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

As a basic rule, people don’t like change. Experienced through that perspective, hearing aids can be a double-edged sword: your life will undergo a tremendous change but they also will bring exciting new possibilities. If your somebody who enjoys a very fixed routine, the change can be difficult. New hearing aids can introduce a few specific challenges. But understanding how to adapt to these devices can help guarantee your new hearing aids will be a change you will welcome.

Guidelines to Help You Adapt 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 design. Dependant on your individual circumstances, that may be a big adjustment. But your transition might be a bit smoother if you follow these tips.

Start Wearing Your Hearing Aids in Smaller Doses

The more you use your hearing aids, as a basic rule, the healthier your ears will be. But it can be a little uncomfortable when your getting used to them if you use them for 18 hours a day. You could begin by trying to use your hearing aids for 8 hours at a time, and then slowly build up your endurance.

Pay Attention to Conversations For Practice

When you first start using your hearing aids, your brain will most likely need some time to become accustomed to the idea that it’s able to hear sounds again. During this transition period, it may be hard to follow conversations or make out speech clearly. But if you want to reset the hearing-language-and-interpreting part of your brain, you can try doing techniques such as reading along with an audiobook.

Have Your Hearing Aids Fitted

Even before you get your final hearing aid, one of the first things you will do – is go through a fitting process. The fitting procedure helps adjust the device to your individual hearing loss, differences in the shape of your ear canal, and help improve comfort. Several adjustments may be needed. It’s important to come see us for follow-up appointments and to be serious about these fittings. Your device will sound better and will sit more comfortably if they fit properly. Adjustments to various environments can also be made by us.

Troubleshoot

Sometimes adjusting to a new hearing aid is somewhat difficult because something’s not functioning quite right. Maybe you hear too much feedback (which can be painful). Or the hearing aid keeps falling out (which can be infuriating). These types of problems can make it hard to adapt to your hearing aids, so it’s best to find solutions as soon as you can. Try these tips:

  • Consult your hearing specialist to be certain that the hearing aids are properly calibrated to your loss of hearing.
  • Charge your hearing aids every evening or exchange the batteries. When the batteries on your hearing aids begin to wane, they often do not perform as effectively as they’re intended to.
  • talk about any buzzing or ringing with your hearing expert. Sometimes, your cell phone will cause interference with your hearing aid. In other instances, it may be that we have to make some adjustments.
  • If you notice a lot of feedback, make sure that your hearing aids are properly seated in your ears (it might be that your fit is just a little off) and that there are no obstructions (earwax for instance).

Adapting to Your New Hearing Aids Has Its Advantages

Just as it would with a new pair of glasses, it might take you a bit of time to adjust to your new hearing aids. We hope, with the help of these recommendations, that adjustment period will proceed a little bit more smoothly (and quickly). But if you stick with it – if you get yourself into a regimen with your hearing aids and really invest in adjusting to them – you’ll be pleased by how it all becomes easy. But before long you will be able to put your attention on what your listening to: like your favorite programs or music or the day-to-day discussions you’ve missed. These sounds remind you that all those adjustments are worth it in the end. 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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