Are Two Hearing Aids Better Than One?

Our team of professionals understand that purchasing hearing aids is an important investment in your life, which is why we pride ourselves on answering all of your questions about hearing healthcare during your appointment. 

One of the most frequent questions that we get asked at Hearing Solutions is whether two hearing aids are better than just getting just one, so let’s explore that in more detail. 

The Benefits of Two Hearing Aids

We have bilateral hearing, meaning that your ears will detect noise that will then be sent to your brain. Your brain then processes the received noise into a sound that is recognized to have further meaning. This process is much easier if your brain is getting signals from both ears, rather than just one ear.

Your two ears function as a pair, and most Audiologists will recommend two hearing aids if you struggle with hearing loss in both ears. This is mainly because you will hear better with two hearing aids instead of one, since they will work together as a pair. 

Many patients also have a different degree of hearing loss in each ear, which allows your Audiologist the opportunity to program each hearing aid separately to address your specific needs.

Keep Your Ears In Top Shape

One of the best ways to keep your body fit and strong is to make sure that you are engaging in regular exercise, such as running, walking, riding a bike, or playing your favourite sports.  

Just like other parts of your body, your brain needs to be exercised regularly. One way to do this is through your ears. Your brain depends on them for sound stimulation to remain healthy, otherwise they will atrophy if they are not being used. 

If your ears go too long without any input signals at all, then your hearing can start to deteriorate even faster. With hearing aids, you give them the input they need to preserve your hearing with the use of two hearing aids. Plus, using hearing aids can help reduce tinnitus (if this is a condition that you suffer from).

 

They Give You the Ability to Properly Localize Sound

In order to understand where sounds are coming from, your brain works to not only process it, but also place it in the space around you. This is much easier when your brain can triangulate. In order for it to do that, however, it must get solid input from both of your ears. Things get much more difficult when the sounds are only coming from one ear.

 

Get Much Better Sound Quality

If you’re experiencing hearing loss or interruptions, it’s likely affecting your ability to participate in conversations. Investing in hearing aids can allow you to hear at a typical sound level once more, and process what others are saying to you at a faster rate. 

This is especially the case in places where there is a lot of background noise competing for your attention. Being able to understand speech is the foundation of good communication and relationships, and there is no better reason to get your hearing loss treated properly. 

If you find you are still having trouble hearing with only one hearing aid, research suggests that two hearing aids can greatly improve your ability to hear and understand others when they speak. 

Save More Battery Power

There are many benefits involved in wearing two hearing aids versus just one. Doing so improves one’s ability to pick up on different frequencies, achieving a phenomenon called binaural summation. This allows the user to understand speech and conversation (regardless of the environment) much better. 

When you have an increased perception volume from using two hearing aids instead of one, you will be able to have a higher ability to hear in terms of loudness. Each device won’t need to have a high power output or be turned up too high as if you’re using a single device trying to accomplish the work of two; meaning you’ll be able to save battery life or even use smaller hearing aids.  

 

Experience Higher User Satisfaction 

Many audiologists and hearing healthcare professionals say that their patients report greater hearing aid satisfaction when they begin wearing two hearing aids compared to just one. This is especially true for those who have more hearing difficulty in day-to-day life who showed a stronger preference for wearing two hearing aids. This means that for all of your daily activities that can’t be measured in a hearing care test, wearing two hearing aids can help bring you more guaranteed satisfaction. 

For more information about hearing aids, or if you would like to book an appointment to take a hearing test, contact Hearing Solutions at 1-888-811-9979.

 

References

Cox, R. M., Schwartz, K. S., Noe, C. M., & Alexander, G. C. (2011). Preference for one or two hearing AIDS among adult patients. Ear and Hearing. Retrieved September 19, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3042486/.

Eastside Audiology & Hearing Services. (2019, August 7). Is one hearing aid enough or do I need two? Retrieved September 19, 2021, from https://www.eastsideaudiology.com/hearing-loss-articles/is-one-hearing-aid-enough-or-do-i-need-two/.

One hearing aid or two? Harvard Health. (2019, December 5). Retrieved September 19, 2021, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/one-hearing-aid-or-two.

Victory, J. (2019, October 7). One hearing aid vs. two. Healthy Hearing. Retrieved September 19, 2021, from https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/51388-Hearing-aids-two-are-better-than-one.