Why Aural Rehabilitation is Important
We know that the world of hearing aids and hearing loss can be quite confusing. You might have a lot of questions:
What is the latest technology? Do I need premium hearing aids? How do I make the most of my Hearing Aids?
When Hearing Aids don't work
Did you know that Hearing Aids are only half the solution to hearing loss? Many audiologists do not address the profound effects that hearing loss has on the brain. For example, people with normal hearing can turn off receptors of background noise, so they can hear their loved ones close to them while blocking out excessive background noise. This allows them to participate easily in a conversation in a restaurant, and not hear the man 4 tables away as loud as the person sitting next to them. People with hearing loss have receptors that all turn on at the same time, making understanding speech in noise very difficult, like when eating at a busy restaurant. This is a common complaint amongst our patients, persisting sometimes even while using hearing aids.
Our unique Aural Rehab program
So we see that the problem lies not just in your ears, but in your brain too! To improve your ability to understand language we retrain your brain to hear sounds as you previously did. Teaching your brain to differentiate between closer and further sounds, and prioritizing those closer sounds. This is why Aural Rehabilitation is so important for Hearing Aid users. Before Dr Lawrence became a Doctor of Audiology, she was a Speech Language Pathologist. She has a deep understanding of how the brain processes language, and how to utilize the neuroplasticity of the brain to enhance hearing. She has been applying a proprietary Aural Rehabilitation program to patients in her Mancos and Puerto Vallarta clinics, with very positive results. We are excited to share this process with you over the coming months!