If you have a hearing loss and have become accustomed to living with it, introducing hearing aids and hearing sounds you’ve been missing can be overwhelming. Don’t let this be a reason that you delay seeking treatment.
With a little bit of time and some tips to help you on your way, you’ll soon be used to your new hearing aids. And once you’ve heard what you’ve been missing, there is no turning back!
8 Tips To Help Get Used To New Hearing Aids
Just like with new glasses, it can take some time to adjust to new hearing aids. The auditory stimulation can be overwhelming, and show you just how much you’ve been missing! Taking some time to adjust can improve your overall listening experience with hearing aids.
The benefits of wearing hearing aids are significant. That’s why we want to make the process as easy for you as possible. These 8 tips below will help you get used to new hearing aids.
- Begin in A Quiet Room. The first time you put your hearing aids on, we recommend that you sit in a quiet room in your house. This gives you time to adjust to the new sounds in an environment that you’re comfortable with. Don’t be surprised – some sounds may seem very loud! This is normal, and your brain will learn to adjust.
- Start Slowly. It will take your brain some time to identify and interpret the new sounds that you’re able to hear again. Start slowly by wearing your hearing aids for a couple of hours in the day. As you become more accustomed to the sounds, you can increase the time that you’re wearing them.
- Avoid Playing With Volume Settings. You should not need to manually adjust the volume on your hearing aids very often. Many hearing aids will automatically adjust the volume depending on the different listening situations you are in. If you find you do need to increase the volume on your device, don’t put it up too much.
- Read Aloud. With a hearing loss, we often don’t realize how loud our speaking volume has become. Your new hearing aids can help you to regulate the volume that you’re speaking at and help you stop shouting. Try reading aloud to determine what a ‘normal’ volume for your voice should be. Reading aloud has the added bonus of retraining your brain to recognize particular words and speech patterns again.
- Watch The TV With Closed-Captioning or Subtitles. Just as reading out loud has the added benefit of helping you discern words and speech patterns, so does watching (and listening) to the TV with closed-captioning or subtitles.
- Exercise Your Hearing. Sit in a room in your house, and close your eyes. Listen to the environment around you. Try to determine what direction a sound is coming from.
- Use Available Technology. Many hearing aid devices use Telecoil Technology or Telecoil Mode, which allows them to wirelessly connect to other electronic devices. Hearing aids that include this feature can connect to smartphones, computers, microphones and other compatible devices. The sounds are then transmitted directly into your hearing aid.
- Remain Patient. Getting used to new hearing aids takes time, so remember to be patient!
Need Help? Contact Us Today!
If you’d like to discuss further, come in and meet the team at Anderson Audiology. We can check your device for any potential issues, and help advise you on how you can optimize the longevity of your device. Call us today on 702-997-2964. Alternatively, click here to request an appointment online.