You probably know at least one person that has hearing aids but never wears them. What a waste of such a valuable resource – just sitting in the cupboard. On the bright side… at least the cupboard can hear now! But on a serious note:
But why do people not always wear their hearing aids?
- Reality is… hearing aids are something that your brain needs to get used to. Very often sound is particularly different when someone gets their hearing aids for the first time. This takes time. One cannot expect the brain to adapt to this abundance of sound that it has lost gradually over years within a matter of a few days! The adaptation process is something that needs to be tackled with your audiologist as it is a process and journey.
- It is a given fact that all hearing aids are not created equal. Firstly in terms of technology level- there is a major difference between an entry level, mid-range and top of the range hearing aid. Depending on your lifestyle and listening needs you need the right hearing aid for you. Consult your qualified audiologist to make an informed decision and select the correct technology level for your needs!
- So it’s not only all hearing aids that are not created equal… Hearing aid brands are also not all the same-as with any product in the world. Some brands offer more of a certain feature than others here as the other might offer more of another feature – which might be more beneficial for you personally. Make sure that your audiologist preferably works with more than one brand of hearing aid. If you like to research something – I assume you do since you are reading this, read up about brands. You don’t want to be stuck with a product with short warranty period and no after-sale service available in the country… Its like buying a car… you want to be sure it’s a reliable brand, the model should be suitable for your needs and you should be able to service it after the purchase!
- Every so often it happens that a person decides to only get one hearing aid instead of 2 that he/she needs. The patient then experiences limited benefit, because 2 is always better than one. The person eventually decides to stop using the hearing aid, never gets the second one and never experiences the full benefit.
Yolandé’s pro tips:
- Choose an audiologist with whom you are comfortable and whom you feel you can trust.
- Read up on hearing aids, brands and models – this will help you make an informed decision
- Make sure you select the right technology level for your lifestyle needs
- If you need 2 hearing aids – get 2. This is a long term investment in your quality of life and prevention of auditory deprivation – if you don’t use it – you lose it!
- Attend your follow up appointments!
Happy hearing!