How We Hear

Two Ears are Better Than One
Imagine how you’d see if you wore a monocle rather than eyeglasses. Probably not very well. Judging distance or depth would be a problem and the world around you would be out of focus.

Wearing only one hearing aid is pretty much the same thing. Conversations are difficult to follow and you can’t always tell which direction sounds are coming from. Wearing hearing aids in both ears is called a binaural fitting and it offers many advantages over just one hearing aid.

Improved Sound Sensitivity
Wearing two hearing aids allows you to hear more sounds, more naturally, because the human auditory system is designed to pick up sound signals from both ears. Many people also find that listening with two ears is easier and more relaxing than listening with one, because you don’t have to strain to hear with your "good" ear. With two hearing aids, you should also be able to turn down the volume, helping to reduce the potential for feedback.

Sound Localization
Your ability to determine which direction sounds are coming from depends on having two equally functioning ears.

Sound from your environment reaches the ear that’s closer to the sound at a fraction of a second faster, and at a slightly higher intensity, than it reaches the opposite ear. These tiny differences are sent to your brain, which then determines where the sound is coming from and how far away it is. This is important — and potentially life-saving — information to know. Imagine that you hear a car horn honk. If you are only wearing one hearing aid, you won’t know which direction to move to get out of the car’s path.

Improved Listening in Noise
Listening in background noise is difficult for anyone. For people with hearing loss, it is even more difficult. Take away one ear and listening in noise is almost impossible. That’s because your brain needs input from both ears in order to separate sounds effectively.

With two hearing aids, your capacity to suppress unwanted background noise is improved, making it easier to hear conversations. Two hearing aids also means that you need less amplification, so you can turn the volume down and hear less of the irritating background noise.

Auditory Deprivation
When you do not wear a hearing aid on one ear, your brain begins to lose some of its ability to process information because of a lack of sound stimulation. This is called auditory deprivation. The earlier you consider wearing two hearing aids, the better your chances of minimizing this risk.

Today, there is a whole new class of hearing aids available that can help you enjoy the world of sound. Not only do they provide better sound quality and more flexibility, but they look better too. Just remember: Two ears are better than one!

If you think that you have a hearing loss, or would like more information about binaural fittings, talk to a hearing healthcare professional.

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