Here’s a fact that might surprise you: You hear with your brain – not your ears.

Our ears receive sounds and send them up to the brain, and the brain is where we perceive that we actually heard a sound. Our brains do the heavy lifting, which is why you might feel a little tired when you start wearing new hearing aids. Don’t worry; this feeling will pass. It’s just like exercising – you might feel a bit sore at first, but over time you and your brain will adjust to hearing new sounds. What might feel sore today will be stronger tomorrow.

At Oticon, our basic philosophy is to create solutions that support the brain, rather than just turning up the volume. Making everything louder only serves to tire out the brain; instead, we help it make sense of sound. This provides a more natural and pleasant soundscape, leaving you less tired and better able to remember more of life’s important conversations. This is what we call BrainHearing™.

Hearing capacity is tied to health

Your hearing aids are designed to help you live your best possible life and keep your brain fit. This comes with tremendous health benefits. Studies indicate that good hearing health can lower the risk of developing early dementia, partly because the ability to participate in social activities and interacting with other people is a key component to brain health.

Oticon hearing aids with BrainHearing technology in action

"Before, I was working so hard to hear and not really getting the whole conversation. Now I can hear the conversation and other things going on in the room — but in a way that’s not distracting."
— Dorothy S

"The noise around me in the restaurant did not impair me hearing my friends. Whether I was listening to my left or right, not once did I have to adjust the hearing aids, nor did I even think of adjusting them as I would have done with my previous hearing aids."
— Phil W

Find out more about Brain Hearing