People typically don’t like change. Experienced through that prism, hearing aids can represent a double-edged sword: they unlock an amazing new world of sounds for you, but they also signify a considerable transformation of your life. That degree of change can be challenging, especially if you’re somebody that enjoys the quiet comfort of your daily routine. There are very particular challenges with new hearing aids. But knowing how to adjust to these devices can help make sure your new hearing aids will be a change you will welcome.
Here Are Some Quick Ways to Adjust to Your New Hearing Aids
Whether it’s your first pair of hearing aids (congrats!) or an upgrade to a more robust pair, any new hearing aid will represent a considerable improvement to the way you hear. That could be quite a challenge depending on your circumstances. Following these guidelines might make your transition a bit more comfortable.
Start Using Your Hearing Aids in Smaller Doses
The more you use your hearing aids, as a general rule, the healthier your ears will stay. But if you’re breaking in your very first pair, using your devices for 18 hours per day can be quite unpleasant. You might begin by trying to use your hearing aids for 8 hours at a time, and then slowly build up your stamina.
Practice Listening to Conversations
When your brain is first able to hear sound again it will most likely need an adjustment period. You may have a tough time making out speech with clarity or following conversations during this adjustment period. But if you want to reset the hearing-language-and-interpreting region of your brain, you can try doing techniques like reading along with an audiobook.
Have Your Hearing Aids Fitted
Even before you get your final hearing aids, one of the first things you will do – is go through a fitting process. The fitting procedure assists in adjusting the device to your individual hearing loss, differences in the shape and size of your ear canal, and help enhance comfort. More than one adjustment may be required. 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. Adjustments to various environments can also be done by us.
Troubleshoot
Sometimes adapting to a new hearing aid is somewhat difficult because something’s not working properly. Maybe you hear too much feedback (which can be uncomfortable). It can also be infuriating when the hearing aid keeps falling out. These kinds of issues can make it hard to adapt to your hearing aids, so it’s best to find solutions as soon as possible. Try these tips:
- Charge your hearing aids every night or exchange the batteries. When the batteries on your hearing aids begin to decline, they often don’t work as efficiently as they’re meant to.
- If you hear a lot of feedback, make sure 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 (earwax for instance).
- Discuss any buzzing or ringing with your hearing expert. At times, your cell phone can 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.
Adapting to Your New Hearing Aids Has Its Rewards
Just as it would with a new pair of glasses, it may possibly take you a little bit of time to adjust to your new hearing aids. Hopefully, with the help of these recommendations, that adjustment period will go somewhat more smoothly (and quickly). But if you persevere – if you get 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 easy. And once that happens, you’ll be capable of devoting your attention to the things you’re actually listening to: like your favorite programs or music or the daily interactions you’ve missed. These sounds remind you that all those adjustments are worth it in the end. And change is good.