Treating hearing loss is a major investment in your health and wellness. One of the most common questions about hearing loss treatment is if two hearing aids are better than one. The short answer is yes, oftentimes two hearing aids is what is recommended to fully support your hearing in everyday environments.
Why Two Hearing Aids?
There are several reasons two hearing aids are better for hearing. Hearing aids are instruments that are designed to absorb, amplify, and process speech as well as sound. This alleviates hearing loss symptoms adn maximizes hearing capacity. Both ears play an incredibly important role in processing sound, they receive and send sound signals to the brain. Two hearing aids help both ears do this, ensuring that the brain receives more sound information. This comprehensive support is especially useful for bilateral and asymmetrical hearing loss.
Bilateral hearing loss describes hearing loss in both ears rather than one. This type of hearing loss can be symmetrical or asymmetrical. Symmetrical hearing loss describes experiencing the same degree of hearing loss in both ears whereas asymmetrical refers to experiencing different degrees of hearing loss in the ears. One ear may be able to hear better than the other, even just slightly. Two hearing aids provide support for each ear, filling in the hearing gaps. Each hearing aid can be programmed differently to meet the specific needs in each ear. This allows each ear to receive the specific type of treatment needed to facilitate better hearing. The brain is then able to receive sound information from both ears which makes it easier to hear and understand what you are hearing.
Benefits of Two Hearing Aids
Two hearing aids offer numerous benefits that transform hearing health. Hearing aids are programmed by a hearing healthcare specialist to meet the specific needs of each ear. This individualized approach to treatment allows hearing loss to be effectively addressed in each ear. The brain receives much more sound information with two hearing aids, maximizing hearing capacity. Substantial research highlights that this comprehensive hearing support benefits hearing health in significant ways. With two hearing aids, people are better able to hear and communicate as well as navigate conversations with greater ease and comfort. Major benefits of two hearing aids include the following:
- greater speech recognition: two hearing aids absorb more speech and sound so the brain receives greater access to this auditory information. This strengthens speech recognition and processing.
- sharper sound quality: the support hearing aids provide to each ear also increases speech clarity and quality. This makes it easier to hear others and engage in conversations.
- enhanced sound localization: hearing aids also allow both ears to participate in detecting and absorbing sound. This helps the brain identify which direction sound is coming from, known as sound localization which is part of the hearing process. This supports hearing as well as contributes to spatial and environmental awareness as well as safety.
- safer listening: being able to use both ears to hear prevents the need to increase the volume on hearing aids and electronic devices like one’s phone or headphones. This helps protect hearing health from loud noise exposure and makes listening safer.
These benefits create optimal hearing experiences in everyday life. Two hearing aids enable people to hear much more clearly and easily which strengthens communication. This is especially useful in environments with background noise, in conversations with multiple people, and social settings.
Prioritize Your Hearing Health Today
The first step you can take towards treating hearing loss is having your hearing health evaluated. Hearing tests are conducted by hearing healthcare specialists and involve a painless process that measures your hearing capacities in both ears. This identifies any hearing loss and the degree of impairment you are experiencing in each ear. Once your hearing needs are established, your hearing healthcare provider is able to tailor treatment to meet those needs. Hearing aids are the most common treatment and these devices are programmed with settings that meet the specific needs in each ear. This comprehensively supports hearing in each ear, increasing hearing capacity. Treating hearing loss strengthens communication, improves relationships, enriches social interactions, and benefits overall health and quality of life.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment for a hearing consultation. We look forward to helping you prioritize your hearing health.
