Protect the Hearing Abilities that You Still Have

If you experience hearing loss, the remaining natural hearing abilities - also known as residual hearing - refers to how sufficiently you can hear without a hearing aid device. It’s very important to protect the hearing that you still have because that is all your hearing aids will work with, in order to give you an optimal listening experience. 

The Importance of Residual Hearing

Hearing aids are not a cure for hearing loss but are used to amplify and make sounds clearer to hear while drowning out background noises. You need to use your residual hearing to hear those sounds. Hearing aids are specifically programmed for your individual hearing needs. You may suffer from high-frequency hearing loss, low-frequency hearing loss, or sensorineural hearing loss. A hearing instrument specialist will patiently work with you so that you can get the most use out of your hearing aids. 

The more residual hearing abilities that you still have, means the more useful your hearing aids will be for you. This is why it’s important to protect residual hearing.

How can You Protect Your Residual Hearing? 

Wear hearing aids to protect your residual hearing. Most people wait several years until they decide to get fitted for hearing aids. Even after receiving a fitting, some people still don’t wear them. Hearing aids are used to help you relearn sounds that you haven’t heard in years. They stimulate your auditory nerves and help your brain from feeling fatigued due to over-concentrating on sounds that you are struggling to comprehend. 

It is normal for new hearing aid users to go back to their hearing instrument specialists and get their hearing aids adjusted after a few times.

It’s important to be honest with your hearing instrument specialist if something doesn’t feel right with your hearing aids. They will make the adjustments to make sure that the devices function properly for you.  

When the settings are programmed at their best, it’s important to use your hearing aids as often as possible. Try to wear them whenever you are awake. Remember that adapting to hearing aids takes time and patience. Choosing not to wear your hearing aids is a waste of time, money, and benefits that you’ve invested in. As a result, your hearing will get worse.

Why Should You Wear Two Hearing Aids?

Even though you may have different ranges of hearing loss in each ear, it is recommended that you wear two devices:

• Wearing two hearing aids guarantees that you will be able to hear sounds in every direction so that you will have a more natural hearing perception.
• Two hearing aids ensure that you can preserve your residual hearing in the ear that you can still hear out of. Wearing only one device will leave the unaided ear out of most conversations. The lower stimulation for the auditory nerve will weaken the hearing that you still have in that ear at a faster rate. 

Decrease Your Exposure to Noise 

While wearing hearing aids, protect the hearing that you still have by reducing your exposure to loud noises. This will help to prevent noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Blaring noises can permanently damage your inner hair cells, and your hearing loss will get worse.
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When you are in your home, keep music, podcasts, and TV at a low volume. Use Bluetooth® technology to stream these sounds directly through your hearing aids, at a safe volume level. 

Remember, your hearing can be damaged from using power tools such as a lawnmower, power saw, or wood chipper. If you need to use these devices, always wear earplugs or earmuffs. Wear hearing protection if you go to a concert, sports arena, or even a movie theater. 

If you take medications, mention your hearing loss to your doctor. Some drugs can affect your hearing or induce tinnitus. 
 
Maintain a Healthy Diet and Exercise

A diet that is full of vitamins and minerals, along with exercise, can induce blood flow to the entire body, including the inner ears, lessen the number of free radicals and stop or slow the loss of inner hair cells located inside the ears. 

Brain Stimulation and Function

Learning something new, like an instrument or another subject matter that you are interested in can improve your hearing. According to researchers, practicing a musical instrument helps you concentrate on auditory skills, improves auditory memory, and increases the ability to hear speech in busy settings. But be careful not to engage in practicing music for too long.

How we spend our time and stimulate our senses and way of thinking shapes the people we become - thus affecting how our senses function. 

If you, or a loved one, are experiencing hearing loss, don’t wait any longer to get help. Contact us at Pure Sound Hearing Aids for a free hearing test and consultation. 

Please be aware that Pure Sound services will only be available by appointment and for essential visits at this time. Essential visits include all appointments that require repairs, re-fittings, and new hearing aid fittings. If you are having any problems with your hearing aids, or need supplies for your hearing aids, please contact us before visiting one of our offices. ​

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