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| Hearing The World
Around You… |
| Being able to hear
and localize a sound source is very
important for our ability to communicate
as we go about our daily activities.
Our ability to determine from which
direction a sound is essential –
for example when crossing a road with
heavy traffic, or having to react to
warning call. |
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| …With Both Ears |
| A major advantage
of the physical position of our ears,
one on either side of the head, is that
it allows us to localize sounds. Due
to the distance between our ears, an
individual sound reaches each ear at
a slightly different moment in time
and with different sound pressure levels.
The brain registers and processes this
information, enabling us to know where
an individual sound is coming form.
The combination of two good ears makes
it easier to hear surrounding sounds
than with one ear alone. When both ears
are functioning optimally, it is not
only easier to distinguish sounds in
background noise, but the intelligibility
of speech, the perception of space and
general sound quality are also improved.
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| Hearing Impairment |
| Hearing impairment
affects our ability to understand speech,
as well as our ability to licalise the
sound sources around us. The advances
make in hearing aid technology provide
us with a wealth of possibilities for
maximizing the use of residual hearing
with hearing aids. If there is a hearing
loss in one ear only, it will often
be possible to compensate for the loss
by fitting this hear with a hearing
aid. With a severe degree of hearing
loss in one ear, it may be more difficult
to obtain full directional hearing and
speech intelligibility. However , a
hearing aid will often provide improved
perception of tonal fullness and depth.
If there is a hearing loss in both ears,
it is almost always an advantage to
wear a hearing aid in both ears. With
two hearing aids, the amount of amplification
required from each individual hearing
aid can be reduced in comparison to
wearing only one hearing aid. This means
that background noise is not so heavily
amplified and the risk of feedback whistling
is reduced. The use of two hearing aids
enables the individual ear to hear better,
as sell as giving the following advantages:
It becomes easier to hear speech in
background noise. It is easier to localize
sounds. Sound quality and tonal depth
are improved. It has long been appreciated
that music and speech sound better in
stereo. When there is a hearing loss
in both ears, it will usually be possible
to utilize one’s hearing ability
far better in “stereo” by
wearing two hearing aids. Your hearing
healthcare professional may refer to
this as “the advantage of binaural
hearing”. |
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| Stimulating Hearing |
| Some people think
that using hearing aids might aggravate
their hearing loss because they no linger
have to strain to hear, or because amplification
may damage their remaining hearing ability.
But in fact this is not the case. The
ear and the auditory pathways to the
brain need to be stimulated to activate
and preserver the remaining hearing
ability. Today, we know that the ability
to hear will gradually deteriorate if
our ears are not stimulated for a lengthy
period – a phenomenon known by
audiologists as auditory deprivation. |
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| Myths |
| Many people wait
too long to acknowledge that they have
a hearing loss and need hearing aids.
One of the reason is that there are
many myths about hearing loss –
for example that hearing loss is just
associated with old age. It is important
to understand that people with hearing
difficulties use a lot of energy in
concentrating on listening. This can
sometimes lead to fatigue, a feeling
of isolation and loneliness. Such feelings
may adversely affect one’s quality
of life and become a barrier to an otherwise
active and productive life. Just as
exercise is good for the body, the ear
also needs to be exercises. |
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| Saying “yes”
to Better Hearing |
| Most hearing impaired
people will – once they become
accustomed to wearing two hearing aids
– experience a renewed quality
of life, where they can again take part
in conversations and localize and recognize
many sounds that they may not have been
able to hear for years. It takes time
to become used to wearing hearing aids,
both because of the physical sensation
of having something in the ear and also
because of the renewed world of sounds
reaching the ears and the brain. It
is a new situation that requires both
practice and patience. |
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| Becoming Used to Hearing
Aids |
| For some first
– time users, wearing their hearing
aids becomes a normal part of daily
life within a couple of weeks. The advantages
of the “new” hearing ability
quickly offset any physical difficulties.
For others the process can take longer.
Many users report that it can take up
to six months to become fully accustomed
to the new sensation of amplification.
It , however, important not to give
up. Several hearing aid adjustments
may be required before a satisfactory
result is obtained. Some people choose
to use only one of their hearing aids
at the beginning, because they feel
that their ears are blocked, or their
own voice sounds strange when using
both hearing aids. Naturally, it is
better to use one hearing aid than none
at all – but it is still not the
best solution. If only on e hearing
aid is used, the “stereo effect”
that gives the ears and the brain the
largest benefit is not obtained. Moreover,
such “disadvantages” arte
usually only of limited duration and
will most often fade. Nature has provided
us with tow ears to give us the best
possible hearing. Although hearing aids
do not restore normal hearing, the recent
advances in hearing aid technology have
given us the possibility of making the
most of our remaining hearing. And this
works best in stereo! |
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