As a basic rule, most people don’t like change. Experienced through that prism, hearing aids can be a double-edged sword: your life will experience a tremendous change but they also will allow exciting new opportunities. If your somebody who likes a very rigid routine, the change can be difficult. New hearing aids can introduce some particular difficulties. But making this change positive is largely about understanding how to adjust to these devices.
Tips to Help You Adjust More Quickly to Your Hearing Aids
Whether it’s your first pair of hearing aids (congrats!) or an improvement to a more powerful set, any new hearing aid is going to represent a significant enhancement in the way you hear. Dependant on your individual situation, that might represent a big adjustment. But your transition may be a bit smoother if you follow these guidelines.
Begin Using Your Hearing Aids in Smaller Doses
As a general rule, the more you use your hearing aids, the healthier your ears will be. But if you’re breaking in your very first pair, using your devices for 18 hours per day can be quite uncomfortable. You could start by trying to wear your hearing aids for 8 hours at a time, and then gradually build up your endurance.
Practice Listening to Conversations
When you first begin using your hearing aids, your brain will probably need some time to become accustomed to the idea that it can hear sounds again. During this adjustment period, it might be tough to follow conversations or hear speech clearly. But if you want to reset the hearing-language-and-interpreting region of your brain, you can try doing exercises such as reading along with an audiobook.
Have Your Hearing Aids Fitted
One of the initial things you’ll do – even before you receive your final hearing aids – is go through a fitting process. The fitting procedure helps adjust the device to your individual loss of hearing, differences in the shape and size of your ear canal, and help maximize comfort. You might need to have more than one adjustment. It’s important to take these fittings seriously – and to consult us for follow-up appointments. When your hearing aids fit properly, your devices 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 buy your hearing aid something may not be working properly and it becomes hard to adapt to it. If there’s too much feedback that can be uncomfortable. It can also be frustrating when the hearing aid keeps cutting out. These types of problems can make it difficult to adapt to your hearing aids, so it’s a good idea to find solutions as early as you can. Try these tips:
- Consult your hearing expert to double check that the hearing aids are properly calibrated to your loss of hearing.
- Charge your hearing aids every day or replace the batteries. When the batteries on your hearing aids begin to wane, they often do not work as efficiently as they’re meant to.
- Talk over any buzzing or ringing with your hearing expert. At times, your cell phone can cause interference with your hearing aid. In other situations, it could be that we need to make some adjustments.
- If you hear a lot of feedback, ensure that your hearing aids are correctly sitting in your ears (it could be that your fit is just a bit off) and that there are no obstructions (earwax for instance).
The Rewards of Adapting to Your New Hearing Aids
Just as it would with a new pair of glasses, it may possibly take you a small amount of time to adapt to your new hearing aids. Ideally, you will have an easier and quicker transition with these guidelines. But if you stick with it – if you put yourself into a routine with your hearing aids and really invest in adapting to them – you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how it all becomes second-nature. But before long you will be able to place your attention on what your listening to: like your favorite programs or music or the day-to-day discussions you’ve missed. Ultimately all these adjustments will be well worth it. And change is good.