You finally obtained those 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 awkward transitions. But your hearing aids just don’t sound quite right.
That’s because it’ll likely take you some time to adjust to a new set of hearing aids. Often, this transition can be annoying. After all, there was so much you were excited to do, and that adjustment period just feels so long.
But there are some tips you can practice to decrease this transition period. Pretty soon, with a little practice, you will be paying attention to what you’re hearing instead of your hearing aids.
Start slowly with these tips
Regardless of how technologically sophisticated they might be, it’s going to take your brain a little while to get used to hearing certain sounds again. Here are some ways you can intentionally give yourself time to adjust and start things off slowly:
- At first, try to pay attention to one-on-one conversations: If you wear your hearing aids while eating at a crowded restaurant on your first day using the devices, you might be discouraged, not because the devices are doing anything wrong. When the brain has to focus on all those voices, it can get overwhelmed at first. By beginning with one-on-one conversations you will make the transition easier and also get a bit of extra practice.
- Only use your hearing aids for short amounts of time to begin with: When you’re just starting, you can practice by wearing 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 okay to start slowly. You can begin to wear your hearing aids for longer durations as you become accustomed to them.
- Wear your hearing aids only around the house initially: When you’re at home, you have a lot more control over what you’re hearing, and you’ll likely experience considerably less noise pollution. This will help you focus on individual voices.
Get extra practice with these tips
There are some things you can do, as with any skill, that can help you practice hearing. Some of these are even fun!
- Just practice hearing: That’s right: sit in a quiet place and let your ears do the hearing. You can practice by concentrating on trying to hear the fridge running or the cat meowing in the other room or the birds chirping outside.
- Listen to an audiobook while you read the print version: This similar exercise can also be quite enjoyable. Reading and listening to an audiobook simultaneously will help your brain make links between words and sound.
- Watch TV with the closed-captions enabled: It’s easy: Turn the TV on, put your hearing aids in, and enjoy. Your brain will begin remembering what certain words sound like as you read along with the voices you’re hearing. This can give you some practice hearing and adjusting to speech.
Strengthen your hearing health with these tips
Keeping your ears as healthy as you can, after all, is one of the primary purposes of hearing aids. But, as you take some time to get accustomed to your new hearing aids, there are a few things you can do that your ears will thank you for.:
- Be certain to note and report 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 possible.
- Keep visiting us: You might not think you need to get hearing assessments anymore after you get your hearing aids. This would be a bad idea. We can continue to watch your hearing, make sure the fit is comfortable, and make any required adjustments. It’s important to continue with these follow up appointments.
Take your time, and build up to full-time hearing aids
Your goal here will be to work your way up to using your hearing aids all of the time. A slow and steadfast strategy works quite often, but everyone’s unique. You’ll want to get individualized advice from us on the best way for you to get used to your new hearing aid.
Sticking with these tips (and tips like them) can help ensure that you enjoy having your hearing aids and that you keep wearing them because they continue to improve your life.