Congratulations—you’re ready to join the millions of Americans who have learned how using hearing aids can make life much more satisfying and rewarding. Soon, you’ll be listening to sounds you’ve long forgotten, engaging in stimulating discussions, and listening to music with improved perceptiveness for each instrument.
But before you can get to all that, you’ll have to move through a short phase of adjustment to get used to your new hearing aids. Here are five recommendations to help you make it through this period and to help you get the maximum benefit out of your new technology.
1. Consult a Hearing Care Professional
If you are looking for the best hearing attainable, there’s no way around the first step, which is consulting a hearing care professional. They can help you find the ideal hearing aid that corresponds with your hearing loss, lifestyle, and financial position. And, even more importantly, they can custom-fit and program your new hearing aid so that it’s optimized for your distinctive hearing loss.
Your hearing loss, like a fingerprint, is unique. That means every hearing aid should be programmed differently—and this requires the practical knowledge of a hearing care professional.
2. Be Patient with Your Hearing Aids
Your new hearing aids will take some getting used to. You’ll notice sounds you haven’t heard in a long time, your voice may sound different, and sound may in general just seem “off.” This is completely normal: you just need time to adapt.
Start off by making a commitment to wear your hearing aids for as much of the day as possible, for at minimum a few weeks. Put them in when you get up in the morning and take them out before bed. Although it may be awkward initially, you’ll adjust to better hearing in no time—and it will be well worth the effort and hard work.
If you find that you’re having a hard time adjusting, arrange an appointment with your hearing care professional. Hearing aids can be fine-tuned, so you never have to quit on better hearing.
3. Start Small
We recommend adapting to your hearing aids to start with in the comfort of your home. Try watching a movie or television show and paying particular attention to the conversation; take part in one-on-one conversations in a quiet room; and listen to music while trying to identify different instruments and pitches.
Next, when you’re more accustomed, you can test your hearing aids out in more complex conditions like at parties, restaurants, and movie theaters. Modern hearing aids have advanced features and environmental settings that can effortlessly handle these increased listening demands—which segues perfectly to the fourth tip.
4. Master the Advanced Features
After you’ve adapted to your hearing aids, you should begin to learn a few of the more sophisticated features. With the help of your hearing specialist, you can discover how to capitalize on the functionality and convenience of your modern hearing aids.
Depending on your chosen model, you’ll have the ability to do things like wirelessly stream music and phone calls straight to your hearing aids, regulate the volume from your smart-phone or digital watch, and effortlessly change settings to maximize your hearing in a variety of environments. Make sure to speak to your hearing specialist about all the features that might be beneficial to you.
5. Care For Your Hearing Aids
Finally, you’ll want to ensure that you care for your hearing aids. This means daily cleaning, proper storage, and managing your battery supply. Your hearing professional will show you how to combine hearing aid maintenance and care into your daily routine so that it becomes automatic and easy.
You’ll also want to get your hearing aids professionally cleaned and examined one or two times a year to ensure proper functioning for years to come.
We’d love to hear from you: if you currently have hearing aids, tell us about your experiences! Let us know how you adapted to your hearing aids and any advice you’d give to those just getting started.
