You finally obtained those new hearing aids. You’re so thrilled to be able to dive into your social life again. No more bad transitions or confused conversations. But your hearing aids just don’t sound quite right.
That’s because it’ll probably take you some time to adjust to a new pair of hearing aids. This can be an annoying transition. After all, there was so much you were excited to do, and that adjustment period just feels so slow.
But there are a few tips you can practice to reduce this transition period. With a little practice, you can quickly get yourself to a space where you’re thinking less about your hearing aids, and tuning in to what you’re hearing.
Start slowly with these tips
Your brain will take a little time to get accustomed to hearing certain sounds again no matter how sophisticated your hearing aids are. Here are a few ways you can deliberately give yourself time to adjust and start things off slowly:
- Begin by using your hearing aids at home only: When you’re at home, you have much more control over what you’re hearing, and you’ll probably experience substantially less noise pollution. This means you can focus on one voice at a time.
- First, try to focus on one-on-one conversations: If you use your hearing aids while dining at a crowded restaurant on your first day using the devices, you may be disappointed, not because the hearing aids are doing anything wrong. It’s just that it’s tough for your ear and brain to cope with focusing on all those different voices. By beginning with one-on-one conversations you will make the transition easier and also get a bit of extra practice.
- Only wear your hearing aids for short periods of time to begin with: When you’re just beginning, you can practice by using your hearing aids for just a few hours at a time. They might feel a little funny at first (this is normal), so it’s okay to start a little bit at a time. You can start to use your hearing aids for longer periods as you get used to them.
Tips that help you get extra practice in
As with any other skill (and hearing is a skill, among other things), there are some activities that can help you practice with your hearing aids. Some of these are even fun!
- Use closed-captions when you watch TV: 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 start remembering what all these words sound like. This sort of practice will help you adjust to hearing speech again.
- Listen to an audiobook while you read the printed book: This similar exercise can also be very enjoyable. Reading and listening to an audiobook concurrently will help your brain make connections between sounds and words.
- Just practice hearing: That’s right: Sit 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 another room or the birds singing outside.
Tips to keep your hearing health strong
Keeping your ears as healthy as you can, after all, is one of the principal purposes of hearing aids. And there are some tips you can do to keep your ears happy as you get used to using your new hearing aid:
- If you’re experiencing any pain, be sure you take note of 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: There might be a temptation to presume that once you’ve got the right hearing aids, you won’t need to see us anymore. This would be a bad idea. We can help tune your hearing aids, keep the fit comfortable, and continue to keep an eye on your hearing. It’s important to continue with these follow up appointments.
Go slow and increase your time as you get accustomed to your 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 everybody’s unique. You’ll want to get individualized guidance from us on the best way for you to get accustomed to your new hearing aid.
These tips will help you live a more enjoyable and enriched life with your new hearing aids.