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Sense of sound direction
Why do people have two ears? Because the brain needs input from both ears to tell us which direction sounds are coming from. Think about a car honking its horn, for example. Your ears alert you to the danger, sending sound signals to your brain. Within a split second, your brain compares the information received from both ears - such as the power and intensity of the sound wave, and how long it took to reach each ear. This tells you instantly which direction the car is coming from, and how far away it is.
Localizing sound
The reason we can localize sounds is because of the physical distance between our ears. For instance, the sound of a car horn on your left-hand side reaches your left ear a fraction of a second before it reaches your right ear, and with greater power. This is why you know immediately that the car is rapidly approaching from the left. It is nature's way of keeping us safe and feeling comfortable in everyday situations.
Understanding people in noise
Background noise makes it difficult to follow what people are saying. For people who don't hear equally well with both ears, it suddenly becomes much harder to separate individual voices from background noise. The brain needs input from both ears in order to separate sounds effectively.
Reducing the risk of auditory deprivation
Another risk that is considerably reduced by wearing two hearing aids is the risk of 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. Auditory deprivation most often occurs when the ear goes unaided over a long period of time - so the earlier you consider wearing two hearing aids, the better your chances are of minimizing this risk.
A fuller sound picture
If you hear equally well with both ears, sounds are more comfortable to listen to. You don't have to strain to hear, and sounds have the kind of clarity and depth that give you a sense of space and volume. Imagine listening to your favorite program on the stereo. It has two amplifiers and two speakers, to give music and speech a natural depth. However, if only one amplifier and speaker is working, the sounds become shallow and flat. If you should be wearing two hearing instruments but only wear one, you may also perceive sound in this way. Fortunately, your hearing care professional can correct this by fitting you with an instrument in both ears. |
