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You’ve just had a hearing test and it confirmed your suspicions. You have hearing loss, and it’s time to invest in hearing devices to rediscover all the sounds around you. Hearing technology improves every year, and there’s never been a better time to buy hearing aids! Advanced programs and settings help you hear like never before, and sleek, modern designs will have you excited to put on your devices every day. When buying new hearing aids, there are a few factors to keep in mind that could affect hearing aid efficacy.
Hearing Aid Efficacy
Many seniors struggle with hearing loss, but they’re not the only ones. It’s estimated that around 40 million Americans of all ages are straining to hear in conversations, experience a lot of stress, and have a lowered quality of life. Not only do seniors experience age related hearing loss, but noise induced hearing loss affects more adults and young people every year as our cities and leisure activities continue to get louder and louder.
Researchers at the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery studied factors that could affect hearing aid efficacy among hearing aid users, and looked at what leads to hearing aid satisfaction. They found that over 83% of those with hearing aids are satisfied with their devices, feel like they receive great benefits, and consistently wear their devices every day.
Getting the Right Fit
One of the biggest factors that could affect hearing aid efficacy is fit. When your devices fit properly, they’re comfortable and easy to wear, and you’ll look forward to putting them in every day. However, if the fit is poor it can cause discomfort or even pain. If hearing devices aren’t creating a good seal in the ear, you’ll likely experience feedback, hear sounds around the hearing aids instead of through the hearing aids, and have difficulty listening to the sounds around you.
To make sure you have the right fit, you need to be working with a qualified hearing health provider who will take a custom mold of your ear, and make any adjustments to the fit when you first get your new devices.
Early Treatment of Hearing Loss
You might think hearing loss isn’t affecting your life, and that you’re not missing too many sounds. However, since hearing loss is often a gradual process, you may not realize just how bad your hearing has become, and may be experiencing the negative health effects of untreated hearing loss. It could be putting a strain on your relationships, affecting your job performance, and making it difficult for you to enjoy social events.
The longer you wait to treat your hearing, the harder it will be to adjust to life with hearing aids, and this will affect hearing aid efficacy. You’ll hear sounds you haven’t heard in years, and this can be overwhelming, making the adjustment period more challenging as you have a hard time making sense of all this new information.
Social Support from Family and Friends
Another factor the affects hearing aid efficacy is social support from family and friends. Never underestimate how important it is to have a supportive community. Your loved ones want what’s best for you, and they’ll be with your every step of the way, from making sure you’ve picked out the perfect device, to reminding you to adjust the fit and go for follow-up appointments, or encouraging you to keep your hearing aids in your ears during the adjustment period. In fact, a recent study in Ear Hear showed that social support plays a huge role in user satisfaction. Having this support can make all the difference when it comes to hearing aid efficacy.
Elite Hearing
At Elite Hearing, we work with the world’s leading hearing aid manufactures. Having a great device that matchers your hearing needs is the first step in hearing aid satisfaction, and working with hearing aid specialists that you trust will ensure great hearing aid efficacy. From the hearing test to fittings and follow-up appointments, we’ve got you covered. Call us today to book a hearing test, and start the journey to clear hearing. We’ll make sure you select the perfect device to match your hearing loss and hearing needs, and we won’t rest until you’re completely satisfied with your hearing aids.