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 there’s an issue: everything sounds just a little off.
The reason for this is that it will often take some time before you adjust 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.
But there are a few tips you can use to decrease this transition period. With a little 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 deliberately give your ears time to adapt.:
- 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 better amount of control over the sounds you’re hearing. This means you can concentrate on one voice at a time.
- Wear your hearing aids for a short duration: When you’re just starting, you can practice by wearing your hearing aids for only a few hours at a time. They might feel a little uncomfortable at first (this is normal), so it’s okay to start slowly. As your hearing aids become more comfortable, you can use them for longer periods of time.
- Start with one-on-one conversations first: If you use your hearing aids while eating at a crowded restaurant on your first day using the devices, you might be discouraged, not because the hearing aids aren’t working. It’s just that it’s hard for your ear and brain to cope with focusing on all those different voices. Staying with one-on-one conversations can help make that transition smoother (and give you a little extra practice, too).
Tips that help you get added practice in
Similar to 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!
- Listen to an audiobook while you read the printed book: This similar exercise can also be really enjoyable. Your brain will learn to make associations between sounds and words by using this read along strategy.
- Watch TV with the closed-captions on: It’s easy: put your hearing aids in, flip on the TV, and watch your favorite show. Your brain will begin remembering what certain words sound like when you read along with the voices you’re hearing. This can give you some practice hearing and adjusting to speech.
- Just practice hearing: That’s right: Sit somewhere a little quiet and take in the sounds around you. You can practice by focusing on trying to hear the refrigerator running or the cat meowing in another room or the birds singing outside.
Tips to keep your hearing health strong
Of course, one of the purposes of hearing aids is to keep your hearing as healthy as you can. And there are a few tips you can do to keep your ears happy as you get accustomed to wearing your new hearing aid:
- Be certain to note and report any pain: Your hearing aids shouldn’t hurt. So it’s important to let us know about any problems with fit or any pain right away.
- Keep visiting us: There might be a temptation to believe that once you’ve got the right hearing aids, you won’t need to have anymore hearing exams. This would be a bad idea. We can continue to track your hearing, make sure the fit is comfortable, and make any required adjustments. It’s important to continue with these follow up visits.
Go slow and increase your time as you get used to your hearing aids
Working your way up to wearing your hearing aids full time is the objective here. A slow and steadfast approach is often effective, but everybody’s unique. Understanding the best ways to get comfortable with your new hearing aids is something we can help you with.
These tips will help you live a more enjoyable and enriched life with your new hearing aids.