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Man able to enjoy lively party because he's using two hearing aids instead of one.

For most people both ears rarely have the same exact amount of hearing loss. Because one ear usually has worse hearing loss than the other, it raises the question: Can I just use one hearing aid in the ear that’s worse.

One hearing aid, in many situations, will not be preferable to two. But there are certain instances, significantly less common instances, however, in which a single hearing aid could be the right choice.

There’s a Reason Why You Have A Pair of Ears

Whether you know it or not, your ears effectively function as a pair. That means using two hearing aids has specific advantages over using one.

  • Being Able to Localize Properly: In order to figure out where sounds are coming from, your brain is not only working to interpret but also to place it. This is much easier when your brain can triangulate, and in order to do that, it needs solid signals from both ears. When you can only hear well out of one ear, it’s a lot more difficult to figure out where a sound is coming from (Which may be useful, for instance, if you live next to a busy street).
  • Focusing on Conversations: The whole point of using a hearing aid is to help your hearing. Other people talking is something you will certainly want to hear. Because your brain has more sound stimulation when wearing hearing aids, it is better capable of filtering out background noise allowing it to determine what sounds to concentrate on because they are closer.
  • Make The Health of Your Ears Better: Just as seldom used muscles can atrophy, so can an unused sense. Your hearing can begin to go downhill if your ears don’t get regular sound input. Get the organs of your ears the input they need to preserve your hearing by using two hearing aids. Wearing two hearing aids will also help decrease tinnitus (if you have it) and increase your ability to discern sounds.
  • Modern Hearing Aids Work as a Set: Just as your ears work as a pair normally, more modern hearing aid technology is designed to function as a pair. The two hearing aids communicate with one another using advanced features and artificial intelligence to, much like your brain, determine which sounds to focus on and amplify.

Does One Hearing Aid Make Sense in Some Scenarios?

Wearing a pair of hearing aids is the better choice in most cases. But the question is raised: If somebody is wearing a hearing aid in only one ear, why?

Well, commonly there are two reasons:

  • You still Hear Perfectly out of one ear: If only 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 definitely something you should have a conversation about your hearing professional about (having one better ear is not the same thing as having one perfect ear).
  • Financial concerns: Some people think if they can get by 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 know, however, it has been proven that your overall health costs will increase if you have untreated hearing loss. Even disregarding hearing loss for two years has been shown to increase your healthcare costs by 26 percent, and neglecting any hearing loss in one ear will elevate your risks for things like falling. So so that you can discover if wearing one hearing aid is right for you, speak with a hearing care specialist. We can also help you figure ways to make hearing aids more budget friendly.

Two Aids Are Preferable to One

In most circumstances, however, two hearing aids will be healthier for your ears and your hearing than just one. There are just too many benefits to having good hearing in both ears to disregard. In the majority of situations, just as 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 professional to have your hearing tested.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.
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