Purchasing hearing aids is a financial investment, the purpose of which is to improve your quality of life, both physically and emotionally. Therefore, when a hearing aids end up in the drawer, it amounts not only to a waste of money, but also means you’ve forfeited transforming your life for the better. Not to mention there are risks to not treating hearing loss. Below are seven reasons hearing aids go unused and what can be done to prevent this from happening:
Reason #1: Sound quality
Wearers of hearing devices will often complain that the sound quality of their hearing device is unacceptable, including lack of clarity, and aversion to the sound of their voice, unnatural, distorted, slight hiss, tinny, picks up wind, chewing, and swallowing noise, poor fidelity, and a hollow sound.
Solution: Advanced digital hearing devices typically come equipped with automatic feedback suppression, so when feedback does occur it may be a sign there is a problem with the hearing device. Directional microphones allow wearers to more precisely focus on the speech source resulting in a clearer sound.
Reason # 2: Background noise
Wearers of hearing aids often complain that they do not wear their hearing aids because background noise was annoying, distracting, or unacceptable.
Solution: One or more of the following technologies helps with background noise: hearing aids with digital signal processing (DSP) that are able to differentiate between speech and noise; hearing aids with a directional microphones; An FM transmitter that picks up a speaker’s voice, and transmits the sound sound of the voice to a listener’s ear.
Reason #3: Fit and comfort
Hearing aid wearers sometimes complain that their hearing aids did not fit right, hurt their ears, were uncomfortable, or fell out of their ears.
Solution: Increased miniaturization of hearing aid technology has provided the much-needed flexibility has reduced physical discomfort. If you have recently lost weight, it may cause the hearing aid mold to fit loosely and cause problems. Keep working with your hearing aid professional until the fitting is just right. And remember, hearing aids should be completely comfortable to wear.
Reason #4: Price and cost
Consumers on a fixed income or whose has financial situation changed since their purchase, find that hearing aid upkeep and maintenance, is no longer affordable. If their hearing aids break or are out of date, they may find the replacement cost prohibitive.
Solution: There are hearing aids for most budgets. Also, a savvy consumer can compare prices online and ask for a price match.
Reason #5: ‘I don’t need them anymore’
Wearers of hearing aids social situation may have changed, e.g. the death of a spouse, and they believe they no longer need hearing aids.
Solution: Adults with hearing loss are less likely to take part in social activities and more likely to feel depressed or sad. Whether it’s meeting new people, taking on a new project at work or starting a new hobby, treating hearing loss gives you the chance to reconnect to your life.
Reason #6: Volume control adjustments
Hearing aid wearers complain about the constant need to manipulate volume control is clearly an annoyance to some.
Solution: A “smart” or automatic hearing aid system with a manual override prevents the wearer from needing to manually manipulate volume control.
