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If I have a hearing loss in both ears, can I get by with just one hearing aid?
The majority of patients with hearing loss in both ears choose to be fitted binaurally for the following reasons:
- Better balance in hearing - Two hearing aids allow you to hear comfortably without having to continually position one ear to catch the words of the speaker.
- Better sound quality with less power - Because sound presented to both ears is louder than the same sound at the same intensity to one ear only, the volume on two instruments can be set lower than if you use only one. This more relaxed, comfortable and less stressful.
- Better ability to recognize sound - The ear closest to the sound receives the information microseconds earlier than the ear further away. This allows the brain to discern where the sound is coming from. For example, it can help you judge the location of an oncoming car you cannot see.
Do hearing aids just make everything louder, including background noise?
Depending on the level of technology inside the aid, features such as noise reduction can make the sound quality more comfortable in noisy environments, while features such as directional microphone system can actually improve speech understanding ability in the background noise by "filtering out" some of the noise.
Are all hearing aids big and ugly?
Not necessarily. Depending on the degree of your particular hearing loss, hearing aids can be cosmetically appealing. In fact, there are many styles and sizes ranging from aids that are nearly invisible to larger aids for more sever hearing loss.
Who needs a hearing test?
Anyone noticing increasing difficulty in hearing should have their hearing evaluated. Typically, people first start to notice the onset of hearing loss in the following situations:
- Increased trouble understanding people in background noise
- In turning up the TV louder than others around them would like
- The most important risk factors for hearing loss include family history of hearing problems and history of exposure to loud noises.
Last Modified:
May 9, 2007 10:25 AM
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