You’ve been looking forward to this day for quite a while. You received your new hearing aids. You’re so excited to be able to dive into your social life again. No more bad transitions or unclear conversations. But your hearing aids just don’t sound quite right.
That’s because it’ll most likely take you a while to adjust to a new set of hearing aids. This can be an annoying transition. After all, there was so much you were looking forward to, and that adjustment period just feels so long.
But there are some tips you can practice to reduce this transition period. With a little practice, you can quickly get yourself to a space where you’re paying less attention to hearing aids, and paying more attention to what you’re hearing.
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 deliberately give yourself time to adjust and start things off slowly:
- Only use your hearing aids for short amounts of time at first: A few hours at a time is the most you should wear your hearing aids when you first start out. Your hearing aids will probably feel a little strange in your ears for a while so starting gradually is okay. As your hearing aids get more comfortable, you can wear them for longer durations.
- Wear your hearing aids only around the house at first: When you’re at home, you have much more control over what you’re hearing, and you’ll likely experience significantly less noise pollution. This means you can focus on one voice at a time.
- 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 aren’t working. When the brain needs to pay attention to all those voices, it can get overwhelmed at first. By starting out with one-on-one conversations you will make the transition easier and also get a bit of extra practice.
Tips that help you get added practice in
There are some things you can do, as with any skill, that can help you with hearing aid practice. Some of these are even fun!
- Read along with the printed book while you listen to the audiobook.: This is a really similar exercise (and lets you get in some fun reading while you’re at it). Reading and listening to an audiobook simultaneously will help your brain make connections between sounds and words.
- Watch TV with the closed-captions on: It’s easy: put in your hearing aids, turn on the television, and watch your favorite program. 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.
- Just practice hearing: That’s right: Sit someplace a little quiet and experience the sounds around you. Begin by focusing on the sound of wind blowing through the trees or birds singing or nearby running water.
Strengthen your hearing health with these tips
Obviously, one of the purposes of hearing aids is to keep your ears as healthy as you can. But, as you take some time to get used to your new hearing aids, there are some things you can do that your ears will thank you for.:
- Keep visiting us: There might be a temptation to believe that once you’ve got the right hearing aids, you won’t need to see us anymore. This would be a bad idea. We can help make adjustments to your hearing aids, keep the fit comfortable, and continue to keep an eye on your hearing. These follow up appointments are very important.
- Be certain to note and report any pain: Your hearing aids shouldn’t hurt. So it’s important to report any issues with fit or any pain right away.
Go slow and increase your time as you get accustomed to your hearing aids
Your objective here will be to work your way up to using your hearing aids full time. A slow and progressive strategy works quite often, but everyone’s different. You’ll want to get personalized advice from us on the best way for you to get accustomed 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.
