It is estimated that about twenty percent of people have some degree of hearing loss in Charleston. A hearing impairment presents many challenges to your everyday life, but there is a silver lining: nine out of 10 people with hearing loss benefit from the use of hearing aids. There are plenty of reasons why hearing aids are considered the “gold standard” in hearing loss treatment.
How Do Hearing Aids Work?
It’s little wonder your Charleston audiologist recommends hearing aids for treating the majority of patients with hearing loss: these sophisticated instruments are great at restoring your quality of life and preventing many associated health complications. They aren’t a cure for hearing loss – unfortunately, there is no such thing – but they will certainly help you navigate through the demands of daily life.
All hearing aids operate under the same principle: they amplify sounds so you can hear better and communicate more effectively. This is dependent upon three components common in all hearing aids: a microphone, amplifier and speaker. The microphone picks up external sound waves and converts them to electronic signals. These are sent to the amplifier, which boosts their power and makes them louder. Finally, they are transmitted to the speaker and sent into the ear via a thin tube or wire. The brain converts these digital signals into recognizable sound.
Benefits of Hearing Aids
People with hearing loss in Charleston are at risk of developing a variety of physical, social and psychological complications if they don’t treat their condition. These include:
- Depression
- Memory impairment
- Concentration difficulties
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Isolation and social withdrawal
- Poor job performance
- Reduced earning power
- Diabetes
- Kidney disease
- Dementia
- Cardiovascular disease
Luckily, most of these potential adverse effects can be prevented by wearing hearing aids. Doing so puts less strain on your brain and reduces stress and anxiety. It’s no wonder 78.6 percent of users are satisfied with their hearing aids, a number that has grown by six percent since 2004, as advances in technology have led to instruments with better sound and a host of new features such as Bluetooth® connectivity and rechargeable batteries. Hearing aids work, and they work well: patients report improvements in many aspects of their lives, including higher self-confidence, better relationships with loved ones and increased earning power.
If you have been diagnosed with hearing loss in Charleston but have delayed treatment with hearing aids, the positive differences they’ll make in your life are numerous. We urge you to contact your audiologist today to learn more!