Do You Need Two Hearing Aids? The Benefits of Two Hearing Aids
Hearing aids are increasingly sophisticated devices that can help you move past hearing loss. Hearing aids today aren’t just amplifiers. They have digital signal processing technology that actually analyses and changes the sound waves directly.
This means that, in addition to amplifying sound, they also work to improve the quality of the sound. They do this by reducing background noise, equalizing the loudness of all the sounds, enhancing speech, adding reverberation for a more natural sound, and even adjusting the sound spectrum to each individual’s hearing loss.
By working with the hearing aid’s signal processing technology, audiologists can restore much of what your ears do naturally. Most can achieve this with one hearing device, but can the experience be better by wearing two hearing aids?
Is Wearing Two Hearing Aids Worth the Investment?
Benefit #1: Naturally Hear Sounds That Are Clearer and Louder
The best benefit of wearing two hearing aids is that you will be able to hear sounds more natural. Based on your hearing loss, the hearing aids will be able to adjust the sound to each ear and naturally amplify sound, just as your ears would. Two hearing aids will be able to create better sound quality than a single hearing aid.
Benefit #2: Improve the Ability to Localize Speech, Even with Background Noise
In natural hearing, we can hear well in quiet areas and we can even hear well in loud areas when the sound is coming from the direction of our focus of attention. This is called "spatial hearing."
The human brain localizes sounds based on the differences in the time it takes for the sound to reach your ears and the nuances in the sound’s volume level received by each ear. That’s how we can tell where the music is coming from when we are in a crowded room.
Localization is significantly reduced in most people with hearing loss, especially people with difficulties understanding speech in noisy environments.
Having two hearing aids will enhance your ability to localize sounds because it will create more cues for your brain to get the right location of the sound.
Benefit #3: Reduce or Eliminate Tinnitus
Tinnitus, also called ringing in the ears, is the sensation of hearing sounds even when there’s no external sound. This can be very distracting and interfere with your quality of life.
Wearing two hearing aids will significantly reduce tinnitus through signal processing without the need for a masking device.
Benefit #4: Reduce Auditory Deprivation, Preventing Further Hearing Loss
Your hearing aids are just like your eyes: they allow you to connect with your environment and the people around you. Hearing aids help you avoid "auditory deprivation" which can lead to depression, social isolation, and impaired cognition.
The better your quality of life, the less likely you are to have your hearing loss progress. That’s why it’s so important to wear your hearing aids as much as you can.
By preventing further hearing loss, you can protect yourself from the progression of your condition.
The Bottom Line: The Wonders of Wearing Two Hearing Aids
Two hearing aids may be better than one, especially if you have already worn hearing aids for a long time and don’t feel like you’re getting what you need to fully regain your quality of life.
If you’re interested in hearing aids, it’s worth a conversation with your audiologist to see if two hearing aids could benefit you.
Are You Looking for the Best Hearing Aids for the Elderly in the USA?
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