Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions surrounding hearing loss and hearing aids. In this post, we review the most common hearing-related myths and provide the truths behind them.
Myth: Hearing Aids Restore Hearing Like Glasses Restore Vision
Hearing aids cannot restore hearing or cure hearing loss. While hearing aids are like glasses in that they heighten your senses, they’re unlike glasses in that it takes time to get used to wearing them. This is because your brain will need time to re-learn how to process certain sounds. Talk to your friends at Oconee County Senior Center who wear hearing aids to learn what the rehabilitation process is like.
Myth: My Hearing Isn’t Bad Enough to Require Hearing Aids
Even people with mild hearing loss can benefit from wearing hearing aids. Oftentimes people with milder forms of hearing loss state they can hear but have trouble understanding what is said. Hearing aids allow your ears to detect the nuances of speech and better hear high-frequency sounds like consonants so that you can follow along with conversations better.
Myth: Hearing Aids Make Hearing Worse
Some people believe that hearing aids amplify sounds too much and can cause noise-induced hearing loss, or that your ears can become “dependent” on hearing aids. However, this is not the case. Properly fitted hearing aids amplify only the sounds you have trouble hearing. It may seem like sounds are uncomfortably loud because you’re simply not used to hearing them at a normal volume.
Myth: Hearing Loss Only Affects Old People
While it’s true that hearing loss is especially common among older people, anybody at any age can experience hearing loss. In fact, approximately two to three of every 1,000 babies born in the U.S. have hearing loss.
Myth: Hearing Loss Doesn’t Affect Your Health
False! Hearing loss is linked to a number of conditions, including increased risk of depression, anxiety, falls and cognitive decline. In fact, people with mild hearing loss are twice as likely to develop dementia than people with normal hearing. Those with moderate and severe hearing loss have threefold and fivefold the risk, respectively.
Fortunately, hearing aids have been shown to delay a diagnosis of depression, anxiety, falls and Alzheimer’s disease.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call ENT of Athens today.