Two questions about hearing aids come up again and again: Will they keep my hearing loss from getting worse, and could wearing them damage my hearing? The honest answer to both is no, with a few important details. At Hearing Care Associates Inc., board-certified hearing aid specialists John Dull, BC-HIS, and Travis Thomley, BC-HIS, can evaluate your hearing, explain what may be behind the changes you notice, and help you understand what hearing aids can and cannot do at our offices in Janesville, Portage and Freeport. While they can’t reverse hearing loss, properly fitted devices amplify sound so you can hear more clearly.
Where Does Most Permanent Hearing Loss Start in the Ear?
Most permanent hearing loss starts in the inner ear, where tiny hair cells become damaged or are lost. These cells do not regenerate, so this type of hearing loss is usually permanent. Hearing aids cannot repair the damage, but they can make sounds easier to hear and help you communicate more comfortably.
Sound travels through the outer and middle ear to the cochlea, a snail-shaped structure in the inner ear. Thousands of hair cells inside the cochlea convert sound vibrations into electrical signals, which travel along the auditory nerve to the brain.
Hair cells can be damaged by:
- Natural aging
- Exposure to loud noise over time or from a single loud event
- Genetic factors
Some hearing problems, such as earwax blockage or certain middle ear conditions, may be treatable. A hearing evaluation helps identify the type and degree of hearing loss so you can explore the most appropriate options, including a referral to a physician or ENT specialist when a medical cause is suspected.
Is There a Way to Slow Hearing Loss With Hearing Aids?
Hearing aids generally do not prevent or slow the physical progression of hearing loss. However, they may help preserve the brain’s ability to understand speech by keeping the auditory system active and engaged.
When hearing loss goes untreated, the brain receives less sound information over time. This reduced stimulation, known as auditory deprivation, can make the brain areas responsible for processing sound less active. As a result, clients may find speech increasingly difficult to understand, even once they begin wearing hearing aids.
Consistently wearing properly fitted hearing aids provides the brain with the regular sound input it needs to process. This helps maintain speech understanding, which is often more important than simply making sounds louder. Because many people wait years after noticing hearing difficulties to seek care, an earlier evaluation can make a meaningful difference.
How Do Hearing Aids Restore the Speech Sounds You Miss?
Hearing aids restore the speech sounds you miss by amplifying the specific frequencies you have difficulty hearing. Rather than making every sound louder, modern digital hearing aids are programmed to match your hearing loss, listening needs, and surroundings.
Many speech sounds, particularly consonants such as “s,” “f,” and “th,” fall in higher frequencies that are often the first affected by hearing loss. When these sounds are difficult to hear, words can blend together or seem mumbled. By bringing these sounds back within reach, hearing aids help make speech clearer and easier to follow.
Many hearing aids also include features designed to support communication, such as:
- Noise reduction to help in busy environments
- Speech enhancement to emphasize voices
- Feedback suppression to reduce whistling
- Automatic adjustments as listening environments change
Hearing aids cannot eliminate all background noise, and some hearing difficulty may remain. Adjusting to amplified sound also takes time. Wearing your hearing aids consistently and sharing feedback with your hearing aid specialist helps you get the most benefit from your devices.
When Should You Have Your Hearing Aids Checked in Janesville?
You should have your hearing aids checked as soon as your hearing seems to change. If hearing declines while you wear properly fitted hearing aids, the change is most likely due to the natural progression of hearing loss rather than the devices themselves. Correctly fitted and programmed hearing aids are designed to support hearing, not damage it.
Some clients notice that sounds seem quieter or more distant when they remove their hearing aids. This happens because the brain becomes accustomed to clearer, amplified sound. It does not necessarily mean hearing has worsened, but any noticeable change should be evaluated.
Hearing aids include maximum output limits to keep amplification safe. Problems may occur when devices are too loud, poorly programmed, or not designed for your hearing loss. You should never wear hearing aids that belong to someone else. Distorted, uncomfortable, or overly loud sounds may indicate a need for adjustment.
Schedule a follow-up appointment if you notice:
- More difficulty understanding conversations
- Sounds that seem distorted or uncomfortable
- Frequent volume increases to hear clearly
- Changes in hearing in one ear
An updated hearing test can confirm whether your hearing has changed. In many cases, John Dull or Travis Thomley can reprogram your existing hearing aids to address new hearing needs.
How Do Our Hearing Aid Specialists Help You Pick a Device?
Our hearing aid specialists help you pick a device by evaluating your hearing, discussing your communication needs and lifestyle, recommending appropriate hearing aids, and programming them for your specific hearing loss.
This begins with a comprehensive hearing evaluation to determine the type and degree of hearing loss. From there, the conversation may include where you have the most difficulty hearing, how active your lifestyle is, and which features may be most useful.
Hearing aids vary in size, style, features, and price, including behind-the-ear, in-the-ear, and in-the-canal designs. During your hearing aid fitting, John Dull or Travis Thomley can explain each option and help you choose a device that fits your hearing needs, comfort, and budget.
Find the Right Hearing Aids at Hearing Care Associates Inc.
If hearing changes are making conversations more difficult, a consultation with John Dull or Travis Thomley can help you sort out your next step. A hearing evaluation can clarify the cause of your hearing difficulties and help determine whether hearing aids or a referral for other treatment is right for you.
Call our Janesville office at 608-752-3529, our Portage office at 608-747-5900, or our Freeport office at 815-239-0010, or contact Hearing Care Associates Inc. to schedule an appointment.
