As hearing specialists with 30 plus years’ experience in the industry, we’ve encountered more myths than we can remember. Here’s five of the most common hearing myths we’ve heard, all debunked for your own peace of mind.
1). Hearing aids whistle all the time
In simple terms, hearing aids should not whistle.
What most people refer to as ‘whistling’ is actually feedback from the hearing aid and it is a common, frustrating issue for the hearing aid user which should not be ignored.
If you experience any ‘whistling’ at any point, you should contact your audiologist to investigate the cause and find a solution for you.
The most common reasons of why the ‘whistling’ happens is usually either because of an incorrect fitting, the presence of wax in the ear or an indication that an adjustment is required to the hearing aid.
It’s nothing to worry about, nothing difficult to fix and most certainly not something that you should ignore and just get used to.
Our Signia range of hearing aids all have ‘feedback management’ systems in place to help reduce the chance of ‘whistling’ occurring.
View our ‘in the ear’ range here and our ‘behind the ear’ range here.
2). Hearing aids are too complicated to use
A common misconception we regularly hear during our consultations is that hearing aids are very confusing to use for new users.
Rest assured that your hearing consultant will always set up your hearing aids to a level that makes it comfortable for you to operate.
If you’re an experienced tech user, you can choose a hearing aid which has the functionality to tweak settings to your heart’s content. You can choose a device which allows you to adjust sounds like treble and bass, fit rechargeable batteries so you’re never out of charge, select a faster processor or a smarter chip. Some aids come fitted with all the optional extras and they can respond quicker and return a more natural sound.
However, that’s not to say that new inexperienced users can’t enjoy a natural sound with a hearing aid device that is programmed by your consultant to run fully automatically. Your audiologist will be able to programme everything up for you based on your personal preferences and hearing needs and set the device to function without you having to think twice about it.
It’s all about personal preferences and own experience using tech devices, however as hearing professionals we’ll always make sure you get fitted something you’re very comfortable using.
SelectSpecs offer hearing aids that you can purchase online that are designed to be super easy to use – a plug and play approach.
For more information visit https://www.selectspecs.com/hearing/.
3). Tinnitus is unmanageable
Hearing aids can be a very handy tool for anyone suffering from this as it helps mask any tinnitus you may be experiencing. Hearing aids disrupt the constant tinnitus sound travelling across the auditory nerve and pick up more sounds that are around you, making it appear to you as if the tinnitus has reduced.
All of the SelectSpecs hearing aids can offer some degree of tinnitus management however; our Signia 5Nx offers an extra feature that can further help mask your tinnitus. This tinnitus masker emits a white noise at a specific frequency to help further mask tinnitus. If this is something of interest then see our Signia 5Nx product for further details.
How does tinnitus reduce by using a hearing aid?
Well, think about the sound of a noisy fly buzzing around you incessantly. How would you be able to drown the buzzing? Say that you turned on the TV. You’d immediately notice a difference as you wouldn’t be able to hear the buzzing as much. Why? Because the buzzing would not be the focus anymore. This is exactly how your audiologist can programme your hearing aid to target the area where tinnitus happens and help drown the sound out.
Bonus at home solution to help you reduce tinnitus
If you struggle to sleep at night because of tinnitus, we recommend that to try having some ambient noise playing in the background.
Choose any type of relaxing sounds that you enjoy (such as sounds of the rainforest).
There are plenty of free downloads to choose from online and you can also download them on your smartphone.
An even easier alternative is to simply leave the TV on or have the radio playing in the background as you drift off to sleep.
Whichever option you prefer, they’re all easy and effective alternatives to help combat tinnitus without having to wear a hearing aid.
It is however very important to note that stress is a common aggravating factor to tinnitus, as well as sleep deprivation and blood pressure issues and that we always advise you to speak to your GP if you have any worsening tinnitus symptoms or sudden development of tinnitus.
4). Hearing aids work straight away
Although you may experience some great hearing benefits right away, generally it takes your brain between 2 – 4 weeks to fully re-train and adjust to hearing the new sounds. You should get a good response on what we class as ‘easy listening’ environments, such as one-to-one conversations or watching TV, but normally the 2 – 4 weeks’ timeframe is needed to adapt to more challenging listening environments, such as social gatherings or crowded places.
It’s also very common for hearing aid users to initially feel like the aid simply makes everything sound louder. This however is only a temporary first impression, due to the brain’s inexperience with dealing with a hearing aid. Unlike wearing glasses for the first time, getting used to a new hearing aid takes that little bit longer. Rest assured, your audiologist will be there every step of the way to check on your progress and make any necessary adjustments you may require.
Hearing aids can be a costly purchase but be re-assured, SelectSpecs offer a 30 day money back guarantee if you’re not satisfied. We offer a wide range of hearing aids at the fraction of the cost of a local hearing aid care provider.
Want to know more? View our range of hearing aids here.
5). If I don’t like the hearing aids I chose, there’s nothing I can do about it
This is a myth that has no reason to exist in 2022. Hearing aids are products just like any other you purchase and they all come with a standard ‘cooling off’ period.
Most hearing aid providers offer a money back guarantee for a specific timeframe, so you really don’t need to worry about making the wrong choice. A hearing aid is a very important part of your own health recovery and we fully understand that you need to be happy with your chosen product before committing to a purchase.
Discuss your options and any concerns you may have with your consultant during the appointment as they will be able to provide information and help you make the right choice for your hearing recovery journey.
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