10 Common Misconceptions About Hearing Aids: Debunked

Hearing aids have been around for many years, but you’ll be surprised how little people know of them. If anything, there’s a ton of misinformation out there regarding these hearing devices. Today, we’re debunking 10 of the most common misconceptions about hearing aids – so you can actually get some good information on them!

1. Only the Elderly Wear Hearing Aids

This is completely false. Hearing aids are for anyone with hearing loss – even young children can use them if necessary. In fact, you should get hearing aids the moment you discover permanent hearing loss to mitigate its effect on your life.

2. Hearing Aids Are Big and Clunky

Not true. These days, you can find all sorts of hearing aids – like ITE, BTE or ITC. All of these devices are designed to be small and discreet, so they’re comfortable to wear and hard to see.

3. Hearing Aids Will Cure Hearing Loss

Sadly, nothing will “cure” permanent hearing loss. Hearing aids will amplify the sounds around you so you can hear much better than you do without them. This allows you to enjoy life to the fullest, but your hearing will not be restored.

4. It’s Easier to Buy Hearing Aids Online

While this may be faster and more convenient, it’s a terrible idea. Always buy hearing aids with the help of an audiologist. Book yourself in for an evaluation and fitting to learn what type of hearing aids suit your needs the best – and to ensure you receive a custom-fit device.

5. Hearing Aids Are a Last Resort for Severe Hearing Loss

Don’t believe this statement. Hearing aids are incredible for all forms of hearing loss and will be more effective when used in the early stages. If you struggle to hear people talk or always need to turn the volume up on the TV, it’s a potential sign of hearing loss. Hearing aids can help to slow down hearing loss when used early on, improving your life.

6. I Only Need One Hearing Aid if Only One Ear Loses Hearing

It makes logical sense, but you should still opt for two hearing aids if only one ear loses hearing. This is because the second hearing aid helps to balance our spatial hearing and makes everything feel more natural. Otherwise, you may have better hearing out of one ear, which can disrupt the way your brain processes sounds.

7. Hearing Aids Aren’t Compatible with Mobile Devices

This was true in the past, but modern technology is a brilliant thing! Nowadays, you can find hearing aids that directly communicate and connect with mobile devices. A lot of smartphones have hearing aid settings that you can turn on to ensure all sounds go directly into your ears via your listening devices. Be sure to talk to your audiologist if this is a feature you desperately need!

8. All Hearing Aids Do the Same Thing

It’s easy to look at hearing aids and assume they work in the same way. At a very basic level, they do the same thing – they help you hear more clearly. However, no two hearing aids are technically the same. It all comes down to how you program them. Some hearing aids are programmed to pick up on certain frequency levels more than others. Some have features that allow you to hear conversations better and reduce ambient noises. They don’t all do the same thing as you can tailor them to your specific requirements with your audiologist.

9. Once a Hearing Aid is Programmed, it’s Set for Life

We wish this was true, but it’s not. Once a hearing aid is programmed, it will need to be reprogrammed at set intervals. Your audiologist will book you in for checkups to test your hearing and make tweaks to your device as your hearing health changes. You may also notice certain problems with your hearing aid or want to be able to do different things. Regular reprogramming is necessary to get the most out of these devices.

10. Hearing Aids Can Be Worn to Bed

Technically, you could wear hearing aids to bed – but it’s ill-advised. These devices are small and fragile, so you will run the risk of damaging them when worn to bed. The best approach is to remove them every night while keeping them safe and opening the battery compartment to avoid degradation.

Learn More About Hearing Aids Today!

If you’re interested in learning more about hearing aids and what they can or can’t do, please get in touch with Little Rock Audiology Clinic today. Give us a call at (501) 710-4533, and we’ll schedule a consultation with a top audiologist.