Hearing aids are meant to be used daily. But you’re also supposed to wash out your milk containers before you recycle them. We don’t always do what we’re supposed to. The same goes for hearing aids. Occasionally we forget to bring them with us. Maybe you even go a day, or a week, or maybe a few weeks (a month?) without using your hearing aids.
That isn’t a really smart idea. Because when you don’t wear your hearing aids a number of things occur and some things already happening get worse. And most of them, to be honest, aren’t good.
Effects And Repercussions of Going Without Hearing Aids
There will be repercussions of varying levels of intensity and severity, both to your health and social life, if you fail to wear your hearing aid. The effects and consequences of neglecting to wear your hearing aids could include the following.
Your Degree of Hearing Impairment Will Worsen
Hearing aids are remarkable devices. Not only do they let you hear sounds that you otherwise wouldn’t have, but they also keep your auditory complex running smoothly (that’s the region of your brain responsible for the interpretation of sounds).
You may damage your hearing even more if, instead of using your hearing aids, you start cranking up the volume on your devices even higher than they already are. Even if you’re keeping the volumes under control, problems with your brain can result from the lack of sensory stimuli. (It actually shrinks.) So if you don’t use your hearing aids, your hearing will likely keep getting worse (so you’ll need even more powerful hearing aids before long).
It Will Become More Difficult to Engage Socially
You know those short conversations you have with the cashier as you’re checking out at the supermarket? They’re pleasant, we think. In a world dominated by technology, these little chats are a touch of humanity.
These day-to-day social interactions suddenly become very hard when you don’t use your hearing aids. You need to ask the cashier to repeat what they said. Again and again. And once that happens, the conversation just quickly falls apart. Maybe that sounds superficial, but every bit you withdraw into yourself makes it that much easier to totally seclude yourself socially. And the outcome can be even more serious.
Hearing Aids And Cognitive Decline
When you separate yourself socially, your brain gets a lot less exercise. After you have a nice conversation with your family, think about how revitalized (or exhausted) you can feel. Without that exercise, particular mental processes can start to decline (or decline faster). This could mean:
- Memory issues
- Depression
- Declines in energy or productivity
- Balance troubles
But that’s not all. Because there are certain parts of your brain and nervous system that need to hear sounds. Without stimulation, certain nerves will begin to weaken, and your auditory complex begins to atrophy. This can make it more difficult to get used to your new hearing aids and in the worst case accelerate the mental decline.
Your brain remains happy, stimulated, and engaged when you use hearing aids.
Loss of Independence
Needing a bit more help, as you age, is not uncommon. Maybe you ask a neighbor to mow your lawn or ask your son to swing by with supplies more often. You are probably to accelerate your loss of independence if you’re not using your hearing aids.
When you don’t use your hearing aids, it can quickly become more difficult to answer the phone or have a conversation with your neighbor. You might miss important weather alerts. Maybe you don’t hear your cat meowing at night for food or your dog barking at somebody ringing your doorbell.
What’s The Solution?
Wearing a hearing aid won’t solve all of life’s issues, no matter how technologically inventive those little gadgets get. But many of the problems connected to failing to use your hearing aid can be resolved.
You need to come see us for assistance if you’re having difficulty with your hearing aids or if they’re not comfortable.
It’s worth taking a little time to think about what the consequences will be if you avoid using your hearing aids and also what the advantages of using them might be.
References
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/otolaryngology/specialty_areas/hearing/faq.html
https://www.webmd.com/brain/news/20140128/hearing-loss-tied-to-faster-brain-shrinkage-with-age
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2019/05/ce-corner-isolation
