Hearing loss, along with most things, have a lot of misconceptions associated with them. These misconceptions prevent a lot of people from getting the help they require. Let’s take a moment to clear up some of those.
People with hearing loss are stupid
I know it sounds pretty ridiculous, but a lot of people feel that someone is less intelligent when they don’t hear correctly. Often times they’ll sit there with a blank look on their face because they’re not sure how to respond. This can very easily be addressed with intervention.
My hearing will get worse if I wear hearing aids
A successfully aided person will come to rely on their hearing aids and will realize how much they were missing before. They choose to not sit there with that dumb look on their face anymore (see myth one).
I can “get by” without hearing aids so I don’t need them
People who feel like they can get by without hearing aids usually misunderstand a large part of what is said to them. They think they hear things correctly but they don’t know what they’re getting wrong. The long term consequences are an increased risk of depression, dementia, Alzheimer’s and social isolation.
Hearing aids are uncomfortable
This used to be correct. Hearing aids used to be large and bulky. They would plug your ear and sometimes have long wires connecting piece together. Today’s miniaturized technology relieves that and most people wearing modern hearing aids can’t even feel them in their ears.
Everyone will know I wear hearing aids and they will look at me differently
Again, see the previous point. Hearing aids have become so small that most people who wear them can’t even see them when looking in the mirror. If this concern is important to you then bring it up with your clinician and they will ensure no one will see.
I can fake hear really well
No you can’t. You may think you’re fooling people but really you’re not. Trust me.
No one likes their hearing aids so why bother?
People who don’t like their hearing aids haven’t been fit properly. If your friend is always complaining about their hearing aids they need to return to the clinic they bought them from and address their concerns. If they still don’t like them they should get a second opinion.
If I get hearing aids, I only need to wear them when I go out
Casual use of hearing aids leads to unsatisfactory results. The brain never gets used to environmental sounds unless more than half the day is spent wearing them (12+ hours). The brain never learns how to focus on what it wants to and you end up not wearing them at all.
I can wear only one despite loss in both ears
Not if you want to hear in noise. Wearing only one hearing aid would be like wearing a monocle and picking up a pen on your first try. It’s not happening.
If I admit to hearing loss then I’ll be old
More and more youth and younger adults are being diagnosed with hearing loss every day. Hearing loss may be caused by aging, but that is only one of hundreds of different causes.
