Family Physician: A Friend to Depend On

Posted on: 27 February 2018

When you get your hearing tested by an audiologist and learn that you have hearing loss, one of the next topics that you'll need to discuss is whether you should get one hearing aid or two. There are lots of people who opt for both strategies, and you may indeed only need one because of hearing loss in one ear. However, if your hearing specialist suggests that you'd benefit from hearing aids in both ears, it's important to heed this advice. Some people may shy away from two hearing aids because they're worried that two are more visible, but opting for two is a decision that you won't regret. Here are some reasons to go with two hearing aids.

More Directional Awareness

If you were to only get one hearing aid — for example, in your left ear — it's probable that that ear will hear better than the other. This can result in your left ear picking up more sounds than your right, even if a sound is actually coming from your right side. This situation can be frustrating for you and those around you. For example, if someone on your right side says your name, you might automatically turn to your left because your brain detects the sound through your left ear. With two hearing aids that allow your hearing to be equal on both sides, you won't have this issue.

Less Fuss Over Positioning

With just one hearing aid, you'd likely realize that you hear better through that ear. This may compel you to always attempt to position your body so that the ear with the hearing aid faces the sound source. Such a scenario can lead to considerable fuss. For example, you might insist on positioning yourself in a certain way before you converse with someone, or you may constantly be trying to move around in different environments until your hearing aid ear is closest to whoever is talking. Two hearing aids will prevent you from fussing in this manner.

Better Body Symmetry

For hearing aid users who are highly conscious about the way that they look, they may choose just a single hearing aid so that they can position that side of their body accordingly when they're having their photo taken, for example. However, your effort to put forth your non-hearing aid ear can not only be awkward at times, but can also potentially result in you struggling to hear sounds in that direction. Getting two hearing aids will help you to feel more balanced and in symmetry. In other words, it won't matter how you position your body because your hearing aids will be visible regardless.