As a basic rule, people don’t like change. Taking this into consideration, there can be a double edged sword with hearing aids: your life will undergo a huge change but they also will allow exciting new opportunities. That degree of change can be a challenge, specifically if you’re the type of person that enjoys the placid comfort of your daily routine. There are very specific hurdles with new hearing aids. But making this change a positive one is primarily about learning how to adjust to these devices.
Guidelines to Help You Adjust More Quickly to Your Hearing Aids
Your hearing will be considerably improved whether you are moving to your first hearing aids or upgrading to a more powerful model. That could be quite a challenge depending on your situation. But your transition might be a bit smoother if you follow these tips.
Begin Using Your Hearing Aids in Smaller Doses
As a basic rule, the more you wear your hearing aids, the healthier your ears will be. But it can be a somewhat uncomfortable when your getting used to them if you wear them for 18 hours a day. You might start by trying to use your hearing aids for 8 hours intervals, and then slowly build up your stamina.
Practice Tuning in to Conversations
When you first begin using your hearing aids, your brain will most likely need a little bit of time to get accustomed to the idea that it’s able to hear sounds again. During this transition period, it may be difficult to follow conversations or hear speech clearly. But practicing using listening or reading drills (such as reading along to an audiobook) can help the language-hearing-and-interpreting portion of your brain wake back up.
Get a Fitting For Your Hearing Aids
One of the first things you’ll do – even before you get your final hearing aids – is go through a fitting process. Enhancing comfort, taking account of the size and shape of your ear canal, and adjusting for your individual loss of hearing are all things that a fitting can help with. More than one adjustment could be needed. It’s essential to come see us for follow-up appointments and to be serious about these fittings. When your hearing aids fit properly, your hearing aids will sit more comfortably and sound better. We can also assist you in making adjustments to various hearing environments.
Troubleshoot
Sometimes when you first buy your hearing aid something may not be working right and it becomes difficult to adjust to it. Maybe you hear too much feedback (which can be painful). Or the hearing aid keeps falling out (which can be frustrating). It can be overwhelming to adjust to hearing aids because of these types of issues, so it’s a good idea to find solutions as early as you can. Try these guidelines:
- Charge your hearing aids every night or replace the batteries. When the batteries on your hearing aids begin to decline, they normally don’t work as effectively as they’re meant to.
- Consult your hearing expert to be certain that the hearing aids are correctly calibrated to your loss of hearing.
- Talk over any buzzing or ringing with your hearing professional. At times, your cell phone can cause interference with your hearing aid. In other cases, it could be that we have to make some adjustments.
- If you hear a lot of feedback, make sure that your hearing aids are correctly sitting in your ears (it might be that your fit is just a little off) and that there aren’t any blockages (such as excess earwax).
The Rewards of Adapting to Your New Hearing Aids
Just as it could with a new pair of glasses, it may possibly take you a little bit of time to adjust to your new hearing aids. Ideally, with the help of these suggestions, that adjustment period will proceed somewhat more smoothly (and quickly). But if you persevere – if you put yourself into a routine with your hearing aids and really invest in adjusting to them – you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how it all becomes easy. And once that takes place, you’ll be capable of devoting your attention to the things you’re actually hearing: like your favorite shows or music or the daily interactions you’ve missed. In the end all these adjustments are well worth it. And sometimes change is not a bad thing.