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. Now, you won’t be missing elements of conversations or going through awkward transitions. But there’s a problem: everything sounds just a little off.
The reason for this is that it will often take a bit of time before you get used to your new hearing aids. Sometimes, this transition can be frustrating. You were so looking forward to enjoying your hearing again and it feels like it’s taking so long.
The good news is, that there are a few tips that can help accelerate the transition process. With some practice, you can quickly get yourself to a space where you’re paying less attention to hearing aids, and paying more attention to what you’re hearing.
Tips that help you start Slowly
Your brain will take a little time to get accustomed to hearing certain sounds again no matter how sophisticated your hearing aids are. Use these tips to start slowly and purposely give your ears time to adjust.:
- Only wear your hearing aids for short amounts of time at first: When you’re just beginning, you can practice by wearing your hearing aids for only a few hours at a time. Your hearing aids will probably feel a little weird in your ears for a while so beginning slowly is okay. You can begin to wear your hearing aids for longer periods as you become accustomed to them.
- 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 right out of the box. When the brain has to focus on all those voices, it can become overwhelmed at first. By starting out with one-on-one conversations you will make the transition easier and also get a bit of extra practice.
- 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 greater degree of control over the sounds you’re hearing. This will help you focus on individual voices.
Get added practice with these tips
Much like any other skill (and hearing is a skill, among other things), there are certain activities that can help you practice with your hearing aids. Some of these are even fun!
- Turn on closed-captions when you watch TV: It’s easy: Turn the TV on, put your hearing aids in, and enjoy. Your brain will begin remembering what certain words sound like as you read along with the voices you’re hearing. This can give you some practice hearing and getting used to speech.
- Do some listening practice: That’s right: sit in a quiet room and let your ears do the hearing. Start off by focusing on the sound of wind blowing through the trees or birds chirping or nearby running water.
- Listen to an audiobook while you read the print version: This similar exercise can also be really enjoyable. Your brain will learn to make connections between words and sounds by using this read along strategy.
Tips to keep your hearing health strong
Keeping your ears as healthy as possible, after all, is one of the main purposes of hearing aids. But, as you take some time to get used to your new hearing aids, there are a few things you can do that your ears will thank you for.:
- If you’re experiencing any pain, be sure you document it and tell us about it.: Because it shouldn’t be painful to wear hearing aids. So if you’re experiencing any pain or something’s not fitting right, it’s important to report it as soon as possible.
- Keep visiting us: You may not think you need to get hearing evaluations anymore after you get your hearing aids. This would be a bad idea. We can continue to watch your hearing, make certain the fit is comfortable, and make any required adjustments. It’s essential to continue with these follow up appointments.
Be patient, and build up to full-time hearing aids
Working your way up to using your hearing aids full time is the objective here. A slow and progressive strategy is often effective, but everybody’s unique. You’ll want to get personalized advice from us on the best way for you to get accustomed to your new hearing aid.
These tips will help you have a more enjoyable and enriched life with your new hearing aids.