You finally got your new hearing aids. You’re so excited to be able to dive into your social life again. No more missed transitions or unclear conversations. 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. Often, this transition can be frustrating. After all, there was so much you were excited to do, and that adjustment period just feels so long.
Luckily, there are some tips that can help accelerate the transition process. With some practice, you can quickly get yourself to a place where you’re paying less attention to hearing aids, and paying more attention to what you’re hearing.
Tips that help you start Slowly
Regardless of how technologically advanced they may be, it’s going to take your brain some time to get used to hearing certain sounds again. Here are some ways you can deliberately give yourself time to adjust and take it slowly:
- 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 means you can focus on one voice at a time.
- Focus on one-on-one conversations first: If you wear 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 aren’t working. When the brain needs to focus on all those voices, it can become overwhelmed at first. By starting out with one-on-one conversations you will make the transition easier and also get a bit of additional practice.
- Only wear your hearing aids for short periods of time to begin with: When you’re just beginning, you can practice by wearing your hearing aids for just a few hours at a time. Your hearing aids will probably feel a little weird in your ears for a while so beginning slowly is fine. As your hearing aids become more comfortable, you can wear them for longer periods of time.
Tips that help you get added practice in
There are some things you can do, as with any skill, that can help you practice hearing. Some of these are even enjoyable!
- Do some listening exercise: That’s right: Sit somewhere a little quiet and experience the sounds around you. Start out 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 really similar exercise (and allows you to have some fun reading while you’re at it). Reading and listening to an audiobook simultaneously will help your brain make connections between words and sound.
- Watch TV with the closed-captions on: It’s easy: Turn the TV on, put your hearing aids in, and enjoy. Your brain will start to remember what certain words sound like as you read along with the voices you’re hearing. This can give you some practice hearing and getting used to speech.
Tips to keep your hearing health up
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 accustomed to your new hearing aids, there are a few things you can do that your ears will thank you for.:
- 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. This would be the worst idea. We can help tune your hearing aids, keep the fit comfortable, and continue to check in on your hearing. It’s essential to continue with these follow up visits.
- If you have any pain, make sure you document it and tell us about it.: Your hearing aids shouldn’t be painful. So it’s important to report any problems with fit or any pain right away.
Go slow and increase your time as you get accustomed to your hearing aids
Working your way up to using your hearing aids full time is the objective here. A slow and progressive approach is often effective, but everyone’s different. You’ll want to get individualized 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.