You’ve been looking forward to this day for quite a while. You got your new hearing aids. You’re finally going to be able to get back into the groove 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 just a little off.
That’s because it’ll likely take you a while 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 long.
Fortunately, there are some tips that can help quicken the transition process. Before long, with a little practice, you will be paying attention to what you’re hearing instead of your hearing aids.
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 some ways you can intentionally give yourself time to adjust and start things off slowly:
- Begin by wearing your hearing aids at home only: You’ll be less likely to encounter noise pollution at home and you will be able to have a greater degree of control over the sounds you’re hearing. This means you can focus on one voice at a time.
- Only wear your hearing aids for short amounts 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 uncomfortable at first (this is normal), so it’s good to start a little bit at a time. You can start to wear your hearing aids for longer periods as you get used to them.
- 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 may be discouraged, not because the hearing aids are doing anything wrong. When the brain needs to focus on all those voices, it can become overloaded at first. By starting out with one-on-one conversations you will make the transition smoother and also get a little extra practice.
Tips that help you get extra 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!
- Read along with the printed version while you listen to the audiobook.: This comparable exercise can also be very enjoyable. Your brain will learn to make associations between sounds and words by using this read along strategy.
- Watch TV with the closed-captions enabled: 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 talk, and your brain will begin to remember what all these words sound like. This kind of practice will help you adjust to understanding speech again.
- Do some listening practice: That’s right: Sit somewhere a little quiet and experience the sounds around you. You can practice by focusing on trying to hear the fridge running or the cat meowing in another room or the birds chirping outside.
Improve your hearing health with these tips
Keeping your ears as healthy as possible, after all, is one of the main purposes of hearing aids. And there are a few tips you can do to keep your ears happy as you get accustomed to wearing your new hearing aid:
- Keep visiting us: There might be a temptation to presume that once you have the right hearing aids, you won’t need to have anymore hearing exams. 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. It’s important to continue with these follow up visits.
- Be certain to note and let us know about any pain: Your hearing aids shouldn’t be painful. So if you’re experiencing any pain or something’s not fitting right, it’s important to report it as soon as you can.
Go slow and maximize 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. Everybody’s different but the slow and steady approach often works best. Learning the best ways to get comfortable with your new hearing aids is something we can assist you with.
These tips will help you live a more enjoyable and enriched life with your new hearing aids.
