Hearing Center of Hawaii – Your prescription for better hearing!
Many people have questions about how hearing aids affect your daily life. The five questions below are some of the most common question asked about hearing aids and hearing loss.
What Is Hearing Loss?
Can hearing aids cause a ‘lazy ear’?
Will my hearing aids restore my hearing to normal, like my eyeglasses do for vision loss?
Will my hearing aids act like ear plugs to protect me from excessive noise?
Is it difficult to adjust to wearing hearing aids?
What Is Hearing Loss?
The sounds that we hear everyday cover a range of pitches from the sound of a low-pitch foghorn to the sound of a high-pitch squeal. We also hear sounds at different loudness – from soft sounds like the rustling of leaves, to the loud sounds like jet engine noise during its take-off. A person with a hearing loss can still hear, but not the full range of sounds. Depending on the extent of the hearing loss and the pitch range of the hearing loss, a person with a hearing loss may only miss some soft, high-pitched sounds; while others with a more severe degree may not be able to hear conversation. In effect, part of their hearing range is lost
Can hearing aids cause a ‘lazy ear’?
No. If you wear hearing aids, your ears will not become “dependent” on the instruments. When you remove the hearing aids, your hearing loss will be the same as before you inserted them.
Will my hearing aids restore my hearing to normal, like my eyeglasses do for vision loss?
While both hearing aids and eyeglasses are designed to improve one of your senses (sight or hearing), there is a difference between. At the back of the eye is the retina, which changes light into electricity; electricity is the “language” the brain understands. Light coming into the eye has to be focused on the retina for our vision to be clear. If it isn’t, then a lens placed in front of the eye helps to focus the light properly on the retina
Ears are not as simple. The cochlea is a snail-shaped organ that is filled with fluid and 15,000 hair cells. The hair cells change sounds into electricity so the brain can understand them. The usual type of hearing loss is sensorineural, which means these hair cells are partially damaged. Hearing aids are designed to make sounds louder. Hearing aids don’t result in completely normal hearing, because even though they make sounds louder, the louder sounds are still sent to damaged hair cells. Fitting a hearing aid to a sensorineural hearing loss with damaged hair cells would be like fitting eye glasses to someone with damage to the retina. While damaged hair cells cannot be replaced, hearing aids today greatly improve your ability to hear and can dramatically increase your quality of life.
Will my hearing aids act like ear plugs to protect me from excessive noise?
No. Hearing aids are not designed to block out sound. If you are exposed to loud noise, remove your hearing aids and wear the appropriate protection to prevent damage to your remaining hearing.
Is it difficult to adjust to wearing hearing aids?
Wearing hearing aids for the first time (or trying new hearing aids) requires that you re-learn how to hear, and like learning anything else, it can be challenging. Today’s hearing aids are so sophisticated and flexible that they can be adjusted to almost any hearing loss or hearing environment. Adjusting to hearing aids is different for everyone. Don’t let a friend or family member’s negative experience discourage you from improving your own hearing. It is important to speak to your hearing healthcare professional about any concerns that you may have. Always remember to be patient and persistent. You’ll be glad you did!