Do hearing aids help you hear better and think clearer?
Speech understanding in quiet and noise, with and without hearing aids
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Hearing aids reduced perceived listening effort without improving objective cognitive test scores.
Many believe that reducing listening effort should free up cognitive resources and improve memory or attention—this study shows that doesn’t happen.
Practical Takeaways
If you or a loved one has hearing loss, get hearing aids to reduce listening fatigue and improve speech clarity in quiet and noisy settings.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Hearing aids reduced perceived listening effort without improving objective cognitive test scores.
Many believe that reducing listening effort should free up cognitive resources and improve memory or attention—this study shows that doesn’t happen.
Practical Takeaways
If you or a loved one has hearing loss, get hearing aids to reduce listening fatigue and improve speech clarity in quiet and noisy settings.
Publication
Journal
International Journal of Audiology
Year
2005
Authors
M. Hällgren, B. Larsby, B. Lyxell, S. Arlinger
Related Content
Claims (5)
If you're older and have trouble hearing, using hearing aids might help keep your brain sharper and lower your chances of developing dementia.
People with hearing loss who use hearing aids can understand speech better—by a noticeable amount—in quiet rooms and slightly better in noisy places where people are talking, making conversations clearer.
Wearing hearing aids doesn’t seem to make your memory or thinking skills better on tests, even though you might feel like it’s easier to listen and understand people.
People with hearing loss say it feels easier to listen when they wear hearing aids, even though tests don’t show their brains are working any better at processing sound.
No matter how old you are, if you have hearing loss and use a hearing aid, your age won’t change how well you understand speech or how hard you feel you have to listen.