You finally got your new hearing aids. You’re so thrilled to be able to jump into your social life again. Now, you won’t be missing parts of conversations or experiencing awkward transitions. But your hearing aids just don’t seem quite right.
That’s because it’ll likely take you some time to adjust to a new pair of hearing aids. Sometimes, this transition can be annoying. After all, there was so much you were looking forward to, and that adjustment period just feels so long.
But there are several tips you can use to decrease this transition period. Pretty soon, with a little practice, you will be paying attention to what you’re hearing instead of your hearing aids.
Start slowly with these tips
Regardless of how technologically advanced 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 adapt.:
- Start by using your hearing aids at home only: You’ll be less likely to experience noise pollution at home and you will be able to have a better amount of control over the sounds you’re hearing. This means you can focus on one voice at a time.
- First, try to pay attention to one-on-one conversations: You could be setting yourself up for disappointment if you wear your hearing aids in a crowded environment on the first day. It’s just that it’s tough for your ear and brain to deal with focusing on all those different voices. By starting out with one-on-one conversations you will make the transition smoother and also get a little additional practice.
- Only use your hearing aids for short periods of time at first: A few hours at a time is the most you should use your hearing aids when you first get started. Your hearing aids will probably feel a little weird in your ears for a while so beginning slowly is okay. You can start to wear your hearing aids for longer durations as you get used to them.
Get extra practice with these tips
There are some activities, as with any skill, that can help you practice hearing. Some of these are even fun!
- Simply practice hearing: That’s right: Go someplace a little quiet and take in the sounds around you. You can practice by concentrating on trying to hear the fridge running or the cat meowing in the other room or the birds singing outside.
- Listen to an audiobook while you read the printed book: This is a really similar exercise (and allows you to have some fun reading while you’re at it). Your brain will learn to make associations between sounds and words by using this read along strategy.
- Watch TV with the closed-captions enabled: It’s easy: Turn the TV on, put your hearing aids in, and enjoy. As you read the dialog you’ll also be hearing the actors speak, and your brain will begin to remember what all these words sound like. This kind of practice will help you get used to hearing speech again.
Tips to keep your hearing health up
Of course, one of the purposes of hearing aids is to keep your ears as healthy as you can. And there are a few tips you can do to keep your ears happy as you get accustomed to using your new hearing aid:
- Keep visiting us: You might not think you need to get hearing evaluations anymore after you get your hearing aids. Nothing could be further from the truth. We can help tune your hearing aids, keep the fit comfortable, and continue to check in on your hearing. It’s essential to continue with these follow up visits.
- If you have any pain, make sure you document it and report it to us.: Because it shouldn’t be painful to wear hearing aids. So if you’re noticing any pain or something’s not fitting right, it’s important to report it as soon as possible.
Take your time, and work up to full-time hearing aids
Working your way up to wearing your hearing aids full time is the objective here. A slow and steady approach is often effective, but everyone’s different. Understanding the best ways to get comfortable with your new hearing aids is something we can assist you with.
These tips will help you have a more enjoyable and enriched life with your new hearing aids.
