Can Hearing Aids Make My Hearing Worse?

Some people put off selecting a hearing aid because they’re afraid that additional amplification will make their hearing loss worse. It’s an understandable dilemma, especially if you have no way of separating fact from fiction. Unfortunately, by putting your faith in myths alone, you could find yourself shunning opportunities that could potentially make life easier. So, let's clarify the situation.

There is one overriding, scientific fact – exposure to very loud noise on a regular basis is a proven route to damaging your hearing. This can happen to young and old alike, with or without a hearing aid. The same caution around excessive noise should therefore be applied, whether you wear an amplified device or not.

Hearing aids are designed to help those with hearing impairment access sounds that would be lost to them forever if no intervention is taken. As with most things, they have to be used correctly. Amplification levels need to be right for the individual concerned. In short, worn appropriately your hearing aid should not damage your hearing further.

If you are a hearing aid user and you continue to suffer a slow decline in your hearing, you’d be right to be concerned and questions should be asked. There are many factors to consider when establishing why you may be suffering a progressive hearing loss. These include:

• Your work and home environment. Is it excessively noisy?
• The type of hearing loss you suffer from and whether it is degenerative in nature.
• Your life style choices, which can have an impact, such as listening to music at very loud levels
• Some medication can have side effects.
• Your general health, as some illnesses are known to influence hearing.

If you are at all concerned, it is important you seek advice either from your GP or a trained audiologist.

Key things to remember when wearing a hearing aid:

• Ensure amplification is maintained at a comfortable level.
• Remember, hearing aids shouldn’t be uncomfortable to wear. If yours is, it may be a sign that it is not fitted correctly.
• If you suffer pain from the volume levels of your hearing aid then chances are, it is not appropriately programmed.
• Ensure your hearing aid is clean and well maintained.

The whole point of wearing a hearing aid is to enhance the residual hearing you do have, not to damage it further. HearingDirect offer a wide selection of hearing aids, especially designed for those with mild to moderate hearing loss. Each hearing aid can be programmed specifically to suit you, with conservative amplification levels available for those needing just a little boost to their hearing. If you’d like to learn more about the products we have available, you can click on our website or speak to one of our audiologists. We’re here to help.