I recently marked the 10th anniversary of my first pair of hearing aids. Hearing loss in my 30’s was a journey I never saw coming but it has changed my life for the better. From friends made to a career helping others see the value of hearing aids in their own lives, I’m glad to have found purpose in my hearing difficulty.
I have had a lot of education and realizations in 10 years of being a hearing aid user and four years of working in the field of hearing healthcare with HearingLife, so I thought I would put together a list of the top 10 things I’ve learned in 10 years of wearing hearing aids.
1. You hear with your brain – we say this a lot in the industry, but it took me many years to understand what this means in day-to-day life as someone with hearing loss. When I first started wearing my hearing aids, my own voice sounded loud and strange and my hair touching the devices was very distracting. But at some point, in the first few months of wearing hearing aids, I stopped noticing those things! And that was my brain doing its job of identifying the sounds that are important and filtering out the ones that aren’t.
For people without hearing loss, this is a brain function that is never talked about or acknowledged, but the process of adjusting to hearing aids brings it to the forefront. Those everyday sounds (like the refrigerator or air conditioner) can be very frustrating for new hearing aid users, but if you hang in there, they usually do go away because your brain is an amazing thing!
2. I still need help sometimes – I LOVE my hearing aids, and I wear them all day every day and often forget they’re even there, but there are times I still need additional help to hear well. In restaurants, I will still ask for a quieter seat or make sure I’m not sitting under a music speaker. Why struggle if I don’t need to?
I’m also a big fan of closed captioning and I use it everywhere I can – from watching TV and YouTube videos to video calls at work and with family. I find that for me, reading the words along with hearing them just makes understanding that much easier.
3. Assistive listening technology is always improving – Just in the last year, I’ve had the chance to try out a telecoil and hearing loop system and an Auracast™ system. Both are designed to make listening to performances or church services easier by sending sound straight into your hearing aids.
These public systems are incredible tools for helping people with all levels of hearing loss hear better. And Auracast even works with some headphones for people with normal hearing who struggle in certain environments (like high-ceiling churches). I’m so excited to see Auracast in more places because the installation is much simpler than hearing loops.
4. Bluetooth® is amazing – Auracast is a type of Bluetooth technology – and the Bluetooth that connects my hearing aids to my phone is one of the best features of hearing aids. When I got my first pair of devices 10 years ago, I didn’t have the connectivity to my devices and when that was added, it was a huge upgrade. I can listen to videos and phone calls directly in my hearing aids and no one around me can overhear.
5. Rechargeable batteries are amazing – After being used to changing my batteries when I needed to and having them stashed in every purse and backpack I own, I was nervous about going rechargeable. What if the battery ran out and I couldn’t get to the charger? Turns out I shouldn’t have worried – my hearing aids last all day and then some, and when I charge them every night while I sleep, I have never had a problem. In fact, I had a recent all-nighter travel fiasco, and my hearing aids lasted over 20 hours!
6. Real-Ear Measurements are a game-changer – My first experience with Real-Ear Measurement was at HearingLife. I had heard about this test in online forums for years, so I knew it was a good practice and one that could help make my hearing aid experience even better. And it was! The adjustments my provider made based on the Real-Ear Measurement test have somehow made my hearing aids even better, something I didn’t think was possible.
7. I love the latest technology and will always need to budget for new hearing aids – I’m lucky that working at HearingLife means I have access to incredible employee benefits, but no matter where I work, I know that I’m always going to prioritize hearing aids in my budget. Not everyone needs the latest hearing technology and not everyone wants it, but I’ve learned in 10 years that I do.
8. Your hearing care provider is an amazing resource – It makes a big difference who you see for your hearing aids! Technology is amazing, but without the right person listening to you and adjusting the devices to your needs, you’ll never be satisfied with your hearing aids. You should choose a hearing care provider that listens and that you can visit frequently for adjustments, questions and cleaning of your hearing aids.
9. You actually have to wear your hearing aids – it’s best to wear your devices all the time to get the most benefit from them. It took me a long time to start doing this, but my evening conversations with my husband after our kid is in bed are important to hear fully – and the breakfast chats with my son simply can’t be at partial volume! I put my hearing aids in first thing in the morning and take them out right before bed, so I don’t miss a moment.
10. Talking about my hearing aids has changed lives – including my own – within months of purchasing my first pair of hearing aids, my dad bought his first pair and a coworker did too. They had both been delaying taking that step, despite knowing they needed to for several years. It’s been so inspiring to hear that by embracing this technology for myself, I can serve as an example for others. Hearing aids don’t have to be scary, and they don’t have to be stigmatized. By wearing mine and talking about them, I hope I can help more people realize how important it is to fully hear your life.
Here’s to my next 10 years of hearing aids! I can’t wait to see what the next technological advancement can do. If you’re ready to check out hearing aids, book a free hearing test at your local HearingLife and find out how they can help you live better.