You finally obtained your new hearing aids. You’re so excited to be able to dive into your social life again. No more missed transitions or unclear conversations. But there’s a problem: everything sounds a little bit off.
The reason for this is that it will often take a bit of time before you adjust to your new hearing aids. Sometimes, this transition can be annoying. You were so excited about enjoying your hearing again and it feels like it’s hard to be patient.
Fortunately, there are a few tips that can help accelerate the transition process. Pretty soon, with a bit of practice, you will be focusing on what you’re hearing rather than your hearing aids.
Tips that help you start Slowly
No matter how technologically advanced they might 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 deliberately give your ears time to adapt.:
- Focus on one-on-one conversations first: You may be setting yourself up for frustration if you wear your hearing aids in a crowded setting on the first day. It’s just that it’s tough for your ear and brain to cope with focusing on all those different voices. Sticking to one-on-one conversations can help make that transition easier (and give you a bit of extra practice, as well).
- Only use your hearing aids for short periods of time to begin with: A few hours at a time is the most you should use your hearing aids when you first get started. Your hearing aids will probably feel a little weird in your ears for a while so starting gradually is fine. As your hearing aids get more comfortable, you can wear them for longer periods of time.
- Start by using 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 degree of control over the sounds you’re hearing. This will help you focus on individual voices.
Tips that help you get extra practice in
Similar to 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 might even have a little fun!
- Do some listening exercise: That’s right: sit in a quiet room 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.
- Read along with the printed book while you listen to the audiobook.: This comparable exercise can also be quite enjoyable. Your brain will learn to make connections between sounds and words by employing this read along approach.
- Turn on closed-captions when you watch TV: It’s easy: put your hearing aids in, flip on the TV, and watch your favorite show. 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 get used to hearing speech again.
Strengthen your hearing health with these tips
Keeping your ears as healthy as possible, after all, is one of the main purposes of hearing aids. But, as you take some time to get accustomed to your new hearing aids, there are some things you can do that your ears will thank you for.:
- Be certain to note and let us know about any pain: Because it shouldn’t hurt 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 you can.
- Keep visiting us: There might be a temptation to presume that once you’ve got the right hearing aids, you won’t need to have anymore hearing exams. Nothing could be further from the truth. We can continue to watch your hearing, make sure the fit is comfortable, and make any needed adjustments. It’s essential to continue with these follow up visits.
Be patient, and build up to full-time hearing aids
Your goal here will be to work your way up to wearing your hearing aids all of the time. Everybody’s unique but the slow and steady approach usually works best. You’ll want to get individualized advice from us on the best way for you to get accustomed to your new hearing aid.
Sticking with these tips (and tips like them) can help make sure that you enjoy having your hearing aids and that you keep using them because they continue to enrich your life.