Beyond Amplification: Why Hearing Aids Alone Aren't Enough

Most hearing aid users still struggle to understand speech despite expensive devices. In this powerful patient story, Celia explains the missing piece in hearing care: brain training. While hearing aids amplify sound, they can't teach your brain to process what you're hearing.

Hearing aids amplify sound, but they can't teach your brain to understand what you're hearing. This gap between hearing and comprehension is why many patients still struggle despite expensive devices.

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In this conversation with Celia, a writer in her late 70s, we explore how brain training with Lace complements hearing technology to deliver what patients truly need: better understanding in real-world situations.

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"No device will solve this problem"

Celia's hearing journey mirrors what many patients experience – progressively stronger hearing aids that still left her frustrated.

"My continual complaint was that while we would trade up in hearing devices, I still wasn't understanding what people were saying," Celia explains. "Loudness or pitch wasn't enough."

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Her audiologist finally suggested Lace as a solution for what hearing aids alone couldn't fix: the brain's ability to process speech.

"It isn't that you can't hear them," Celia notes. "It's that your brain is not processing the words so they're clear enough to understand."

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The Missing Component in Hearing Care

Traditional hearing care focuses almost exclusively on amplification while neglecting a critical element: auditory rehabilitation. Celia compares it to getting a joint replacement:

"You'd spend weeks and weeks with a doctor, maybe months getting totally rehabilitated. Same with a hip replacement. And we just don't do that with the ears. We just give you a device and send you on your way."

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This oversight leaves patients with sophisticated technology but without the skills to use it effectively.

"I could have the most up-to-date hearing devices on the planet. But if the muscle part of my brain is not developing the skill to ascertain what's being said... I will always be shortchanging myself."

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Real-World Results

Lace has helped Celia in specific, measurable ways:

Better understanding her fast-talking grandchildren
Reduced need to ask people to repeat themselves
Improved comprehension in challenging environments like restaurants

The training revealed a crucial insight: "What Lace taught me was how often what I thought was being said was not being said."

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Why It Works: "Physical Therapy for the Brain"

Lace auditory training addresses what devices can't: neural processing of sound into meaningful speech.

"It's physical therapy for hearing," Celia says. "If my brain is not developing the skill to ascertain what's being said in a crowded room or by a female voice very fast... I will always be shortchanging myself."

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She emphasizes that the training requires consistency but makes progress accessible through adjustable difficulty levels and the ability to revisit challenging exercises.
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The Future of Comprehensive Hearing Care

For hearing care professionals, Celia's experience highlights a critical opportunity: combining device fitting with auditory rehabilitation delivers what patients actually want – better real-world understanding.

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As Celia puts it: "I could have the most up-to-date hearing devices on the planet. But if the muscle part of my brain is not developing the skill to ascertain what's being said... I will always be shortchanging myself."
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Next Steps

Offer your patients the missing piece in their hearing journey: