Do I need to wear a hearing aid at all times? How to wear and wear hearing aids? How is adaptation to the hearing aid going?

This question is of interest to people suffering from hearing impairment and looking for ways to restore it. For in many cases, hearing loss can be corrected in only one way - with the help of hearing aids.

Of course, HA can in no way lead to an even greater deterioration in the ability to hear. What's more, wearing this device often helps preserve your remaining hearing!

Is not just buying and wearing a special technical device. Everything is much deeper and more serious. This concept means a whole range of measures aimed at overcoming hearing loss. And in this complex, the choice of a hearing aid is far from the only goal. It is equally important to fine-tune the device, according to individual needs and requests, and then teach the patient how to properly care for him, how to use it. Indeed, not only the psychological and physical comfort of its owner, but also his health depends on the successful adjustment of the device to improve hearing. If the setting is not correct, problems are guaranteed. On the other hand, if the hearing aid is tuned at a professional level, audibility will not only stabilize, but also become sharper.

But then why are so many people unsure if hearing aids are safe?

Deceptive perception

It often happens that a few weeks after the hearing aid procedure, a patient turns to an audiologist with complaints that his hearing has become even worse than it was before. But in reality it only seems so. That the ability to perceive sounds has improved can be proven with auditory tests. Let's see why perception deception occurs.

To begin with, most people with hearing loss go to the doctor only 7-10 years after the onset of this problem. Of course, all this time, their audibility is slowly but steadily deteriorating, and the brain is forced to adapt and get used to receiving weakened auditory signals. And when a person puts on SU for the first time, from habit, normal sounds seem too loud and harsh to him. This is because the brain takes time to adjust from quiet sounds to normal ones. When enough time has passed for adaptation, the brain will tune into a new sound mode, and it will be difficult for the patient to imagine how he could do without this device before.

Correct hearing aid fit is very important

Before choosing and adjusting the hearing aid, you must first visit a specialist who will take an audiogram - it will help determine what your hearing threshold is at different sound frequencies. Only after analyzing the existing deviations, the audiologist will be able to customize the device for the patient. That is, as a result of correct tuning, sounds are amplified only at those frequencies that are poorly perceived by the ear. Sounds that can be heard well without it are not amplified and remain at the same level, since their amplification can provoke an aggravation of hearing problems. And it must be borne in mind that such a fine and precise adjustment can only be done by a qualified and experienced specialist. Such doctors-audiologists who can provide you with quality services work in our Betterton Center.

The site provides reference information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Specialist consultation required!

Vladimir asks:

my mother has one ear very badly, and the other better. some doctors advise to choose a hearing aid for the ear that hears worse, and others for what is better. In the second case, the mother is afraid of completely losing the opportunity to do without a hearing aid, at least with her family. Which ear is preferable for choosing a hearing aid? Regards, thanks for your reply.

The best solution for bilateral hearing loss is prosthetics with two hearing aids (biural prosthetics), which will make the perception of sound as close as possible to normal, improve the quality of life, orientation in space, and increase the safety of movement.

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I know that my hearing has gotten worse, but I myself do not notice it. What is the reason?

The point is that you are used to hearing that way. Hearing deteriorates gradually, and the person himself may not even notice it until friends or colleagues tell him about it. Decreased hearing causes inconvenience not only to the person, but also to those with whom he communicates. A TV or radio set at full volume interferes with loved ones. Colleagues and acquaintances have to raise their voices and pronounce words more clearly and legibly than they are used to. Therefore, in case of a problem with hearing loss, the best way out is to consult an audiologist. Perhaps this will help not only compensate for symptoms, but also improve hearing.

Can using a hearing aid harm my hearing?
Unfortunately, many people believe in this dangerous misconception. This is actually not the case. Using a hearing aid can in no way impair your hearing, or otherwise harm. On the contrary, even occasional use of a hearing aid improves hearing performance. And its constant use, in some cases, helps to improve hearing, as it stimulates the work of the centers of the brain responsible for it.

Do I need to consult a specialist before purchasing a hearing aid?

The purchase of a hearing aid requires a preliminary hearing diagnosis. Of course, this will require you to contact a specialist, namely an audiologist. Without consultation, the likelihood of making a mistake when choosing a hearing aid increases dramatically. Agree, hardly anyone wants to buy glasses without having their eyesight checked. Hearing is the same.

Why is a digital hearing aid better than a conventional hearing aid?

A digital hearing aid can take into account the physiological characteristics of a person. It is equipped with a special system of speech extraction and suppression of extraneous noise. Therefore, a digital hearing aid is much more convenient: you can easily make out speech addressed to you in any environment, or easily identify the source of the sound.

On which ear should you wear the hearing aid - the one that hears worse, or vice versa?

A better hearing ear is usually replaced because it is more effective. The hearing aid can also be worn on the ear that hears worse, but only in order to improve the otopic performance and provide a stereophonic effect.

Should I wear two hearing aids?

It is worth it if the hearing is reduced on both sides equally. In this case, the use of one apparatus is not effective enough, as it creates an asymmetry of sound perception, which, in turn, makes it difficult to parse speech and isolate it from noise. In addition, only one ear will be protected from further hearing impairment.

Can I use a hearing aid for a person with a stroke?

If hearing impairment is a consequence of a stroke, you should not use a hearing aid in the first month after illness: you need to allow the processes in the brain to stabilize. However, there is no such limitation if the hearing aid was used before the stroke.

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Surrounded by many myths and misconceptions.

The most common of them are: "spoil" the perception, "put down hearing" completely, "make an invalid".

These delusions are not only unsubstantiated, but also dangerous. Myths, very tenacious, especially in an unenlightened environment, lead to the fact that a person wastes precious time postponing hearing aids until later. Sometimes it takes five, or even 10-15 years, from the moment of the first symptoms to the visit to an audiologist. Over the years, hearing loss has worsened to the point where communication with others becomes almost impossible. And only then does a person ask for help ...

But the brain, which has been in "silence" for a long time, loses its ability to parse speech. And the hearing aid that finally came to the rescue (albeit late, but still!) Requires a long adaptation period. The patient is dissatisfied: the instant "miracle" did not happen! The results are not as quick and good as if the hearing aid was performed in the early stages of hearing loss. Was it worth it to endure all these years, fearing harm from the hearing aid? Of course not!

It is impossible to "train" hearing, to make it more acute by an effort of will. We do not have a muscle in the ear that could be "pumped up". Long experience of hearing loss before seeking audiological care is a negative factor that only brings harm. An individually adjusted hearing aid, after a full hearing examination, does not in any way affect a person's residual, “natural” hearing.

Where does prejudice come from?

The reason is that hearing aid wearers who have been effectively fitted and tuned cannot refuse them for psychological reasons. After a period of insufficient "audibility", the brain returns to the world of sounds of normal volume and adapts to it. This is a trick of our perception! The mind understands how good it is to hear. He gets used to it and does not want to return to hearing loss. People think they hear worse without hearing aids than before hearing aids. But you need to understand: the disease leading to hearing loss, in the vast majority of cases, is gradually progressing. And the hearing "falls" for this very reason.

Can hearing aids harm?

Yes they can. If they are not tuned correctly, too loud, out of earshot. Also, harm can be caused by "sound amplifiers", which have nothing to do with hearing aids.

Do not postpone hearing aids if necessary. This is critically important not only for adults, but also for children who have psycho-speech development and their whole life at stake.

Specialists of our centers in Simferopol and Sevastopol will perform a full range of examinations, determine the need for hearing aids, offer a large selection of hearing aids and optimally adjust them, taking into account the characteristics of each patient.