You finally got your 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 parts of conversations or going through uncomfortable transitions. But there’s an issue: everything sounds a little bit off.
That’s because it’ll likely take you a while to adjust to a new pair of hearing aids. This can be a frustrating transition. You were so excited about enjoying your hearing again and it feels like it’s taking so long.
Luckily, there are a few tips that can help quicken the transition process. With some practice, you can quickly get yourself to a space where you’re paying less attention to hearing aids, and tuning in to what you’re hearing.
Start slowly with these tips
No matter how technologically sophisticated they might be, it’s going to take your brain some time to adjust to hearing certain sounds again. Use these tips to proceed slowly and deliberately give your ears time to adjust.:
- Only use your hearing aids for short periods of time to begin with: A few hours at a time is the most you should wear your hearing aids when you first start out. Your hearing aids will most likely feel a little strange in your ears for a while so beginning gradually is fine. As your hearing aids get more comfortable, you can use them for longer durations.
- Focus on 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 could be disappointed, not because the hearing aids aren’t working. It’s just that it’s difficult 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 bit of extra practice, as well).
- Wear your hearing aids only around the house at first: You’ll be less likely to encounter 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 focus on one voice at a time.
Tips that help you get added 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. You could even have a little fun!
- Do some listening exercise: That’s right: sit in a quiet space and let your ears do the hearing. Begin by focusing on the sound of wind blowing through the trees or birds chirping or nearby running water.
- Watch TV with the closed-captions on: It’s easy: put in your hearing aids, flip on the television, and watch your favorite show. As you read the dialog you’ll also be hearing the characters speak, and your brain will begin to remember what all these words sound like. This type of practice will help you adjust to understanding speech again.
- Listen to an audiobook while you read the print version: This is a really similar exercise (and lets you have some fun reading while you’re at it). Your brain will learn to make connections between words and sounds by employing this read along technique.
Strengthen your hearing health with these tips
Keeping your ears as healthy as you can, after all, is one of the main 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:
- Be certain to note and report any pain: Your hearing aids shouldn’t hurt. So if you’re experiencing any pain or something’s not fitting right, it’s important to report it as soon as you can.
- Keep visiting us: There might be a temptation to think that once you have the right hearing aids, you won’t need to see us anymore. Nothing could be further from the truth. We can continue to track your hearing, make certain the fit is comfortable, and make any required adjustments. These follow up appointments are really important.
Be patient, and work up to full-time hearing aids
Working your way up to wearing your hearing aids full time is the objective here. A slow and progressive strategy 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.