Tru-Tone Hearing Aid Service Newsletter

WHEN IS ONE LESS THAN HALF?
OR
WHY DO I NEED TO HEAR WITH BOTH EARS?

Contrary to what you may think, one ear working less effectively than the other can have a significant impact on your daily activities. Hearing with one ear is like trying to see with one eye-it's possible, but not as effective. That's why you don't see people wearing monocles anymore. They became obsolete when eye specialist realized the many important advantages of balanced hearing. Like two legs, two wings and two eyes, nature has equipped the animal kingdom with a balanced pair of ears for reason very important to their existence. Many species depend on two ears to locate prey, adversaries and even mates. And without two ears working evenly, their survival would be in doubt.

Although our ears certainly vital, our sense of "hearing" actually occurs in between. Taking the input from both ears, the "built-in" signal processor" known as our brain blends these signals into a single sound "picture."

To enjoy true balanced sound perception, BOTH ears must be functioning evenly. Without such equality, our brain presents us with incomplete information. To prevent this, we at Tru-Tone may recommend you wear two hearing aids.

Localization of sound can be important to your safety. Balanced hearing is vital to our ability to locate from where a sound comes. Our brain instinctively locates a sound source by measuring the tiny differences in duration and intensity between each ear. When crossing a street, the sound of an approaching car reaches the closer ear slightly before the other ear and at a higher intensity. The brain, allowing us to recognize the car's location, translates these differences.

One of the nice things about balanced hearing is what you DON'T have to hear. Our two ears working together give us the ability to "cut through" or isolate one specific sound over others. With two inputs, the brain can select a specific sound and concentrate on in. So, depending on your hearing loss, you may not have to work as hard to hear effectively in certain areas.

Remember the first time you heard music in stereo? Remember how full and realistic the sound seemed when compared to monaural? That smoother, more natural sound quality is more apparent when both ears are working evenly. The realistic sound of stereo hearing can help you respond more accurately and confidently regardless of where or when conversations occur.

With both ears providing even input, less amplification may be required to achieve a comfortable listening level. And you don't need to worry about always getting your 'good ear' turned toward sounds. With all the additional benefits, you may actually find balanced hearing to be less stressful.

At Tru-Tone Hearing we can determine by electronic evaluation if wearing two hearing aids can help you. Even if you are already wearing one aid, better hearing with both ears could offer you a fuller, more enriching sound experience.

Omni Hearing Systems

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