THE RISK OF EARNING HEARING AIDS

Hearing aids can improve the quality of life for people with hearing loss, but Chua noted that users may be initially reluctant to try them as they get used to them. “People think hearing aids are magical wonders, but it’s not as simple as wearing glasses,” he said. “The brain needs time to adjust to hearing again.”

In general, people wait six to seven years before taking steps to correct hearing loss. However, the longer a person waits to deal with their hearing loss, the more difficult it is to treat later, especially with conventional hearing aids. “Imagine having hearing loss for five years before you act…Our brain needs time to relearn the ability to distinguish and understand what was heard,” explained Chua. “And that’s why first-time hearing aid users tend to feel more tired at the end of the day, because their brains are working a lot to process sound signals.”