People typically don’t like change. Taking this into consideration, there can be a double edged sword regarding hearing aids: they unlock an amazing new world of sounds for you, but they also signify a substantial modification of your life. That level of change can be challenging, particularly if you’re somebody that has come to embrace the placid comfort of your regular routine. New hearing aids can create a few particular difficulties. But making this change a positive one is primarily about knowing how to adjust to these devices.
Here Are Some Quick Ways to Adapt to Your New Hearing Aids
Whether it’s your first pair of hearing aids (congrats!) or an improvement to a more robust set, any new hearing aid is going to represent a considerable improvement in the way you hear. That could be quite a challenge depending on your circumstances. Utilizing these tips might make your transition a little 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 be. But if you’re breaking in your very first pair, using your devices for 18 hours per day can be a little unpleasant. You might try to build up your stamina by starting with 8 hours and increasing from there.
Practice Tuning in to Conversations
When you first start wearing your hearing aids, your brain will likely need a little bit of time to get used to the idea that it can hear sounds again. During this transition period, it might be difficult to follow conversations or hear speech clearly. But practicing using reading or listening drills (such as reading along to an audiobook) can help the language-hearing-and-interpreting portion of your brain wake back up.
Have Your Hearing Aids Fitted
One of the first 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 for your individual hearing loss, differences in the shape of your ear canal, and help improve comfort. You might need to have several adjustments. It’s important to come see us for follow-up appointments and to take these fittings seriously. Your hearing aids will sound more natural and will sit more comfortably if they fit well. Adjustments to various environments can also be done by us.
Troubleshoot
Sometimes when you first get your hearing aid something isn’t working properly and it becomes difficult to adjust to it. If there is too much feedback that can be painful. Or perhaps the hearing aid keeps cutting out (which can be frustrating). It can be overwhelming to adapt to hearing aids because of these types of problems, so it’s best to find solutions as early as you can. Try these tips:
- Charge your hearing aids every night or replace the batteries. When the batteries on your hearing aids begin to wane, they often don’t perform as efficiently as they’re meant to.
- talk about any buzzing or ringing with your hearing specialist. Sometimes, your cell phone will cause interference with your hearing aid. In other situations, it may be that we have to make some adjustments.
- Consult your hearing specialist to be certain that the hearing aids are correctly calibrated to your loss of hearing.
- If you hear a lot of feedback, make sure that your hearing aids are correctly sitting in your ears (it could be that your fit is just a bit off) and that there aren’t any obstructions (earwax for instance).
Adapting to Your New Hearing Aids Has Its Advantages
It might take a bit of time to adjust to your new hearing aids just like it would with new glasses. Hopefully, with the help of these guidelines, 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 adjusting to them – you’ll be pleased by how it all becomes easy. But pretty soon you will be able to put your attention on what your listening to: like your favorite programs or music or the daily interactions you’ve been missing. These sounds will remind you that all those adjustments are worth it in the end. And change is good.