You finally obtained your new hearing aids. You’re so thrilled to be able to jump into your social life again. Now, you won’t be missing parts of conversations or experiencing uncomfortable transitions. But your hearing aids just don’t seem quite right.
That’s because it’ll probably take you some time to adjust to a new set of hearing aids. Sometimes, this transition can be frustrating. You were so looking forward to enjoying your hearing again and it feels like it’s taking so long.
Fortunately, there are some tips that can help speed up the transition process. With a little practice, you can quickly get yourself to a place where you’re paying less attention to hearing aids, and paying more attention to what you’re hearing.
Start slowly with these tips
Your brain will take a little time to get accustomed to hearing certain sounds again no matter how sophisticated your hearing aids are. Here are a few ways you can purposely 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 greater degree of control over the sounds you’re hearing. This means you can concentrate on one voice at a time.
- Only wear your hearing aids for short periods of time to begin with: A few hours at a time is the most you should wear your hearing aids when you first start out. They might feel a little uncomfortable at first (this is normal), so it’s good to start a little bit at a time. As your hearing aids get more comfortable, you can wear them for longer periods of time.
- Focus on one-on-one conversations first: You could be setting yourself up for disappointment if you use your hearing aids in a noisy setting right out of the box. It’s just that it’s hard for your ear and brain to manage 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, as well).
Tips that help you get extra practice in
There are some activities, as with any skill, that can help you with hearing aid practice. You might even have some fun!
- Simply practice hearing: That’s right: Sit somewhere a little quiet and take in the sounds around you. Begin by tuning in to the sound of wind blowing through the trees or birds singing or nearby running water.
- Use closed-captions when you watch TV: It’s easy: put your hearing aids in, flip on the TV, and watch your favorite program. As you read the dialog you’ll also be hearing the characters speak, and your brain will begin to remember what all these words sound like. This can give you some practice hearing and getting used to speech.
- Listen to an audiobook while you read the print version: This similar exercise can also be very enjoyable. Reading and listening to an audiobook simultaneously will help your brain make associations between sounds and words.
Tips to keep your hearing health up
Keeping your ears as healthy as you can, after all, is one of the primary purposes of hearing aids. And there are some tips you can do to keep your ears happy as you get used to using your new hearing aid:
- Be sure to take note of and let us know about any pain: Your hearing aids shouldn’t be painful. So if you’re noticing any pain or something’s not fitting right, it’s important to report it as soon as possible.
- Keep visiting us: You may not think you need to get hearing assessments anymore after you get your hearing aids. This would be the worst idea. We can continue to watch your hearing, make certain the fit is comfortable, and make any required adjustments. These follow up appointments are really important.
Go slow and maximize 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 different but the slow and steady strategy usually works best. You’ll want to get personalized guidance from us on the best way for you to get accustomed to your new hearing aid.
These tips will help you have a more enjoyable and enriched life with your new hearing aids.