hearing aid technology while advanced, can never replace the human ear. When hearing aids fail to meet expectations, people are discouraged and reject them completely. They also tell friends and family that hearing aids do not work.
However untreated hearing loss can make daily living a struggle. Many people reported feeling “embarrassment” as they struggle to hear conversations with friends and family. They also reported that hiding the hearing loss has led to anxiety and stress.
Recently, hearing aids are quickly becoming popular, due to increasing public awareness. Additionally, hearing aids technology is rapidly evolving to be able to pick up clear speech in even the most challenging of environments, connect to SMART devices and yet remain small and discreet.
There are many reasons why you need to wear hearing aids if you have a hearing loss. Today, Faith Hearing shares five big reasons why you should start wearing hearing aids this 2020.
1) Hearing aids maximize your ability to hear people talking to you.
For majority of the hearing loss population, hearing loss occurs when there is too much damage to the tiny hair cells in ear. Once the hair cells are damaged, the hearing loss becomes permanent and the person loses some hearing ability. Hearing aids are not able to replace the original ear function, however hearing aids have powerful directional microphones and “Artificial Intelligence” computer processes to help amplify intelligible speech and reduce unnecessary ambient sounds.
If you have a hearing loss, seeking help with hearing aids is the very first step to empowering yourself, but responding to your own listening needs.
2. Hearing aids help make your hearing loss “invisible”.
Some people with hearing loss start to withdraw from conversations, or overcompensate by over-talking. This is because they are are unable to hear conversations well, and they start to take all sorts of measures to hide their hearing loss. When a person tries to hide their hearing loss, it is usually because they don’t want to be embarrassed or judged.
Most people don’t know is that the more they try to hide their hearing loss, the more visible the hearing loss becomes. Especially when they are unable to follow conversations. Wearing discreet hearing aids. helps pick up what the other person is saying and making the user less debilitated by hearing loss.
3. Hearing aids protect your brain, especially in later life.
It is important to note that, hearing loss does not always lead to Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Many people who develop hearing loss in their older years live the rest of their lives without experiencing dementia.
However, researchers agree that people who wear hearing aids, especially for age related hearing loss have a decreased risk of developing dementia as hearing aids help maintain brain function over time.
A study conducted by the University of Exeter and King’s College London indicated that people with hearing aids had faster reaction times and better concentration. People with hearing aids are also able to better follow conversations and stay engaged in social situations, this reduces the risk of social isolation and loneliness, as well as developing the secondary consequences such as depression or negative self-esteem.
4. Hearing aids may reduce the perception of tinnitus.
Most people develop tinnitus or “ringing in the ear” as a result of hearing loss. Researchers have theorized that when a person suffers from hearing loss, he or she have lesser sounds reaching the brain. When sound stimulus decreases in the brain, it undergoes neoplastic changes, which results in tinnitus.
Hearing aids increases the volume of surrounding sounds to the ear, and pushes the brain to focus more on outside, ambient noise. This makes the tinnitus more difficult to hear and hence reduces the perception of tinnitus.
5. 2020 is an exciting year for the hearing aid market
With true wireless earbuds gaining popularity, we see hearing aid manufacturers building hearing aids with a high-tech true wireless technology. Hearing aids are no longer just medical devices but intelligent earbuds with sophisticated artificial intelligence and built-in bluetooth which connects to your smartphones, computers, television. You can reap the benefits of amplified hearing while streaming in to quality music or listening to phone calls.
Phonak’s Virto Black will be one of the highly anticipated hearing aid of 2020. It is a super discreet, high performing hearing aid that fits comfortably to the grooves of your ear. They are water and sweat-resistant and can be used for all sorts of activities like running. Not surprisingly, Virto Black won best accessibility tech award at CES 2020. We can’t wait for Virto Black to comes to Singapore.
Looking for a no obligation free hearing aid trial?
At Faith Hearing, we offer one-week complimentary hearing aid trial to all first time hearing aid users. You can also choose to try out any hearing aid technology you like.
