Recent research by Audio Help indicated that some patients only wear their hearing aids part time, indicating that they cannot see why they should wear them if they are home alone, or are not involved in a situation like a restaurant or a party where they recognize the benefits the hearing devices will provide. Unfortunately, people who only wear their devices part time do not get the maximum benefit , even when they put them on after a period of not wearing them.
The following will provide some insights as to why it is so important to wear your hearing devices all the time.
- The most important reason is that hearing devices provide the most benefit to patients when the brain is able to adjust to the different sound a person gets when they wear the devices. If the hearing devices are only worn part time, the brain is not able to adjust to them and the benefits of the hearing aids is significantly reduced
- The second important reason to wear them full time is that patients will adjust to the devices, so they will not even know they are wearing them. If they are only worn occasionally , patients are much more aware of wearing the devices when they are inserted. Most patients incorporate the inserting of their hearing aids into their daily routine, like brushing their teeth or combing their hair.
- Wearing devices full time can also provide safety benefits to patients. Specifically, if you are out of your house without your devices, you are less likely to hear warnings, such as sirens, people telling you of a risk such as being hit by a bicycle or even an automobile.
- One reason to wear devices full time is to avoid the mental fatigue that is a common malady for people who do not wear hearing aids and have reduced hearing. The brain tries to correct for the poor hearing by working harder, which creates fatigue at the end of the day.
- Another important reason to wear hearing devices full time is the reality that patients with untreated hearing loss (i.e.: not wearing the devices) tend to have a higher incidence of falls than those patients who wear their devices full time.
- Finally, a very important reason for wearing hearing devices all the time is to give the benefits associated with protection from such conditions as dementia, Alzheimers & depression. There is a very strong association with untreated loss and the incidence of these cognitive conditions, and patients can reduce the likelihood of contracting these conditions if they wear their devices full time.
One of the major reasons some people do not wear their devices full time is that they complain the hearing aids are not comfortable. In almost every case, this problem can be corrected by visiting your audiologist and giving the doctor the ability to make adjustments which will improve the comfort of the devices.
