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Congratulations! If you are reading this article because you are interested in how to adjust to your new hearing aids, you have already taken the hardest and most important step towards better hearing and an improved quality of life. While the right hearing aids will help you hear more clearly and relieve listening stress, most also come with an adjustment period.
If you’ve popped in your first pair of hearing aids and expected them to work perfectly, but are instead hearing your voice way too loudly, feel uncomfortable or are having difficulty distinguishing background noise from communication, do not despair! Almost all of these issues can be fixed or will eventually fade away, don’t let a temporary issue cause you to lose hope on your new aids. Take these tips into considerations as you adjust to your hearing devices.
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Remember your brain is in control
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When we think about the hearing process, we usually concentrate on the ears, and forget about the large role our brain plays. With new hearing aids, our brains are “hearing” and processing subtle noises like ticking clocks, keyboard clicks, and rustling clothing for the first time in many years. Because of this, our brains may initially process them as novel and therefore important (thus loud). After a while, your brain will readjust to the subtle sounds of life and begin to process them as faint background noises again. A good practice to speed this process up is to actively concentrate on the sounds you want to hear when wearing your aids.
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Start slow, and increase over time
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While new hearing aids are exciting, it is good practice not to jump in and immediately wear them 24/7. This gives our ears (and brains) the time they need to readjust. Start by wearing your hearing aids for only a few hours a day, and during quieter times. Maybe you start with wearing your aids with your morning coffee and at the dinner table, while slowing increasing the amount of hours you wear your aids over a period of a few days or weeks. During this quiet time, it can be beneficial to read aloud to yourself. While you may feel silly, this is a good way to get used to the sound of your own voice again.
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Be realistic and keep notes
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It is important to remember that although spectacular, hearing aids are not like glasses, and will not return your hearing back to perfection. Hearing aids will help you regain much of what you have lost and will make listening and understanding much less stressful and straining. Try to set small and attainable goals at first – like being able to keep the TV at a set level and still understand, or being able to understand multiple conversations at the dinner table. Setting and achieving these small goals will help you see the progress you are making. Taking notes on times when it is particularly difficult to hear will help you and your hearing specialist determine what adjustments are necessary to help improve your experience.
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Keep your follow up appointments
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Your hearing specialist or audiologist will do their best to perfectly adjust your hearing aids to meet your unique needs at your initial fitting, however, further adjustments will most likely need to be made. Do not give up on your hearing aids if they feel awkward or like the settings are just not right. Often, there is a very subtle adjustment that can be made to alleviate many of your problems, but they cannot be taken care of if you don’t keep your appointments!
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Have a sense of humor and a positive attitude
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Just like with all of life’s little bumps or changes, it is important to have a sense of humor and a positive attitude when adjusting to your new hearing aids. Keep in mind that the physically uncomfortable components (having something in or on your ear, louder than average noises) will fade with time. Very soon, your hearing aids will help you live a more stress-free life where workplace conversations, social situations, and family interactions are not only tolerable and understandable – but truly fun and enjoyable too.
If you have any questions about adjusting to your new hearing aids, reach out to our friendly team at New Leaf Hearing Clinic today. We look forward to hearing from you and working through your questions and concerns.