People generally don’t like change. Looked at through that perspective, hearing aids can be a double-edged sword: your life will go through a tremendous change but they also will bring exciting new possibilities. If your somebody who appreciates a very rigid routine, the change can be difficult. New hearing aids can create a few specific difficulties. But learning how to adapt to these devices can help make sure your new hearing aids will be a change you will enjoy.
Tips to Help You Adjust More Quickly to Your Hearing Aids
Your hearing will be dramatically enhanced whether you are getting your first hearing aids or upgrading to a more powerful model. That could be quite a challenge depending on your circumstances. Following these guidelines may make your transition a bit more comfortable.
Start Using Your Hearing Aids in Smaller Doses
The more you use your hearing aids, as a basic 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 a little unpleasant. You might begin by trying to wear your hearing aids for 8 hours at a time, and then steadily build up your stamina.
Practice Listening to Conversations
When your brain first begins to hear sound again it will most likely need an adjustment period. You might have a difficult time hearing speech with clarity or following conversations during this adjustment period. But practicing with reading or listening drills (such as reading along to an audiobook) can allow the language-hearing-and-interpreting portion of your brain reassert itself.
Spend The Time to Get a Hearing Aid Fitting
Even before you get your final hearing aid, one of the first things you will have to do – is go through a fitting process. Improving comfort, taking account of the size and shape of your ear canal, and adjusting for your personal hearing loss are all things that a fitting helps with. Several adjustments may be required. It’s important to be serious about these fittings – and to see us for follow-up appointments. When your hearing aids fit well, your devices will sit more comfortably and sound better. Adjustments to different conditions can also be made by us.
Troubleshoot
Sometimes adjusting to a new hearing aid is a bit difficult because something’s not working quite right. If there is too much feedback that can be uncomfortable. It can also be infuriating when the hearing aid keeps cutting out. These types of problems can make it difficult to adjust to your hearing aids, so it’s a good idea to find solutions as early as possible. Try these guidelines:
- If you notice a lot of feedback, ensure that your hearing aids are correctly seated in your ears (it might be that your fit is just a little off) and that there are no obstructions (earwax for instance).
- talk about any buzzing or ringing with your hearing expert. At times, your cell phone can cause interference with your hearing aid. In other cases, it may be that we need to make some adjustments.
- Charge your hearing aids every day or exchange the batteries. When the batteries on your hearing aids begin to decline, they normally don’t work as efficiently as they’re intended to.
- Consult your hearing specialist to be sure that the hearing aids are properly calibrated to your hearing loss.
Adjusting to Your New Hearing Aids Has Its Benefits
It might take a little time to adjust to your new hearing aids just like it would with new glasses. Hopefully, with the help of these tips, that adjustment period will proceed a bit more smoothly (and quickly). But you will be pleased by how normal it will become if you stick with it and find a routine. And once that occurs, you’ll be capable of devoting your attention to the things you’re actually listening to: like your favorite shows or music or the daily discussions you’ve missed. These sounds remind you that all those adjustments are worth it ultimately. And change is good.
