You finally got those new hearing aids. You’re finally going to be able to get back into the swing of your social life again. No more missed transitions or unclear conversations. But your hearing aids just don’t seem quite right.
The reason for this is that it will often take some time before you get used to your new hearing aids. Often, this transition can be frustrating. After all, there was so much you were looking forward to, and that adjustment period just feels so slow.
But there are some tips you can use to reduce this transition period. With some practice, you can quickly get yourself to a place where you’re thinking less about your hearing aids, and tuning in to what you’re hearing.
Tips that help you start Slowly
Regardless of how technologically sophisticated they may be, it’s going to take your brain some time to get used to hearing certain sounds again. Use these tips to proceed slowly and deliberately give your ears time to adjust.:
- Wear your hearing aids only around the house at first: When you’re at home, you have much more control over what you’re hearing, and you’ll probably experience significantly less noise pollution. This means you can focus on one voice at a time.
- Wear your hearing aids for a short period of time: A few hours at a time is the most you should wear your hearing aids when you first get started. They might feel a little funny at first (this is normal), so it’s good to start a little bit at a time. As your hearing aids get more comfortable, you can use them for longer durations.
- Focus on one-on-one conversations first: You may be setting yourself up for frustration if you use your hearing aids in a noisy environment on the first day. It’s just that it’s hard for your ear and brain to cope with focusing on all those different voices. Staying with one-on-one conversations can help make that transition easier (and give you a little extra practice, too).
Get added practice with these tips
Similar to any other skill (and hearing is a skill, among other things), there are a few activities that can help you practice with your hearing aids. You might even have some fun!
- Just practice hearing: That’s right: Go someplace a little quiet and take in the sounds around you. You can practice by focusing on trying to hear the refrigerator running or the cat meowing in another room or the birds singing outside.
- Turn on closed-captions when you watch TV: It’s easy: Turn the TV on, put your hearing aids in, and enjoy. As you read the words you’ll also be hearing the actors talk, and your brain will begin to remember what all these words sound like. This sort of practice will help you get used to understanding speech again.
- Listen to an audiobook while you read the printed book: This is a really similar exercise (and lets you have some fun reading while you’re at it). Reading and listening to an audiobook concurrently will help your brain make links between words and sound.
Tips to keep your hearing health up
Obviously, one of the purposes of hearing aids is to keep your ears as healthy as you can. But, as you take some time to get accustomed to your new hearing aids, there are a few things you can do that your ears will thank you for.:
- Be certain to note and let us know about any pain: Your hearing aids shouldn’t hurt. So if you’re experiencing any pain or something’s not fitting right, it’s important to let us know as soon as possible.
- Keep visiting us: You may not think you need to get hearing exams anymore after you get your hearing aids. Nothing could be further from the truth. We can help adjust your hearing aids, keep the fit comfortable, and continue to keep an eye on your hearing. These follow up visits are very important.
Be patient, and build up to full-time hearing aids
Your goal here will be to work your way up to using your hearing aids full time. Everyone’s different but the slow and steady approach often works best. Understanding the best ways to get comfortable with your new hearing aids is something we can help you with.
These tips will help you live a more enjoyable and enriched life with your new hearing aids.