"I wake up, and I can't start my day without them,” Jamie says of his hearing aids.

Since adopting hearing aids, Jamie told us that he could never go back to a life without them, especially in professional and academic settings. When he occasionally goes without them, he immediately feels the effects, leaving him fatigued. For Jamie, the benefits of hearing aids extend far beyond improved hearing; they also provide a newfound level of energy and alertness.

Breaking the Stigma
Jamie's decision to start wearing hearing aids at the age of 20 challenges the conventional narrative surrounding hearing loss. He falls into a unique category, as many people don’t start wearing hearing aids until much later in life. Like most, his initial hesitation was rooted in the stigma associated with hearing aids.

What surprised Jamie is how discreet modern hearing aids have become, with his barely noticeable and hidden by his hair. Whenever asked about his hearing aids, he says he openly shares his story and is proud to tell others how hearing aids have positively impacted his life. Jamie says he is determined to not let a disability define him. “There's really no shame in wearing hearing aids anymore”.

One of the most profound changes Jamie experienced was the ability to hear sounds he had been missing for years. He tells us the story about classmates in college he could never hear before. Once he started wearing hearing aids, he could finally engage in conversations with them. As another benefit, Jamie noticed a significant improvement in his ability to focus and stay productive throughout the day. Now engaged with his work and people around him, he no longer struggles with exhaustion and disconnectedness. “I remember there was one time I went to work and didn't wear hearing aids, and I went home at lunch to pick them up because I just felt like a different person”.

Hearing Health and Protective Measures

Living an active lifestyle and being a surfer, Jamie had to adapt to protect his hearing. He started wearing earplugs while surfing to prevent surfer's ear, a condition that can cause hearing loss.

Annual hearing tests are also an important part of Jamie’s life. By not only taking protective measures with ear plugs, monitoring any changes in his hearing health is crucial. Having been to many audiology offices, he likens the experience of a hearing test in a Sam's Club Hearing Center to a clinical setting. “Going into the hearing test room was almost the exact same setup. And I did essentially the same test that I've been doing for my whole life.”

Hearing tests are offered for free by a Lucid Hearing professional to all persons age 19 and up.

A Message to Those with Hearing Loss

Jamie's advice to individuals who suspect they have hearing loss is clear: "Try out hearing aids and give them a month to see how you feel." He acknowledges that it can take time to adjust to wearing hearing aids and fully experience their benefits. “I just really didn't know what I was missing out on until I wore hearing aids and got through that first few weeks’ push of getting used to them.”