Do I Need Hearing Aids for Mild Hearing Loss?
The short answer is: yes!
Now let us explain why. First, you don’t hear with just your ears, they are just how the sound gets in and sent to the brain. The brain is where sound gains relevance and becomes words, birds and more. When certain sounds get softer or disappear because of hearing loss, your brain may eventually “forget” how to process them. The longer you wait to get those sounds back with hearing aids, the harder it is for your brain to remember how to hear them.
Our hearing care providers check for this hearing “memory” when they have you listen to words and repeat them back during your hearing assessment. This is known as “word recognition” and indicates to the provider whether your brain has started to forget word sounds or not.
This is the reason that we and our hearing care providers are eager to meet you and offer complimentary hearing assessments! It is why we believe treating your hearing loss as soon as possible is important – because it keeps you active in your world.
Even mild hearing loss makes it difficult to hear in restaurants and crowds, and some studies have shown that mild hearing loss in middle age may increase your risk of dementia later in life. Plus, hearing loss can lead to isolation and frustration because you can’t hear conversations around you or enjoy your hobbies. And, if your hearing loss progresses, being used to wearing hearing aids, charging them at night and using the app on your phone to control them will help you navigate more confidently as your hearing changes.
So – even if you have mild hearing loss, consider trying out hearing aids! You can wear a pair of prescription hearing aids programmed by our licensed professionals just for your ears in your day-to-day life and see how much they help you. Schedule a hearing assessment today!