Why 2 Hearing Aids Are Better than 1?

If you are ready to proceed with the purchase of hearing aids, you may have many questions about the process. One of the most common questions that audiologists and hearing care professionals receive is whether it is necessary to fit two hearing aids, i.e. whether two hearing aids are better than one. The short answer: a resounding “yes”. It is important that the person with hearing loss be given the opportunity to experience bilateral amplification, i.e. two hearing aids, before any decision is made. Just as when having vision problems is treated with a pair of glasses, it makes sense that hearing loss should be treated similarly with a pair of hearing aids.

So here we will discuss Why 2 Hearing Aids Are Better than 1?

• Better understanding of speech. By wearing two hearing aids instead of one, selective listening is easier to achieve. This means your mind can focus on the conversation you want to hear. Research shows that people who wear two hearing aids understand speech and conversation significantly better than people who wear one hearing aid.
• Better understanding in group and noisy situations. Speech clarity is improved in difficult listening situations wearing two hearing aids.
• Better ability to perceive the direction of sound. This is called localization of sound. In a social gathering, for example, localisation allows you to hear exactly which direction and exactly where someone is speaking to you. It also helps you to determine from which direction, for example, a vehicle is moving, or when your children or grandchildren are playing. Simply put, localization of sound results in better sound detection, i.e. where the sounds are coming from in any given situation.
• Smoother sound quality. Wearing two hearing aids, in general, requires less amplification-intensity than one. The need for less amplification means less distortion and better reproduction of amplified sound.
• Wider acoustic spectrum. A person can hear sounds from an additional distance using both ears, rather than just one. A voice that can barely be heard at 3 meters with one ear can be heard up to 12 meters with two ears.
• Better recognition sounds. Often, with only a hearing aid, many noises and words sound the same, and as a result, they can be confused. But with two hearing aids, as with two ears, sounds are much easier to distinguish.
• Both ears are kept active, with potentially less deterioration in hearing loss. Research has shown that when there is only one hearing aid, the naked ear (i.e. the ear without a hearing aid) tends to lose its ability to hear and understand. This is clinically referred to as the ‘auditory deprivation effect’. Wearing two hearing aids keeps both ears active.
• Hearing is less tiring and listening is more pleasant. Most users of two hearing aids note that listening and participating in conversation is more enjoyable with two instruments, rather than just one. This is because they don’t have to strain to hear with the best ear.Thus, dual-fit listening makes conversations more relaxing.
• A sense of balanced listening.Binaural hearing aids have the effect of giving a sense of balanced sound reception, also known as stereo performance, as opposed to monaural hearing which creates an unusual sense of sounds by hearing them at a different power level from one ear and at a different level from the other ear.
• Tinnitus reduction. Approximately 50% of people with tinnitus (buzzing) report improvement or elimination by wearing two hearing aids. If a person with tinnitus wears a hearing aid in one ear, there will still be tinnitus in the ear not wearing a hearing aid.

Conclusion

Just as you use both eyes to see clearly, you should have two ears that hear clearly. Before you decide on one hearing aid, try two. Your hearing care professional can also demonstrate to you the benefits of dual fitting, either through the hearing aids during the test, or by giving you examples from your daily life that demonstrate the above. Decide what is best for yourself!