Since the start of the covid-19 pandemic, we’ve all been staying home far more than we’ve been going out. Communicating with people mostly by text or video call. With so few people around us in person, it might be tempting to wear your hearing aids less often when you’re home alone for example. There are a few reasons you might not want to wear your hearing aids, they may not fit properly, they may be difficult to put on correctly, or it might just feel pointless to put them in when you are mostly by yourself. However, there are important reasons why you should make sure to keep your hearing aids in as much as possible. Keep reading to find out more about them.
Auditory Deprivation
One important side effect of hearing loss is something called auditory deprivation. The way hearing loss typically works means that some frequencies are harder to hear than others (normally higher ones). If this is left untreated, the brain will have a much harder time processing those sounds that you normally would not hear without the help of hearing aids. This means that even if you start wearing hearing aids again, it will take some time to properly process and recognize certain pitches and frequencies. Auditory deprivation can essentially cause your brain to forget how to hear and recognize certain sounds. Wearing your hearing aids more often, even when you’re home alone can help mitigate auditory deprivation.
Your Brain Doesn’t Like Change
Think back to when you first got your hearing aids fitted. The first time you put them in and turned them on everything probably felt extremely loud for a while until you got used to them. At first, it probably wasn’t comfortable, and your hearing professional probably told you to slowly work up to wearing them all day. Basically, when you’re used to hearing only limited sounds with little to no background noise, it can be hard for your brain to adjust to hearing so many more sounds. Nevertheless, by continuing to wear your hearing instruments, you soon adapt to all of the “new” sounds around you. It may take a few weeks, or even months, but it is certainly worth it in the long run. Hearing loss generally takes place over a period of several years. Taking a few weeks or even months to get back to more normal hearing is not difficult to do once you put your mind to it.
Hearing Loss Can Make You Feel Even More Isolated
During this pandemic where social distancing is the norm, we’re all feeling the impacts of fewer interactions with our friends and family. Hearing loss can amplify this situation for many, making it even worse than it already is. Keeping connected to your world is a huge part of your quality of life and hearing can be a major factor in that. Wearing your hearing aids can help and is a small price to pay for keeping up with your friends and family.
It Can Be Difficult to See a Specialist Right Now
For older adults and those with pre-existing conditions, the pandemic has meant that some tough decisions might need to be made about healthcare. For some, it may be difficult to get in to see their hearing aid provider. If you need help with your hearing, please reach out to Countryside Hearing Aid Services. We will do our very best to accommodate your hearing needs, safely and conveniently.
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