Watching TV is an activity we engage in regularly. Depending on age range, some people can spend up to five hours a day watching TV. This is a significant amount of time and if you have trouble hearing, it can be frustrating struggling to understand the programming you are watching.
Difficulty watching TV and having to consistently increase the volume are actually some of the most common signs of hearing loss. Treating impaired hearing and wearing hearing aids significantly improves one’s auditory system. This increases hearing ability and effective communication.
Wearing hearing aids while watching TV allows you to follow along with greater ease and comfortability. In addition to wearing hearing aids, there are several useful ways to watch TV that help create a seamless listening experience.
Impact of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is a common health condition that millions of people navigate on a daily basis. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, nearly 1 in 8 people have some degree of hearing loss in one or both ears. This chronic medical condition can be caused by a range of factors including environmental exposure to loud noise, genetic history, and existing health issues.
Hearing loss results in a reduced ability to hear which has various symptoms including the following:
- Difficulty following conversations as sounds are muffled
- Tinnitus, a buzzing or ringing noise in one or both ears
- Needing others to repeat themselves, speak loudly and/or slowly
- Hearing better in one ear over the other
- Regularly increasing the volume on electronic devices
These symptoms can be experienced mildly to severely and can strain communication, relationships, and contribute to stress and anxiety.
Treating hearing loss can alleviate these symptoms and drastically improve hearing. Impaired hearing is most commonly treated with hearing aids which are small electronic devices designed to absorb, amplify, and process sound.
Tips for Watching TV
Similar to most electronics today, hearing aids have experienced significant innovation over the years. There is a wide range of options that come with various features and technologies that allow hearing aids to easily integrate into your daily life. There is also greater capacity for connectivity which is important in this increasingly digital world.
These features enhance usability and overall listening experience, enhancing watching tv. There are useful tips that improve accessibility while watching tv with hearing aids including:
- Know the Right Settings Hearing aids are savvy devices that have programming options to meet your needs in different settings. It is important to be aware of these options and how to set your hearing aids to maximize use in the different environments you move through. This includes while watching television. There are hearing aid options that come with noise-cancellation features which reduce background noise. This allows you to hear sound more clearly without having to increase the volume on your hearing aids. You can thoroughly discuss this and practice with a hearing healthcare specialist who can help you establish the best program to apply while watching tv.
- Use Wireless Connectivity
Part of the innovative technology that is now available is wireless connectivity. Using Bluetooth technology, your hearing aids can connect to other electronic devices including your television. This allows your hearing aids to stream audio directly from your television to your hearing device (also works from speakers, laptop etc.). Sound quality is sharpened and listening becomes much smoother. - Apply Closed Captions It may be helpful to use closed captions which refer to subtitles that provide the text of what you are watching on the screen. This can give you another point of reference, helping you follow along. Most streaming platforms, cable boxes, and televisions have closed captioning services built in so all you have to do is turn the closed captions on.
Hearing aids are an important investment that allow you to engage in the activities you enjoy with ease, including watching television. Knowing how to effectively use your hearing aids and what technologies as well as features could best meet your needs can significantly improve your listening experience!