There is so much information out there about hearing aids, and with technology advancing all the time it’s sometimes hard to know fact from fiction. Here are three common myths about hearing aids – busted!
Hearing aids will make my hearing worse
UNTRUE
Hearing aids will never make the level of hearing you have without them worse. Hearing aids provide access to sounds that you are unable to normally detect, providing you with more information about what is going on around you.
It often takes a minimum of six weeks to adjust to listening with hearing aids. As you get used to them, your brain will be more aware of how much it is missing when they’re not on, and you may feel it’s harder to function without hearing aids.
Hearing aids are only for older people, they’re huge and clunky
UNTRUE
Hearing aids help people of all ages. It is always best to get help for your hearing as soon as possible so that you don’t have to compromise on enjoying conversations with friends and family or your favourite activities.
Hearing aid technology has advanced a lot in recent years and now offers lots of different styles. Some hearing aids are practically invisible and so comfortable that many people do not even notice they are wearing them. While many people prefer a discreet looking hearing aid, some choose to use theirs as a fashion statement and, with the wide range of colours on the market these days, you can choose one to match your favourite outfit!
There are hearing aids to suit a variety of lifestyles. Sporty people can use a water-resistant hearing aid and for those who like socialising in busy places there are hearing aids that help reduce background noise and focus on speech so you can concentrate on the important stuff.
That said, if you’re not ready for hearing aids, you can try out other assistive listening devices to help you in specific situations.
Hearing aids whistle and are useless in background noise
UNTRUE
A hearing aid should never whistle once it’s in your ear. If it does, it is not fitted correctly, so you should return to your clinician to have this addressed.
Hearing aid technology advancements mean that hearing aids can now do more to identify who is speaking when there is background noise. This will help you to focus on the conversation and be less bothered by what else is happening around you.
