You’ve been looking forward to this day for a long time. You received your new hearing aids. You’re so excited to be able to dive into your social life again. Now, you won’t be missing parts of conversations or going through awkward transitions. But there’s an issue: everything sounds a little bit off.
The reason for this is that it will usually take a bit of time before you get used 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 hard to be patient.
Luckily, there are some tips that can help speed up the transition process. With a little practice, you can quickly get yourself to a place where you’re thinking less about your hearing aids, and tuning in to what you’re hearing.
Tips that help you start Slowly
Your brain will take a little time to get accustomed to hearing certain sounds again regardless of how sophisticated your hearing aids are. Here are some ways you can intentionally give yourself time to adjust and take it slowly:
- Only wear your hearing aids for short amounts of time at first: When you’re just starting, you can practice by wearing your hearing aids for only a few hours at a time. They may feel a little uncomfortable at first (this is normal), so it’s good to start a little bit at a time. As your hearing aids become more comfortable, you can wear them for longer periods of time.
- First, try to focus on one-on-one conversations: If you wear your hearing aids while dining at a crowded restaurant on your first day using the devices, you may be disappointed, not because the hearing aids aren’t working. When the brain has to focus on all those voices, it can get overwhelmed at first. Staying with one-on-one conversations can help make that transition easier (and give you a little extra practice, too).
- 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 greater degree of control over the sounds you’re hearing. This means you can focus on one voice at a time.
Get additional practice with these tips
There are some things you can do, as with any skill, that can help you with hearing aid practice. You might even have a little fun!
- Do some listening exercise: That’s right: Sit someplace a little quiet and take in the sounds around you. You can practice by focusing on trying to hear the fridge running or the cat meowing in the other room or the birds singing outside.
- Turn on closed-captions when you watch TV: It’s easy: Turn on the TV, put your hearing aids in, and enjoy. Your brain will begin remembering 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 understanding speech again.
- Read along with the printed book while you listen to the audiobook.: This similar exercise can also be really enjoyable. Your brain will learn to make connections between sounds and words by using this read along approach.
Tips to keep your hearing health strong
Of course, one of the purposes of hearing aids is to keep your hearing as healthy as you can. 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.:
- 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 required adjustments. These follow up appointments are really important.
- Be sure 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 let us know as soon as you can.
Go slow and maximize your time as you get used to your 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 often works best. Understanding the best ways to get comfortable with your new hearing aids is something we can help you with.
Following these tips (and tips like them) can help ensure that you enjoy having your hearing aids and that you keep using them because they continue to enhance your life.
