For most people both ears rarely have exactly the same amount of hearing loss. One ear is usually a small amount worse than the other, sparking many to raise the question: Can I just use one hearing aid in the ear that’s worse.
One hearing aid, in many situations, will not be better than two. But there are some instances, significantly less common instances, that is, that one hearing aid could be the right choice.
There’s a Reason Why You Have A Pair of Ears
Your ears efficiently function as a pair whether you know it or not. Which means that there are certain benefits to using two hearing aids.
- The Ability to Correctly Localize: In order to determine where sounds are coming from, your brain is not only working to interpret but also to place it. This is a lot easier when your brain can triangulate, and to do that, it needs solid signals from both ears. When you can only hear well out of one ear, it’s a lot harder to figure out where a sound is coming from (Which might be useful, for instance, if you live next to a busy street).
- Modern Hearing Aids Work as a Set: More modern hearing aid technology is made to work as a pair in the same way as your ears are. The two hearing aids communicate with one another using sophisticated features and artificial intelligence to, much like your brain, identify which sounds to amplify and focus on.
- Tuning in When People Are Talking: If you use a hearing aid, the whole point is to help your hearing. Other people conversing is something you will certainly need to hear. Using two hearing aids allows your brain to better filter out background noises. Because your mind has more available data your brain can figure out what is closer and consequently more likely to be something you want to focus on.
- Make The Health of Your Ears Better: An unused sense will atrophy in the same way as an unused muscle will. If your ears go for long periods without an input, your hearing can start to go downhill. Wearing hearing aids in both ears ensures that the organs associated with hearing receive the input they need to maintain your hearing. Using two hearing aids can also help minimize tinnitus (if you have it) and increase your ability to discern sounds.
Are There Circumstances Where One Hearing Aid Makes Sense?
Using two hearing aids is the better choice in most cases. But the question is raised: why would someone use a hearing aid in just one ear?
Commonly we hear two specific reasons:
- Monetary concerns: Some individuals feel if they can make do with one they will save money. Getting one hearing aid is better then not getting any at all if you can’t really afford a pair. It’s important to recognize, however, it has been proven that your total health costs will increase if you have untreated hearing loss. Your healthcare expenses have been demonstrated to rise by 26 percent after just two years of neglected hearing loss. So so that you can learn if wearing one hearing aid is right for you, talk to a hearing care specialist. We can also help you figure ways to make hearing aids more affordable.
- One Ear Still Has Perfect Hearing: If just one of your ears requires a hearing aid, then you may be best served by using a hearing aid in just one ear but it’s certainly something you should talk to your hearing professional about (having one better ear is not the same thing as having one perfect ear).
One Hearing Aid is Not as Beneficial as Two
Two hearing aids, however, will be better than one for your ears and hearing in the vast majority of circumstances. There are just too many benefits to having good hearing in both ears to disregard. In the majority of cases, just like having two ears is better than having one, having two hearing aids is definitely better than having only one. Schedule an appointment with a hearing care pro to have your hearing checked.