Tips for Adjusting to New Hearing Aids
As you start to use your hearing aids for the first time, the process can take some adjustments. This is especially true if your hearing loss steadily developed over the years. You may start hearing speech or sounds that you haven’t heard in a while, and your brain needs to adjust to this process. For some, it can take upwards of four months to get adjusted to hearing aids. When adjusting to hearing aids, it is advisable to wear your hearing aids all waking hours (do not wear your hearing aids when showering, swimming, or when in the presence of very loud noises). Give yourself plenty of time to adapt to your new devices.
Practice Using Hearing Aids
Adjusting to hearing loss with hearing aids takes practice. You may start hearing more sounds, but your brain needs readjusting to focus on and filter these noises. As your brain begins to acclimate to the hearing aids over time, you may find yourself being less startled by everyday sounds. When you first get your hearing aids, try using them for several hours at a time. The more you use them, the more you’ll be able to identify sounds, hear voices, and focus on the sounds.
Manage Your Volume
As you choose your hearing aids, pick ones that you feel comfortable with to manage your own volume. Those with hearing loss may speak louder, in order to hear themselves better. Hearing aids can help people with hearing loss regulate the volume of their own voice, though it may take some practice. To manage your own volume, try having a conversation or read a book to yourself out loud. By practicing this, you’ll start to recognize speech and words again. Additionally, you’ll identify an appropriate volume for your voice.
Take Your Time Adjusting to Hearing Aids
Adjusting to hearing aids takes time and practice when re-acquiring your hearing skills. It’s important to wear your hearing aids frequently when you first receive them to adjust to their settings and to pick up on speech and sounds. You can even start out by wearing them for only a few hours a day. Once you become more comfortable with your hearing aids, try wearing them a little more each day.
If you need assistance with adjusting to your new hearing aids, the audiologists at Associated Hearing Professionals can help. Our goal is to help you feel as comfortable as possible with your hearing aids to improve your hearing and quality of life. You can call our St. Louis office at 314-725-2686 and our Chesterfield office at 636-778-9232, or fill out a form online today.