Myth 1 – Hearing Aids will make my hearing worse
Myth 2 – One hearing aid should be enough
Myth 3 – Old fashioned behind the ear hearing aids
Myth 4 – You only wear hearing aids when you think you need them.
NO! It is a common misconception that hearing aids will make your hearing worse. Many people compare hearing aids to wearing glasses, thinking that our ears will become “dependant” on the hearing aids or that their hearing will actually get worse. When it comes to our ears the old saying “use it or lose it” rings true. The auditory cortex, the part of our brain responsible for our hearing, relies on sound input to keep it working actively. When we have a hearing loss the amount of sound input reaching the auditory cortex is reduced. Studies have shown that in people with a long term hearing loss the auditory cortex is reduced in size in comparison to people with normal hearing. Scientists have concluded that the auditory cortex is only receiving a fraction of the normal level of sound input when a hearing loss is present, hence the brain will relegate what is “not being used” to another of our senses. This process is called “plasticity”. Plasticity of the brain is often found in people who have lost the use of one of their senses, the brain will compensate by making another sense more active. For example blind people often have a heightened sense of hearing or smell.
An audiologist will recommend either a pair (binaural fitting) or one (monaural fitting) hearing aid depending on the person’s hearing loss. If the hearing test results indicates that the hearing loss is symmetrical in both ears then a binaural fitting is advised. Like with eyesight, gone are the days when monocles are fitted. You wouldn’t think twice about being fitted with glasses when both eyes have a deficiency, would you? The same with hearing, if both ears have a hearing loss a binaural fit is advised to maintain balance of hearing. A monaural fitting is appropriate when there is a hearing loss only in one ear or if the loss in the other ear is too severe for a hearing aid.
NO! This is one of the largest misconceptions when it comes to linking the size of the hearing aid with the level of technology. Behind the ear hearing aids are now more in demand because they can actually be more discrete than their inside the ear counterparts, all while having better and more advanced features! With smaller and faster chips, a new generation of BTE’s is now available called the ‘micro’ or ‘mini’ BTE’s. These tiny devices fit over the ear, sliding in behind the crease of the outer part of the ear, with the speaker running along the ear and discretely fitting inside the ear, with nothing visible but the wire of the speaker .
No! While many people feel they can manage in most situations and therefore only need their hearing aids when in groups or when watching TV this cannot be further from the truth! In-fact, the more you wear your hearing aids the better they will be for you as they provide more stimulation/ ‘practice’ for your brain and hearing centre, which means better processing and functioning in the long term!