You finally obtained your 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 confused conversations. But there’s a problem: everything sounds just a little off.
That’s because it’ll likely take you a while to adjust to a new pair of hearing aids. Sometimes, this transition can be frustrating. You were so excited about enjoying your hearing again and it feels like it’s hard to be patient.
The good news is, there are some tips that can help quicken the transition process. With some practice, you can quickly get yourself to a space where you’re thinking less about your hearing aids, and paying more attention to what you’re hearing.
Start slowly with these tips
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 start slowly and purposely give your ears time to adjust.:
- Only use your hearing aids for short periods of time at first: When you’re just starting, you can practice by using your hearing aids for only a few hours at a time. Your hearing aids will probably feel a little strange in your ears for a while so starting gradually is fine. You can begin to wear your hearing aids for longer durations as you get used to them.
- Start by wearing 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 concentrate on individual voices.
- Start with one-on-one conversations first: If you wear your hearing aids while dining at a crowded restaurant on your first day you get them, you could be discouraged, not because the hearing aids aren’t working. When the brain needs to focus on all those voices, it can get overwhelmed at first. Sticking to one-on-one conversations can help make that transition smoother (and give you a little extra practice, too).
Tips that help you get extra practice in
There are some activities, as with any skill, that can help you with hearing aid practice. Some of these are even enjoyable!
- Watch TV with the closed-captions enabled: It’s easy: put in your hearing aids, turn on the television, and watch your favorite program. Your brain will start to remember what certain words sound like when you read along with the voices you’re hearing. This sort of practice will help you adjust to hearing speech again.
- Read along with the printed book while you listen to the audiobook.: This is a really similar exercise (and lets you have some fun reading while you’re at it). Your brain will learn to make associations between words and sounds by using this read along technique.
- Do some listening practice: That’s right: sit in a quiet place and let your ears do the hearing. You can practice by focusing on trying to hear the refrigerator running or the cat meowing in another room or the birds chirping outside.
Strengthen your hearing health with these tips
Of course, one of the purposes of hearing aids is to keep your hearing 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 report any pain: Your hearing aids shouldn’t hurt. So it’s important to report any issues with fit or any pain right away.
- 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 important to continue with these follow up visits.
Take your time, and work up to full-time hearing aids
Your objective here will be to work your way up to using your hearing aids all of the time. A slow and steady approach works quite often, but everyone’s unique. Understanding the best ways to get comfortable with your new hearing aids is something we can help you with.
Following these tips (and tips like them) can help ensure that you enjoy having your hearing aids and that you keep using them because they continue to enrich your life.