Common Excuses for Not Buying Hearing Aids

Common Excuses for Not Buying Hearing Aids
Dr. Steinberg
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Roughly 48 million Americans have hearing loss, but many have chosen not to wear hearing aids! They struggle to follow conversations, ask people to repeat themselves, and feel embarrassed when they’re unable to hear what’s being said. Why don’t more people wear hearing aids? Here are the most common excuses for not buying hearing aids.

I’m Too Young for Hearing Aids

Hearing loss affects people of all ages, including children, teens, and young adults. However, people commonly use the excuse, “I’m too young for hearing aids.” Many Americans assume that hearing loss only affects seniors, and worry that wearing hearing aids will make them seem old. No one is too young for hearing aids, and the only thing that will make you seem old is living with untreated hearing loss. A discreet hearing aid will help you stay up to speed, regardless of your age.

I Can Hear Well Enough

Hearing loss is a gradual process, and hearing abilities change slowly over time. You may not notice all the sounds you’re missing, and you may not remember what clear hearing was like. Many adults say, “I can hear well enough,” and decide that they can live with some hearing loss. Denying there’s a problem makes it impossible to face hearing loss, or seek treatment as hearing loss worsens. If you’ve been using this excuse, the best way to determine how well you’re hearing is to book a hearing test, and discover exactly what you can’t hear.

Hearing Aids Don’t Work

A common excuse for not buying hearing aids is that they don’t work. If you’ve ever tired an over the counter hearing aid, or ordered hearing aids online, you’ve definitely said “Hearing aids don’t work!” Over the counter hearing aids don’t work in many settings. They amplify all the sounds around you, making it hard to focus on the conversation you’re trying to hear. Not only that, but they’re not calibrated to match your unique hearing loss, and don’t effectively treat hearing loss. Quality hearing aids from a hearing health specialist are designed to improve clarity of sound, not just make sounds louder. With speech enhancement, background noise reduction, and amplification of sounds in higher registers, hearing aids help you hear clearly. 

Hearing Aids Are Too Fiddly 

If you’ve tried hearing aids in the past, you probably think hearing aids are too fiddly. Older hearing aids required a lot of manual adjustments, and fiddling with small buttons on the hearing device. Not only that, but all were operated by tiny batteries that needed to be replaced every few days.

Many modern hearing aids will automatically scan the environment, and adjust programs and settings accordingly. They can be connected to your smartphone with Bluetooth technology, and you can use an app on your phone to manually adjust the volume or switch between programs. Finally, you can even get rechargeable hearing aids, and you’ll never have to fiddle with small batteries ever again.

Hearing Aids Are Unattractive

A common excuse for not buying hearing aids is appearance. Have you ever thought that hearing aids are unattractive? Modern hearing aids are sleek and stylish devices that sit snuggly behind your ear, or perfectly match the contours of your inner ear. They’re attractive to look at, and you can match them to skin or hair tones. Some hearing aids are so small they sit in your ear canal, and some are so tiny they’re actually invisible. Hearing aids don’t aren’t ugly, and you can get stylish hearing devices.

Hearing Aids Are Too Expensive

Quality hearing aids aren’t cheap. However, if you’ve ever said, “Hearing aids are too expensive,” think again. Hearing aids are an investment in your health and wellbeing. Hearing aids will keep you mobile, and let you enjoy social events. They’ll even reduce your risk of an accident or injury. Investing in hearing aids will help you perform better at work, maintain your close relationships, and enjoy time with friends. You’ll be less likely to suffer from anxiety, depression, and even dementia, and enjoy a high quality of life. You can also try devices before you buy, and find the hearing aids that will match your budget.

If you have hearing loss, don’t use these common excuses for not buying hearing aids, but explore your options today.