People typically don’t like change. Taking this into consideration, there can be a double edged sword regarding hearing aids: they unlock an exciting new world of sounds for you, but they also represent a substantial modification of your life. That level of change can be a challenge, particularly if you’re the type of person that has come to embrace the quiet convenience of your everyday routine. There are very specific hurdles with new hearing aids. But making this change positive is primarily about knowing how to adjust to these devices.
Guidelines to Help You Adapt More Quickly to Your Hearing Aids
Your hearing will be significantly improved whether you are moving to your first hearing aids or upgrading to a more powerful design. That could be quite a challenge depending on your circumstances. But your transition may be a little bit easier if you follow these tips.
When You First Get Your Hearing Aids Only Use Them Intermittently
As a general rule, the more you use your hearing aids, the healthier your ears will stay. But if you’re breaking in your very first pair, using your hearing aids for 18 hours a day can be somewhat unpleasant. You could try to build up your endurance by beginning with 8 hours and increasing from there.
Pay Attention to Conversations For Practice
When you first start using your hearing aids, your brain will likely need a little bit of time to get accustomed to the idea that it can hear sounds again. You might have a tough time making out speech clearly or following conversations during this adjustment period. But practicing with reading or listening exercises (like reading along to an audiobook) can help the language-hearing-and-interpreting region of your brain wake back up.
Get a Fitting For Your Hearing Aids
Even before you get your final hearing aids, one of the first things you will do – is go through a fitting process. The fitting process assists in adjusting the device to your individual hearing loss, differences in the shape and size of your ear canal, and help improve comfort. Several adjustments may be needed. It’s crucial to consult us for follow-up appointments and to take these fittings seriously. When your hearing aids fit properly, your hearing aids will sit more comfortably and sound more natural. We can also assist you in making adjustments to various hearing conditions.
Troubleshoot
Sometimes when you first purchase your hearing aid something isn’t working right and it becomes hard to adjust to it. Possibly you hear too much feedback (which can be painful). It can also be infuriating when the hearing aid keeps falling out. It can be difficult to adapt to hearing aids because of these types of issues, so it’s best to find solutions as early as you can. Try these guidelines:
- Charge your hearing aids every day or exchange the batteries. When the batteries on your hearing aids begin to diminish, they normally don’t perform as effectively as they’re meant to.
- Talk over any ringing or buzzing with us. At times, your cell phone will cause interference with your hearing aid. In other situations, it could be that we need to make some adjustments.
- Call us to double check that the hearing aids are properly calibrated to your loss of hearing.
- If you hear a lot of feedback, ensure that your hearing aids are properly sitting in your ears (it could be that your fit is just a little off) and that there aren’t any blockages (earwax for instance).
Adjusting to Your New Hearing Aids Has Its Advantages
It may take a little time to adapt to your new hearing aids just like it would with new glasses. We hope you will have a smoother and faster transition with these guidelines. But if you stay with it – if you put yourself into a regimen with your hearing aids and really invest in adjusting to them – you’ll be pleased by how it all becomes easy. But before long you will be able to place your attention on what your hearing: like the daily discussion you’ve been missing out on or your favorite music. In the end, all these adjustments will be well worth it. And sometimes change is not a bad thing.