Do I need Hearing Aids?

As hearing experts, it's not uncommon for us to hear why our patients haven’t been wearing their hearing aids consistently. There are several reasons for this: from being self-conscious to not fully understanding the benefits.

But did you know that not wearing your hearing aids can make your hearing worse while putting you more at risk? We discuss some of these risks, and how regular hearing aid use can benefit both your health and your everyday life. 

The basic answer to this question is yes - but it isn’t quite as simple as that, and there are several factors at play. 

It’s important to understand that, whether you wear hearing aids or not, your hearing loss may gradually decline. If you do decide to not wear your hearing aids, your hearing might not necessarily get worse, but your understanding of speech is likely to decline much faster than if you were to wear them regularly. 

Here are some reasons why not wearing your hearing aids can cause your hearing to deteriorate:

It’s all about training your brain to hear noise

Many people only use their hearing aids when out and about, but it can actually be damaging to your overall hearing health. This is because the majority of hearing is done using our brain, not our ears - our ears only pick up the sounds and then deliver them to our brains to be processed.

A common question we get asked by those with hearing loss is ‘do you have to wear hearing aids all the time?.’ The answer is yes, with a few minor exceptions. We would always recommend wearing your hearing aids all of the time except while sleeping, showering or swimming. 

That’s because, for hearing aid wearers, especially those who are new to the devices, it’s often difficult to focus on speech rather than being overwhelmed by background noise. Being constantly exposed to both subtle and louder sounds can help you feel less overwhelmed, as hearing more often helps to build a tolerance to loud sound levels which, in turn, helps those sounds amplified by a hearing aid to appear more natural. 

Think about it like this: if you were to constantly take your hearing aids out when you come home, putting them back in once you head out again means your brain has to readjust every time. It’s important to note that, if you are finding wearing your hearing aids overwhelming, you can have short breaks from them and then increase the wearing time gradually.

Your hearing is linked to your memory

While memory loss isn’t exclusive to hearing loss, a reduced hearing function can contribute towards a reduction in memory function and a difficulty in being able to retain or recall information. Put simply, if you’re struggling to hear, you’ll need to concentrate and work much harder to recognise certain sounds or speech. So if you can’t pay attention or properly hear a conversation, it’s going to be much harder to recall that information if you’re only picking up parts of it.  

If you’re constantly trying to fill in the gaps and figure out what you're missing, this can cause fatigue, exhaustion and confusion. This, in turn, can contribute to a decline in memory as long-term memory is reliant on the ability to pay attention. 

So the more severe your hearing loss is, the more effort your brain has to put in to help you understand. By enhancing your hearing function, you’re devoting less energy to struggling to remember, meaning you’re better able to retain information.

• Not wearing hearing aids can cause a decline in health: there’s so much research to highlight the link between hearing aids and better overall health. A 2020 study found that those with severe hearing loss who didn’t wear hearing aids were less likely to exercise or leave the house, and more likely to suffer from poor health.

• Hearing loss can amplify mental health issues: it’s no secret that hearing loss can increase feelings of isolation and loneliness, making it much more difficult to communicate or relate to others. This can have a huge impact on both your social life and your mood, and can increase symptoms of psychological distress such as depression or anxiety. 

• Hearing loss has been linked to dementia: plenty of studies have found that wearing hearing aids is linked to the reduction of cognitive decline, and dementia and hearing loss are definitely linked. This is because, while living with hearing loss can cause a decline in mental ability, wearing hearing aids can help to protect your brain, and hearing better can help to delay the onset of dementia.

• Hearing is closely linked to balance: as our ears house the vestibular system, which is responsible for helping to maintain balance, any issues with our ears can cause problems with balance and stability. Hearing loss reduces our awareness of the world around us while also reducing spatial awareness. Research from the Washington University School of Medicine supports this theory, as they found that ‘enhancing hearing appears to improve balance in older adults with hearing loss’, with those tested scoring higher on balance tests when wearing hearing aids in both ears. 

While there are a few cons of wearing hearing aids, including regular maintenance, occasional discomfort and the fact that there is normally an adjustment period, the pros definitely outweigh the cons. 

Are you struggling with your hearing? Use our online hearing check now or book an appointment with one of our hearing specialists for a more in-depth checkup. You can also browse our full range of hearing aids online now, or find your local Boots Hearingcare.