People generally don’t like change. Taking this into account, there can be a double edged sword regarding hearing aids: your life will experience a tremendous change but they also will bring exciting new possibilities. If your somebody who appreciates a very fixed routine, the change can be overwhelming. New hearing aids can introduce a few specific challenges. But making this change a positive one is largely about knowing how to adjust to these devices.
Guidelines to Help You Adapt More Quickly to Your Hearing Aids
Whether it’s your first pair of hearing aids (congrats!) or an improvement to a more robust set, any new hearing aid is going to be a considerable improvement in the way you hear. That could be quite a challenge depending on your situation. Utilizing these guidelines may make your transition a bit more comfortable.
Start Using Your Hearing Aids in Smaller Doses
The more you use your hearing aids, as a basic rule, the healthier your ears will be. But if you’re breaking in your very first pair, using your devices for 18 hours a day can be a little uncomfortable. You could begin by trying to use your hearing aids for 8 hours at a time, and then gradually build up your stamina.
Listen to Conversations For Practice
When you first start wearing your hearing aids, your brain will most likely need a little bit of time to become accustomed to the idea that it’s able to hear sounds again. You could have a hard time hearing speech clearly or following conversations during this adjustment period. But practicing using reading or listening drills (such as reading along to an audiobook) can help the language-hearing-and-interpreting part of your brain reassert itself.
Have Your Hearing Aids Fitted
One of the first things you’ll do – even before you get your final hearing aids – is go through a fitting process. Increasing comfort, taking account of the shape and size of your ear canal, and adjusting for your personal loss of hearing are all things that a fitting can help with. More than one adjustment could be needed. It’s important to take these fittings seriously – and to see us for follow-up appointments. Your hearing aids will sound more natural and will sit more comfortably if they fit properly. Adjustments to different conditions can also be done by us.
Troubleshoot
Sometimes when you first buy your hearing aid something may not be working properly and it becomes difficult to adjust to it. Possibly you hear too much feedback (which can be uncomfortable). It can also be frustrating when the hearing aid keeps falling out. These kinds of issues can make it difficult to adjust to your hearing aids, so it’s best to find solutions as early as you can. Try these tips:
- Discuss any buzzing or ringing with your hearing professional. At times, your cell phone will cause interference with your hearing aid. In other cases, it may be that we have to make some adjustments.
- If you hear a lot of feedback, make sure that your hearing aids are properly sitting in your ears (it could be that your fit is just a little off) and that there are no blockages (earwax for instance).
- Charge your hearing aids every day or replace the batteries. When the batteries on your hearing aids begin to decrease, they often do not work as effectively as they’re meant to.
- Consult your hearing specialist to double check that the hearing aids are properly calibrated to your hearing loss.
Adjusting to Your New Hearing Aids Has Its Rewards
It may take a bit of time to adapt to your new hearing aids just like it would with a new pair of glasses. We hope you will have a smoother and quicker transition with these guidelines. But you will be pleased by how simple it will become if you stick with it and get into a routine. But before long you will be able to place your attention on what your hearing: like your favorite programs or music or the daily conversations you’ve missed. Ultimately all these adjustments are well worth it. And sometimes change is not a bad thing.