As a general rule, people don’t like change. Taking this into account, there can be a double edged sword with hearing aids: they create an amazing new world of sounds for you, but they also signify a substantial transformation of your life. That level of change can be tricky, especially if you’re somebody that enjoys the placid comfort of your day-to-day routine. New hearing aids can introduce some particular challenges. But making this change a positive one is primarily about knowing how to adjust to these devices.
Here Are Some Quick Suggestion to Adjust to Your New Hearing Aids
Whether it’s your first set of hearing aids (congrats!) or an upgrade to a more robust set, any new hearing aid will be a considerable enhancement to the way you hear. That could be quite a challenge depending on your circumstances. Following these guidelines may make your transition a little more comfortable.
Begin Using Your Hearing Aids in Smaller Doses
The more you use your hearing aids, as a general rule, the healthier your ears will be. But it can be a little uncomfortable when you’re getting used to them if you wear them for 18 hours a day. You could try to build up your stamina 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 most likely need a little bit of time to get used to the concept that it can hear sounds again. You could have a difficult time making out speech clearly or following conversations during this adjustment period. But if you want to reset the hearing-language-and-interpreting portion of your brain, you can try practicing exercises such as reading along with an audiobook.
Get a Fitting For Your Hearing Aids
One of the initial things you’ll do – even before you get your final hearing aids – is go through a fitting process. Enhancing comfort, taking account of the shape of your ear canal, and adjusting for your personal hearing loss are all things that a fitting can help with. More than one adjustment may be needed. It’s crucial to come see us for follow-up appointments and to be serious about these fittings. Your hearing aids will sound better and will sit more comfortably if they fit well. Adjustments to different conditions can also be done by us.
Troubleshoot
Sometimes when you first get your hearing aid something may not be working properly and it becomes difficult to adapt to it. Possibly you hear too much feedback (which can be painful). Or perhaps the hearing aid keeps falling out (which can be infuriating). These types of problems can make it difficult to adjust to your hearing aids, so it’s best to find solutions as early as possible. Try these tips:
- If you notice a lot of feedback, ensure that your hearing aids are properly seated in your ears (it could be that your fit is just a little off) and that there aren’t any blockages (such as excess earwax).
- talk about any ringing or buzzing with your hearing specialist. Sometimes, your cell phone will cause interference with your hearing aid. In other cases, it could be that we need to make some adjustments.
- Consult your hearing expert to be sure that the hearing aids are properly calibrated to your loss of hearing.
- Charge your hearing aids every evening or exchange the batteries. When the batteries on your hearing aids begin to diminish, they normally do not perform as efficiently as they’re intended to.
The Benefits of Adapting to Your New Hearing Aids
Just as it would with new glasses, it may take you a little bit of time to get used to your new hearing aids. We hope, with the help of these tips, that adjustment period will go somewhat more smoothly (and quickly). But you will be pleased by how normal it will become if you stay with it and get into a routine. And once that happens, you’ll be able to devote your attention to the things you’re actually hearing: like your favorite programs or music or the day-to-day interactions you’ve been missing. Ultimately all these adjustments are well worth it. And sometimes change is not a bad thing.