Better hearing - both ears

Better hearing - both ears!

Being able to hear with both ears is as important as being able to see with both eyes.

If you have difficulty hearing with both ears then you will almost certainly benefit from a binaural fitting - that is wearing a digital hearing aid in both ears.

Wearing two digital hearing aids is generally better than one - not because they make sounds twice as loud, but because they provide a more natural perception of sound.

Advantages of wearing one hearing aid in each ear:

Better sound quality and smoother tone:

Imagine listening to your favourite program on the stereo. It has two amplifiers and two speakers, to give music and speech a natural depth. If only one amplifier and speaker are working, the sounds become shallow and flat. This is how people who only wear one digital hearing aid, but should be wearing two, may also perceive sound. And that puts them at a disadvantage.

Sense of sound and direction:

The ability to localise sounds improves when wearing two digital hearing aids because the brain gets input from both ears and can then easily find out where sounds are coming from. For example, localization of speech at a social gathering will be far easier when both ears are actively engaged in listening.

Enjoy the details with both ears:

Another area that demands good hearing in both ears is when you are in a noisy environment, trying to focus on a conversation. It could be at a party, for instance, where everyone is talking and people are constantly moving around. Once again, the brain needs input from both ears in order to separate the uninteresting, background sounds from the speech sounds in the foreground. With two digital hearing aids you have a much better chance of hearing and understanding what is being said.

Wearing two digital hearing aids keeps both ears active:

Perhaps one of the most important reasons to wear two digital hearing aids is that they reduce the risk of a condition known as 'auditory deprivation'. This is when the brain gradually loses some of its ability to process information from the unaided ear because of a continued lack of sound stimulation. A deprived ear will become more and more lazy, so it is important not to wait too long.

Less tiring and more enjoyable hearing:

Wearing one digital hearing aid in each ear can also make sounds more enjoyable and more comfortable to listen to. It becomes less of a strain to hear, and sounds have the kind of clarity and depth that provide a sense of space and volume. In other words, you get more out of the sounds in the world when you are listening with both ears or using a digital hearing aid in each ear.

Two ears for better sound identification:

If you block one ear, you may notice that many noises and words begin to sound alike. But when listening with both ears, the sounds are generally more distinguishable and this is the same with wearing a digital hearing aid in both ears.

Digital hearing aids that communicate with each other:

There are many reasons why the brain responds better to two digital hearing aids being worn and this benefit can be further enhanced with the latest hearing instruments that actually communicate with each other. Digital hearing aids such as Oticon Epoq takes binaural hearing instrument fitting to a whole new level by letting the two hearing aids communicate with each other and enhance the user experience further for better clarity and understanding.