Hearing aids and their importance. Mahendra Gonsalkorale

Hearing aids and their importance

Mahendra Gonsalkorale

This is an important topic that Srianee brought to our notice.  I wrote a new article that included the relevant material from her comment on the subject in the previous post.

The topic relates to these main areas.

1)   The importance of detecting hearing loss early.

2)  The cosmetic aspects of wearing hearing aids and how they relate to our concept of identity (how we wish to be seen and regarded).

3)   The good fortune to live at a time when there are excellent options to make hearing loss no longer a handicap.

4)   The rewards of persistence when faced with early problems but continuing to wear them.

On the first point, as Srianee has indicated, there is good evidence that if remedial aids are not worn, the hearing loss will continue with evidence of irreversible changes in the auditory cortex. (like turning the water flow (auditory stimulation) to feed a plant from a stream to a trickle). If aids are worn, this process is slowed down. The auditory loss has profound consequences for maintaining our intellect also as if uncorrected, the brain loses the advantages of communicating with others, keeping up to date with information and losing the rewards that auditory stimuli can provide. 

The take-home lessons are:-

Expect hearing loss as we age – especially after 70 yr. (Over half the population aged 55 or more have hearing loss. 80% of people over 70 will have hearing loss). These hearing loss population estimates are calculated using the most robust data available on the prevalence of hearing loss (average hearing levels of 20dB or worse in one or both ears) for adults aged 18 to 80, combined with population estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Source RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People).

Get your hearing tested by a competent audiologist. The services vary in different countries, but a simple hearing assessment won’t break your purse or threaten you with penury!

Choose from the wide range available as we all have different perceptions of what is suitable (cosmetic, comfort, power: disposable batteries or rechargeable) etc. Digital ones are by far the best and you can choose from a wide range from behind the ear, in-ear, hardly visible etc. Most providers give a 3-month trial period free of charge with no commitment to buy as they know from experience that the vast majority, although initially shocked at the cost, decide to keep them as the rewards are so great.

I would advise wearers to wear them all the time except when showering, bathing, etc and take them off at night.

At first, it may be slightly uncomfortable, but if you persist, you don’t even notice that you are wearing them.

I have worn different types for 20 years! Initially, I was very self-conscious and did not want others to know that I wore aids. It was as I realised with wisdom, a wrong belief which could only harm me.  I soon appreciated that it made a huge difference in my life, and I have no reservations about recommending them. Like Srianee, I would go for rechargeable batteries. If you feel self-conscious, this is natural, but very soon, you realise that to be seen wearing hearing aids is not a stain on your character. It does not reduce the esteem people have for you. I always announce to new people that I wear hearing aids as even with the best aids, your hearing cannot match normal hearing. People then appreciate that you are not stupid when they talk to you and become much more understanding and often modify the way they speak by more deliberate pronunciation and the use of visual cues. You must be prepared to meet the odd person who will shout at you and talk to you as if you are an imbecile, but these ignorant people are, fortunately, rare. You will be surprised how much visual cues play a role in communicating. Watching is as important as hearing, that's why people with impaired hearing often are worse when the lighting is poor.

I wear black in-ear aids as I found the behind the ear ones with a small pipe ending in an almost invisible ear plug (earphone) uncomfortable and messy to manage. I made the decision after trying both, and furthermore, rechargeable batteries were available only for the in-ear ones. I feel no shame in wearing them (like wearing specs if you have problems with sight), and it is understandable that some don’t like to wear them as they feel that they convey a wrong impression; that of an ageing, decrepit old person! (although even if so, being old and decrepit is not something to be ashamed of at all. (Being conceited, selfish, and lacking in empathy or patience are the bad ones! ).

I hope you find this useful. Please contact me directly or via the blog if you need more clarification or information.

Here are the comments in Srianee’s  Embracing Technology post.

Srianee

I would like to take a little detour now and write about another technical innovation that has improved my life. My hearing aids (plural). A few years ago my family (my daughters in particular) were complaining that I was making them repeat what they were saying. “Mom, you need to get your hearing checked!” My response was, “Oh you people mumble” or “You talk to me while walking away from me.” I’m sure that sounds very familiar to many of you. I finally relented and got my hearing checked out. The verdict was “mild hearing loss” and I was given the option of trying out a pair of hearing aids for 3 months. I was told that I could return them if I felt that they didn’t improve my hearing. I tried them out and I was converted! I certainly didn’t want to return them. 

I am now an ardent advocate for the use of hearing aids before the hearing loss becomes too severe. Unfortunately, hearing aids are expensive and not very user-friendly. But, It is easier to get accustomed to using them when you are seventy than when you are ninety. I would recommend getting the rechargeable types, because fiddling with the tiny batteries is not an easy task.

Most new hearing aids can be adjusted using the bluetooth function on a smart phone. Of course, the two devices need to be ‘paired.’ (The people who supplied the hearing aids did that for me.) 

I know that many people don’t want to wear them all the time. Why? If it is not part of your routine like brushing your teeth, you will forget to wear them daily. On most days I don’t have anyone else in my home conversing with me, but yet I wear my hearing aids, because every sound I hear, the chirping of the birds outside my window or the music I am listening to, is sending stimulating signals to my brain, and that is a very good thing.

 There is growing evidence that if hearing loss is not corrected in time, cognitive loss will occur. This is a very important reason for getting one’s hearing checked. If hearing aids are recommended, make the effort to learn how to use them effectively. Once you master the finer points, you will experience many wonderful things that you never knew you were missing!

Nihal

Thank you Srianee for bringing up an important topic. Hearing is vital for our well being at any age. At our age it is essential to maintain contact with friends and family and to keep our minds in gear.

Hearing aid seem like an important accessory for old age and a very useful one too. I listen to a lot of classical music often at great cost to myself, at the concert halls in London. When I found that I couldn’t hear the high notes of the violins I thought my hearing wasn’t good enough and got my hearing tested. The person who tested me was a pretty Afrikaans lady. Her accent was hard to decipher and I wasn’t sure if it was my hearing or her accent that was the problem. Anyhow we struggled through the test. I went for a basic behind the ear hearing aid (BTE) which changed my hearing and my life for the better.

There are a few issues with the contraption. At my age I do not mind its bulk and ‘unsightly’ appearance. There are occasional extraneous noises like squeaks specially while in a crowded noisy room. I have learnt to ignore them. It is a hindrance than a help speaking in a room with a large gathering. I remove them and manage ok.

The hearing aid is a foreign body hanging on to my ear. After a couple of hours it gets tiresome and I remove them. I tend to wear them every day but in short bursts when I’m listening to music. This seems like a good compromise.

My hearing aid requires batteries and I cope quite well changing them weekly.

Srianee

Nihal, thank you for sharing your experience with your hearing aids. The current designs with the microphones tucked behind the ear is not the most efficient. But, if there is a visible contraption in front of the ear, people will be even more reluctant to wear them. I saw something on TV recently, where the hearing aids are incorporated into spectacle frames. The microphones are in the front of the frames, and the sound is transmitted to the receivers that go into your ear invisibly through the spectacle frames. I'm not sure if such hearing aids are commercially available. The biggest hurdle for most people is the cost.