Santa Clarita audiologist Nola Aronson of Advanced Audiology is addressing a few common reasons people tend to avoid getting hearing aids, and educating the community on why these beliefs are really just myths today.

#1 –  Hearing aids are for “old” people.

While aging does play a role in hearing loss, Aronson noted that there are many other causes which could lead to a younger person needing a hearing aid.

“It does have to do with aging, but it also has to do with noise exposure, … a history of ear infections,” Aronson explained. “You can have hearing loss from just wax in your ears, you can have hearing loss from fluid in your ears — there’s lots of things that you can have hearing loss from besides aging.”

Related: Santa Clarita Audiologist: Hearing Loss Isn’t Just About Volume, It’s About Clarity

#2 – All hearing aids are large and obvious.

This may have been true many years ago when hearing aids were first created, but today’s technology has made this common belief a myth, according to Aronson.

“We have these tiny little hearing aids that nobody even notices,” she said, asking why so many people are comfortable wearing Bluetooth devices that are far more obvious, but refuse to wear a hearing aid.

“Everybody wears Bluetooth devices because they have to be hands-free on their cell phones now,” Aronson continued. “These Bluetooth devices hang out of your ear and are so big and conspicuous.”

#3 – Hearing aids are too expensive.

When someone chooses Aronson’s Advanced Audiology for their hearing loss solution, the cost of the hearing aid is bundled to include years of service, making it a much better value than people may realize.

“You get lots of care when you come to Advanced Audiology — it’s not just, ‘Oh, I got your money now — goodbye,’” Aronson said. “We see you back years after years after years. You never pay anything to see us for our service.”

When it comes to price, Aronson believes that a person’s investment in their own health and quality of life should be worth the cost.

“Realize that hearing aids are not a commodity — they are a medical device,” she said. “If it’s done properly, it comes with a lot of extra bells and whistles and counseling and service that hearing aids happen to need… I’m not out there trying to ‘sell’ you a hearing aid. I’m out there giving you a solution for your hearing loss.”

#4 – Getting a hearing aid won’t change a person’s quality of life.

Aronson believes just the opposite is true: that not get a hearing aid to correct hearing loss is detrimental to a person’s quality of life.

“You start making excuses why you can’t do certain things or you don’t want to go somewhere because you know you’re missing out on things,” she said. “The other thing is, you start to have fights with people because you’re not hearing them and then you misunderstand and you take it wrong… So then you don’t even have a good relationship life with your family and the people that you love.”

Living with an uncorrected hearing loss can also affect a person’s health, Aronson added.

“The studies have shown, No. 1, you’re bringing on a cognitive problem faster,” she said. “If you’re going to get dementia or Alzheimer’s, it could make it come on faster because your brain is missing the information.”

Heart problems have also been tied to untreated hearing loss in recent studies, according to Aronson.

“Many medical problems are related to hearing loss,” she said.

The bottom line?

“Those are the kinds of things after 40 years of being in this profession that I see,” Aronson said of the above four reasons why people choose not to get a hearing aid, despite them being largely untrue.

She continued, “It is so frustrating to me as an audiologist, because the reason I’m an audiologist is because I love helping people… And when somebody says to me, ‘I don’t have a hearing loss,’ and I just tested them (and they do), in a way, that cuts me off from helping people. So it affects me just as much as the person with the hearing loss.”

Advanced Audiology was founded in 2010 by Santa Clarita audiologist Nola Aronson, who has been fitting hearing aids, doing hearing test exams and offering hearing aid repairs for more than 30 years. Advanced Audiology is the largest diagnostic hearing center in the Santa Clarita Valley, focusing on clients with hearing loss, tinnitus, ears ringing and more. Hearing tests, hearing aids and new sound infrared devices are also available at Advanced Audiology in addition to a complete hearing healthcare program that includes free batteries, quarterly cleanings and adjustments.

Advanced Audiology

23822 Valencia Blvd. #103

Valencia, CA 91355

661-877-4272

Advanced Audiology – Valencia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OGuSGhPCJQ

Advanced Audiology, Santa Clarita Audiologist, Santa Clarita Hearing Aid Specialist, Hearing Loss, Hearing Aids, Tinnitus, Ears Ringing, Free Hearing Screenings in Santa Clarita, Hearing Aid Repairs, Hearing Test Exam