You finally got your new hearing aids. You’re finally going to be able to get back into the swing of your social life again. No more bad transitions or unclear conversations. But your hearing aids just don’t sound quite right.
That’s because it’ll probably take you a while to adjust to a new set of hearing aids. Sometimes, this transition can be frustrating. After all, there was so much you were looking forward to, and that adjustment period just feels so long.
But there are a few tips you can use to minimize this transition period. Before long, with a little practice, you will be paying attention to what you’re hearing instead of your hearing aids.
Start slowly with these tips
Your brain will take a little time to get accustomed to hearing certain sounds again regardless of how sophisticated your hearing aids are. Here are some ways you can intentionally give yourself time to adjust and start things off slowly:
- Start by wearing your hearing aids at home only: You’ll be less likely to encounter noise pollution at home and you will be able to have a better degree of control over the sounds you’re hearing. This will help you focus on individual voices.
- Use your hearing aids for a short duration: When you’re just starting, you can practice by wearing your hearing aids for just a few hours at a time. Your hearing aids will most likely feel a little strange in your ears for a while so starting slowly is okay. As your hearing aids become more comfortable, you can wear them for longer durations.
- Focus on one-on-one conversations first: You could be setting yourself up for disappointment if you wear your hearing aids in a noisy environment right out of the box. It’s just that it’s tough for your ear and brain to deal with focusing on all those different voices. Staying with one-on-one conversations can help make that transition easier (and give you a little extra practice, too).
Get added practice with these tips
There are some things you can do, as with any skill, that can help you with hearing aid practice. Some of these are even enjoyable!
- Read along with the printed book while you listen to the audiobook.: This is a really similar exercise (and lets you get in some fun reading while you’re at it). Your brain will learn to make associations between sounds and words by using this read along strategy.
- Watch TV with the closed-captions enabled: It’s easy: put in your hearing aids, turn on the TV, and watch your favorite show. Your brain will begin remembering what certain words sound like when you read along with the voices you’re hearing. This type of practice will help you adjust to understanding speech again.
- Simply practice hearing: That’s right: sit in a quiet place and let your ears do the hearing. You can practice by focusing on trying to hear the refrigerator running or the cat meowing in another room or the birds singing outside.
Strengthen your hearing health with these tips
Keeping your ears as healthy as you can, after all, is one of the primary purposes of hearing aids. And there are a few tips you can do to keep your ears happy as you get accustomed to using your new hearing aid:
- If you have any pain, make sure you document it and tell us about it.: Because it shouldn’t be painful to wear hearing aids. So if you’re noticing any pain or something’s not fitting right, it’s important to report it as soon as you can.
- Keep visiting us: There might be a temptation to think that once you’ve got the right hearing aids, you won’t need to have anymore hearing exams. This would be the worst idea. We can continue to watch your hearing, make certain the fit is comfortable, and make any required adjustments. It’s important to continue with these follow up appointments.
Go slow and increase your time as you get accustomed to your hearing aids
Your goal here will be to work your way up to wearing your hearing aids full time. Everybody’s unique but the slow and steady approach often works best. You’ll want to get personalized advice from us on the best way for you to get accustomed to your new hearing aid.
Sticking with these tips (and tips like them) can help make sure that you enjoy having your hearing aids and that you keep wearing them because they continue to enrich your life.