The full range of normal hearing is experienced through both ears, not one or the other. Many people diagnosed with hearing loss are initially unable to decide whether they want to wear one hearing aid or two. It is widely held by hearing professionals that a person with hearing loss should try wearing two hearing aids before making a final decision on whether to wear one or two permanently. There are several reasons to choose to wear two hearing aids, called binaural hearing aids, as opposed to a single hearing aid.
Using both ears and bringing back the balance in sound provides patients many benefits. It is easier to distinguish individual conversations and fully concentrate on a specific conversation wearing two hearing aids. It is also easier to comprehend speech in crowded situations while wearing two hearing aids. Higher sound quality has also been reported by users of binaural aids; generally due to the fact binaural aids require a lower volume to work efficiently.
Sound identification is also easier when using two hearing aids, as in natural hearing, sound location is identified with both ears. As a safety issue, being able to locate exactly where sounds are coming from can identify the location of traffic or others in the area. Natural hearing with both ears also allows sound to be heard over longer distances, making binaural aids more like normal hearing.
One of the most important reasons to select binaural hearing aids is to possibly prevent further loss of word understanding in both ears. Studies have shown people who have a hearing loss over an extended period of time begin to loose the brains ability to process sounds into meaningful words.
It is always best to discuss the opportunity to use binaural hearing aids instead of one hearing aid with a hearing professional. Prior to making a decision, a hearing professional can provide examples of the difference between binaural hearing aids and a single aid. Through the use of headphones, microphones or master hearing aids at a fitting, a hearing professional can allow someone with hearing loss to make a fully informed decision on their new hearing experience.
