Congratulations—you’re ready to join the millions of Americans who have realized how utilizing hearing aids can make life more enjoyable and fulfilling. Soon enough, you’ll be listening to sounds you’ve long forgotten about, participating in stimulating conversations, and listening to music with better perceptiveness for each instrument.
But before you get to all that, you’ll have to endure a brief period of adjustment to get used to your new hearing aids. Here are five suggestions to help you get through this period and to help you get the maximum benefit out of your new technology.
1. Consult a Hearing Care Professional
If you are looking for the best hearing attainable, there’s no avoiding the first step, which is visiting a hearing care expert. They can assist you in finding the right hearing aid that corresponds with your hearing loss, lifestyle, and budget. And, most significantly, they can custom-fit and program your new hearing aid so that it’s optimized for your distinctive hearing loss.
Your hearing loss, like a fingerprint, is one-of-a-kind. As a result, every hearing aid should always be programmed differently—and this calls for the practical knowledge of a hearing care professional.
2. Give Your Hearing Aids a Chance
Your new hearing aids will take time to get used to. You’ll notice sounds you haven’t heard in many years, your voice may sound different, and sound might in general just seem “off.” This is completely ordinary: you simply need time to adjust.
Get started by making a commitment to wear your hearing aids for as much of the day as possible, for at minimum a few weeks. Put them in when you get up in the morning and take them out before going to bed. Although it may be awkward at first, you’ll get used to better hearing in no time—and it will be well worth the hard work.
If you find that you’re having a tough time adjusting, arrange an appointment with your hearing care professional. Hearing aids can be fine-tuned, so you never have to throw in the towel on better hearing.
3. Start Small at Home
We recommend adapting to your hearing aids initially in the comfort of your home. Attempt watching a movie or television show and paying specific attention to the discourse; take part in one-on-one conversations in a quiet room; and listen to music while trying to identify a variety of instruments and pitches.
Next, when you’re more accustomed, you can try your hearing aids out in more challenging environments like at parties, restaurants, and movie theaters. Modern hearing aids come with sophisticated features and environmental settings that can effortlessly handle these increased listening demands—which segues nicely to the fourth tip.
4. Learn the Advanced Features
After you’ve adapted to your hearing aids, you should set out to learn a few of the more sophisticated features. With the assistance of your hearing specialist, you can discover how to capitalize on the functionality and convenience of your modern hearing aids.
Depending on your particular model, you’ll be able to do things like wirelessly stream music and phone calls straight to your hearing aids, regulate the volume from your smart-phone or digital watch, and easily switch settings to maximize your hearing in different environments. Make sure to speak to your hearing specialist about all the features that might be beneficial to you.
5. Care For Your Hearing Aids
Finally, you’ll want to make sure that you maintain your hearing aids. This implies daily cleaning, proper storage, and managing your battery supply. Your hearing professional will show you how to integrate hearing aid maintenance and care into your daily routine so that it becomes automatic and easy.
You’ll also want to get your hearing aids professionally cleaned and evaluated one or two times a year to ensure proper functioning for many years.
We’d love to hear from you: if you presently have hearing aids, tell us about your experiences! Let us know how you adjusted to your hearing aids and any recommendations you’d give to those just starting out.
