HEARING TIPS


Group of women practicing using their new hearing aids during lunch.

As a basic rule, people don’t like change. Taking this into consideration, there can be a double edged sword regarding hearing aids: your life will go through an enormous change but they also will bring exciting new possibilities. That degree of change can be tricky, specifically if you’re somebody that enjoys the quiet comfort of your regular routine. There are very specific challenges with new hearing aids. But making this change a positive one is primarily about understanding how to adjust to these devices.

Here Are Some Quick Suggestion to Adjust to Your New Hearing Aids

Your hearing will be significantly enhanced whether you are moving to your first hearing aids or upgrading to a more powerful model. That could be challenging depending on your situation. But your transition may be a bit smoother if you follow these guidelines.

When You First Get Your Hearing Aids Only Use Them Intermittently

As a basic rule, the more you use your hearing aids, the healthier your ears will be. But if you’re breaking in your very first pair, wearing your hearing aids for 18 hours a day can be a little uncomfortable. You may try to build up your stamina by starting with 8 hours and building up from there.

Practice Tuning in to Conversations

When your brain first begins to hear sound again it will probably need an adjustment period. During this adjustment period, it may be hard to follow conversations or hear speech clearly. But if you want to reset the hearing-language-and-interpreting part of your brain, you can try practicing exercises like following along with an audiobook.

Take The Time to Get a Hearing Aid Fitting

One of the initial things you’ll do – even before you receive your final hearing aids – is go through a fitting process. The fitting process assists in adjusting the device for your individual loss of hearing, differences in the shape and size of your ear canal, and help improve comfort. You might need to have more than one adjustment. It’s crucial to be serious about these fittings – and to see us for follow-up appointments. When your hearing aids fit properly, your devices will sit more comfortably and sound better. We can also assist you in making adjustments to various hearing environments.

Troubleshoot

Sometimes when you first purchase your hearing aid something may not be working right and it becomes difficult to adjust to it. Possibly you hear too much feedback (which can be painful). Or perhaps the hearing aid keeps cutting out (which can be frustrating). These kinds of problems can make it overwhelming to adapt to your hearing aids, so it’s best to find solutions as early as you can. Try these guidelines:

  • Charge your hearing aids every night or exchange the batteries. When the batteries on your hearing aids begin to diminish, they normally do not perform as efficiently as they’re intended to.
  • talk about any buzzing or ringing with your hearing professional. Sometimes, your cell phone will cause interference with your hearing aid. In other instances, it may be that we need to make some adjustments.
  • 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 bit off) and that there aren’t any blockages (such as excess earwax).
  • Consult your hearing professional to double check that the hearing aids are properly calibrated to your loss of hearing.

Adapting to Your New Hearing Aids Has Its Benefits

It might take a little time to adapt to your new hearing aids just as it would with a new pair of glasses. Hopefully, with the help of these suggestions, that adjustment period will proceed a bit more smoothly (and quickly). But if you persevere – if you get yourself into a regimen with your hearing aids and really invest in adjusting to them – you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how it all becomes second-nature. But pretty soon you will be able to place your attention on what your hearing: like your favorite shows or music or the day-to-day discussions you’ve been missing. These sounds will remind you that all those adjustments are worth it ultimately. And change is good.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.
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