You finally got those new hearing aids. You’re so thrilled to be able to dive into your social life again. No more missed transitions or confused conversations. But there’s an issue: everything sounds just a little off.
The reason for this is that it will normally take a bit of time before you adjust to your new 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.
The good news is, there are a few tips that can help accelerate the transition process. Before long, 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
Regardless of how technologically sophisticated they may be, it’s going to take your brain a little while to get used to hearing certain sounds again. Use these tips to proceed slowly and deliberately give your ears time to adjust.:
- At first, try to focus on one-on-one conversations: If you wear your hearing aids while eating at a crowded restaurant on your first day you get them, you may be disappointed, not because the hearing aids aren’t working. It’s just that it’s hard for your ear and brain to deal 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, too).
- Use your hearing aids for a short duration: A few hours at a time is the most you should wear your hearing aids when you first get started. They might feel a little uncomfortable at first (this is normal), so it’s okay to start slowly. You can start to use your hearing aids for longer durations as you get used to them.
- Wear your hearing aids only around the house at first: 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 focus on one voice at a time.
Get extra practice with these tips
There are some activities, as with any skill, that can help you with hearing aid practice. Some of these are even fun!
- Do some listening practice: That’s right: Go somewhere a little quiet and experience the sounds around you. Start off by focusing on the sound of wind blowing through the trees or birds singing or nearby running water.
- Listen to an audiobook while you read the print version: This is a very 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 using this read along technique.
- Turn on closed-captions when you watch TV: It’s easy: put in your hearing aids, flip on the television, and watch your favorite show. As you read the words you’ll also be hearing the actors talk, and your brain will begin to remember what all these words sound like. This sort of practice will help you get used to hearing speech again.
Tips to keep your hearing health strong
Keeping your ears as healthy as you can, after all, is one of the main purposes of hearing aids. But, as you take some time to get used to your new hearing aids, there are a few things you can do that your ears will thank you for.:
- Keep visiting us: You might not think you need to get hearing evaluations anymore after you get your hearing aids. Nothing could be further from the truth. We can continue to track your hearing, make certain the fit is comfortable, and make any needed adjustments. It’s important to continue with these follow up visits.
- If you’re experiencing any pain, be sure you take note of it and tell us about it.: Your hearing aids shouldn’t be painful. So if you’re experiencing any pain or something’s not fitting right, it’s important to let us know as soon as possible.
Be patient, and work up to full-time hearing aids
Your goal here will be to work your way up to using your hearing aids full time. Everyone’s different but the slow and steady strategy usually works best. You’ll want to get personalized guidance from us on the best way for you to get used to your new hearing aid.
These tips will help you have a more enjoyable and enriched life with your new hearing aids.