Communication with and without HAs

[MaM]

I am 45 and will be getting HAs for the very first time. However, I have a life-long bilateral cookie-bite hearing loss that is getting slowly worse. (I didn't get HAs, before, because of the expense.) Right now, I have a 60 decibel loss in the mid-range, and the low-range is still just a mild loss, but dropping. High-range is good.

So here is my question: will using HAs affect the communication strengths I have when I'm NOT using them? I know they will be a benefit in my life and I am looking forward to having HAs, but as my brain adapts to them, will my non-HA ability in communication decrease?

I have been told by more than one ENT and more than one audiologist, over the years, that I have have amazing communication skills given my hearing loss. While I do get exhausted from "listening" and from some amounts of speech reading, I have always managed well, (except for on the telephone). I hope to preserve that ability for those times when I won't be wearing HAs, and as my hearing loss worsens (which it is doing).

I am just curious if anyone has knowledge about this... about how the brain adapts to different forms of communication. I am very happy to be getting HAs, by the way. It will just be an adjustment, of course. Thanks for your thoughts!

[Wes]

From my personal experience, I found that it took a few weeks and several adjustments to get the hearing aids working to my satisfaction with speech. (I'm still working on the "music" mode.) And then a bit longer for my brain to adapt. But when I take them out, there is no change in my previous unaided hearing (and brain interpretation) of speech.

Hope that makes sense.

[MaM]

From my personal experience, I found that it took a few weeks and several adjustments to get the hearing aids working to my satisfaction with speech. (I'm still working on the "music" mode.) And then a bit longer for my brain to adapt. But when I take them out, there is no change in my previous unaided hearing (and brain interpretation) of speech.

Hope that makes sense.

Yes, it makes sense. That's what I was hoping to hear. Thanks for your input!

[Gale]

8 months after getting hearing aids I do hear much worse without them. I think in part I quit listening with as much attention because the aids permitted my lost of focus because I could hear better with them.

It is just like if you work out every day and then do not do it for 8 months. You loss ground. If you work out every day and get 20 years older you can loose ground too. :)

This is not a bad think with hearing aids because we really do need them. Hearing with less stress is good for everything and everyone.

As the professionals tell you I expect you will experience it but just keep wearing the aids and hearing. Lowering the power on your better hearing left of the cookie bite I was told this week will help you "realize" better hearing in the bite part of your audiograms.

[MaM]

8 months after getting hearing aids I do hear much worse without them. I think in part I quit listening with as much attention because the aids permitted my lost of focus because I could hear better with them.

It is just like if you work out every day and then do not do it for 8 months. You loss ground. If you work out every day and get 20 years older you can loose ground too. :)

This is not a bad think with hearing aids because we really do need them. Hearing with less stress is good for everything and everyone.

As the professionals tell you I expect you will experience it but just keep wearing the aids and hearing. Lowering the power on your better hearing left of the cookie bite I was told this week will help you "realize" better hearing in the bite part of your audiograms.

This is very interesting. I had been wondering about whether the brain needed a sort of regular exercise for various communication levels (with aids, without, in a group, etc.) The ENT and audiologist did tell me the brain needs training to adapt to hearing aids, which is what made me curious about the brain becoming somewhat "unadapted" to communicating without them. I used the word "communicating" because it has to do with a whole trained ear-brain-social approach... not just hearing actual sounds.

Of course, I agree, the hearing aids are important and valuable. I will certainly be wearing them. I only wonder whether I should also allow myself times without them, to keep up the non-HA ability that has gotten me through life so far. I will talk more to the ENT and audiologist, but I think information from actual people in this situation is probably more valuable.

Thanks!

[Gale]

I do not wear mine very day. I am fine in private meetings with voices I know but I try to wear them when going to the movies, church, etc because the noise is not as bad with the aids on. When I am greasing the motorhome, mowing grass or running to WM in the rain, etc I just leave them out BUT as time passes I wear them more and more because my brain does expect their help. :)

[MaM]

I do not wear mine very day. I am fine in private meetings with voices I know but I try to wear them when going to the movies, church, etc because the noise is not as bad with the aids on. When I am greasing the motorhome, mowing grass or running to WM in the rain, etc I just leave them out BUT as time passes I wear them more and more because my brain does expect their help. :)

That sounds reasonable. I do expect to wear mine when I'm out. I am in outdoor groups, often, but also in classroom situations and around children and the background noise of children. Also, I can hardly hear people in the car. Using phones is the worst. However, one on one, or a small group, in a quiet room is never a problem for me so I would prefer not to be wearing HAs in those cases.

I suppose I will be experimenting with all this in the coming year. Thanks for the input!

[ms870]

I am sorry, but I don't want to rain on everyone's parade. I do have to disagree, and this is just my opinion. Your brain has to acclimate to hearing again after being without sound for however long one has their hearing loss. I personally would not encourage wearing them when you want to or just when you are out with people.

Your brain needs constant stimulation, it is hard to get used to hearing aids when you are a on again off again user. When you start to wear your hearing aids on a day to day basis after several months you will think when you take your hearing aids off that my hearing is getting worse. In my opinion what is happening is that you are finally getting back to the regular world of hearing(to the best of your ability) and when you take your hearing aids off you are now reliving how you were when you did not have hearing aids

I hope that came out well, it is easier to talk one on one about this then write it. This is just my opinion and what I believe. I personally would put them on and keep them on, except for bed, swimming and showering.

[MaM]

ms870,

I understand your point and have read about the recommended usages of HAs on medical websites, too. (And I will be discussing this more with my doctor and audiologist, of course). I think what has not been stated very clearly by any of us is just how much use of the HAs any of us are talking about. For me, I mean to wear mine every day, regularly. But not all day long. I do have two deaf friends and a father who wear HAs. None of them wear their HAs all day long, but they are regular HA users.

On the other hand, I believe wearing them too little, yes, sounds like it would be a problem for the brain to constantly adapt to. This is probably what I really need to find out. I will talk to my audiologist about just how long they need to be worn, on a daily basis.

My dad wears his about 50-50, but he wears them regularly and is happy with them. If he's happy with it that way, and continues to wear them, then it seems alright. I think the biggest problem, from what I've read online, is that many part-time users simply keep decreasing the time in use until they stop using them altogether. So part of the recommendation to wear them all the time comes from the fear that if you don't, you're at risk for stopping. But this does not explain those people who wear them part-time successfully.

My initial question was really about how the brain adapts. Since I have been so "successful" without HAs (that is, no one knew I had a hearing problem), it's a difficult concept for me to have to wear them all the time. On the other hand, I know that it is very important that the brain be allowed to adapt to HAs with regular use. So there must be some research about how much is enough. I use my eyeglasses 50% of the time and that works great for me. But hearing is different, I know.

Thanks, again. This is all very interesting and good stuff to reflect upon!

[Hask12]

From my own personal experience I have a tendency to agree with ms870. You need to wear them all the time to ajust to them and get the most benefits from them. Consequently when you don't wear them you will be much more aware of your loss and will not be confident without them. Will they make your hearing worse, probably not, but your perception will certainly make you think they are.