Would hearing aids damage your hearing?

Would wearing hearing aids damage your hearing?

This is a question we get asked a lot. We want to say that hearing aids would definitely not damage your hearing. In fact, hearing aids are created to help those in need to hear better. They are even proven to delay the natural progression of hearing loss. However, anything is possible, and if there is the smoke, there is a fire. Let us dig deep and explore some possible reasons why some would think the opposite that hearing aids are bad for hearing.

Old Technology

Antique Listening Device

Oh how time has changed. Older hearing aids in the past were made to be like a set of amplifiers. The whole range of sound was amplified regardless of your type of hearing loss. What that means is that those hearing aids would make everything louder, so that the wearer can hear much easier. However, when the volume of everything is turned louder, this could cause the good hearing to be damaged. These type of hearing aid technology has gone completely obsolete, and replaced by smarter, more accurate, more advanced technology.

The modern digital hearing aid technology has improved by leaps and bounds where the sound amplification only occurs where your hearing loss is. With the help of a hearing specialist, your hearing aids amplify different frequencies to different degrees based on your hearing curve. There is also limiting feature built in to ensure the output volume is safe.

Those who have used the older technology might still be anxious to try newer technology now due to past experience, thus created the misconception that gave a bad reputation to hearing aids.

Improper Adjustment

Another reason why some would think that hearing aids might damage your hearing is improper adjustment. Improper adjustment happens when the hearing aids are not adjusted according to your hearing level or hearing loss.

Most people thought that once they get hearing aids, they can instantly hear their best. That is not always the case. Many people abandon their hearing aids inside their drawer because they felt that their hearing aids are not comfortable (sensory or sensory), or they are not hearing well. They thought that there is nothing they can do about it. They stopped wearing hearing aids stopped visiting the audiologist altogether.

This causes 2 issues.

  1. The hearing aids are not adjusted properly, because the information or the feedback is not presented to the audiologist.
  2. Their hearing level change is not recorded, because they haven’t gone to see their audiologist for a long time.

If they decide to wear their hearing aids again, it could be uncomfortable or unclear. The wearer might try to increase the volume to make it sound clearer, this makes the hearing aids unnecessarily loud, and could cause damage to the hearing. If you want to prevent this from happening, it is important to let your audiologist know about any issues you are experiencing. Also it is important to recheck your hearing level  and readjust your hearing aids regularly to make sure your hearing aids are still working optimally.

Wrong Hearing Aidshearing aids

Another reason that hearing aids might damage your hearing, is if you have been wearing your hearing aids wrongly. You might be wearing your left hearing aid on the right ear, or vice versa. There might even be a special case where you are wearing someone else’s hearing aids.

Similar to the above reason, when your hearing aids are not adjusted according to your hearing level, the improper amplification might cause damage to your hearing.

While it is important to wear your hearing aids, it is more important to get your hearing aids routinely and properly adjusted. This allows you to be sure that your hearing aids are suitable for your hearing and you will be hearing more effectively and keeping your hearing safe.

Conclusion

Hearing aids are not only safe, they’re life-changing and they will help you reconnect to your world. However, you should be the master of your own hearing aids and you should feel completely comfortable with what you hear. We always encourage everyone to inform us of any issues or feedback. This way, we will always be there to make sure they are hearing their very best. Don’t let this misconception stop you from getting hearing help. Take the first step toward being reconnected to your world and contact us for an appointment with our caring audiologist.

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