A common misconception about hearing aids is that they further damage your hearing over time… Not true! Rather than causing further progression of hearing loss, they actually help stabilize your hearing ability.
Hearing loss, in general, is naturally progressive. Over time, you can expect your hearing to slowly decline. If you have hearing loss, you want to try and slow this progression as much as possible, to preserve the hearing that you still have. The best way to do this is to wear hearing aids!
Hearing aids provide stimulation to your brain that it is otherwise missing when you have hearing loss. This stimulation can actually stabilize, or at least slow the progression of, your hearing loss! Some sound qualities may sound “off” at first, but the more you wear the hearing aids, the faster they will sound normal to you. Sometimes it may seem like you are becoming more and more dependent on your hearing aids, but I promise, you are just used to the volume and clarity the hearing aids provide!
However, you do want to be cautious when choosing a hearing healthcare provider, as hearing aids –when fit inappropriately, with too much volume – can potentially do more harm than good. When hearing aids are fit appropriately, they are programmed to a specific prescription based on your hearing loss. If you are interested in hearing aids, please consider seeing a qualified professional who is trained to work with different types of hearing loss, such as a Doctor of Audiology.
At Gardner Audiology in Tampa Bay, Florida, you will always receive the care of Doctor of Audiology. They will also ensure that your hearing test was done accurately, to further ensure that your hearing aids will be properly programmed to your hearing loss. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Gardner Audiology at 1-800-277-1182, or email info@gardneraudiology.com. They have 8 locations throughout Tampa Bay.