TWO EARS ARE BETTER THAN ONE !
Like our eyes, our ears work as a pair. The brain needs information from both ears to understand sounds properly. When one ear becomes hearing impaired, it gradually loses its ability to understand speech.
When you or a family member notices hearing loss, a common question is whether it’s better to wear one or two hearing aids.
Hearing health professionals recommend using two if both ears are affected.
What are the advantages of hearing with both ears?
It is strongly recommended to use two hearing aids to get the best hearing quality possible. It’s much easier to understand speech and hear specific sounds in a noisy environment when using both ears. The sound quality is better, clearer. So hearing is more comfortable and balanced.
When both ears have hearing aids, improvement is immediate and noticeable.
And there are many advantages in rediscovering the pleasure of hearing :
- Better pinpointing of sounds: It becomes much easier to locate the source of sounds and judge their distance. For example, when walking, you can tell which direction a car is coming from and how far away it is, even if you can’t see it.
- More comfortable and pleasant amplification: Hearing aids are designed to work in pairs, somewhat like speakers and earphones. The amplification of two hearing aids is less strong and more balanced because they are adjusted to the same level in each ear, producing more natural sounds that are easier to tolerate. This makes it easier to perceive softer or higher sounds, like children’s or women’s voices.
- Better speech comprehension amidst noise: Whether you’re in a restaurant or at a family get-together, you can enjoy—and understand—these moments to the fullest. Hearing well from both ears enables the brain to separate speech from ambient noise.
- Superior sound quality: You’ll be able to better appreciate the talent of your favorite musicians and singers.
Hearing aids help understand speech!
Many studies have shown that when only one of two hearing impaired ears is equipped with a hearing aid, speech comprehension in the unequipped ear decreases significantly faster than in the equipped ear.
The difference is huge: between 5 and 17%* !
Wearing only one hearing aid can deprive one of your ears of auditory stimulation and lessen its ability to understand speech. Unfortunately, this decline in comprehension will remain, even if you eventually get a hearing aid.
That is why it is important to equip both hearing impaired ears with hearing aids and to get your hearing checked regularly to lessen the impact of hearing loss in your daily life.
Hearing well is one of the factors that will help
you stay socially active and continue living independently.
Don’t hesitate to make an appointment with an audioprosthetist for further clarification. They will be happy to answer your questions.
Contact one of our clinics : www.legroupeforget.com
- * Reference: Monaural Hearing Aid effect: Case presentations, Raymond Hurley, JAAA, september 1993
