You’ve been waiting for this day for quite a while. You got your new hearing aids. You’re so thrilled to be able to dive into your social life again. Now, you won’t be missing elements of conversations or going through awkward transitions. But there’s a problem: everything sounds just a little off.
The reason for this is that it will normally take some time before you adjust to your new hearing aids. Sometimes, this transition can be annoying. After all, there was so much you were excited to do, and that adjustment period just feels so long.
The good news is, 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.
Start slowly with these tips
Regardless of how technologically sophisticated they may be, it’s going to take your brain a little while to adjust to hearing certain sounds again. Use these tips to start slowly and purposely give your ears time to adapt.:
- First, try to focus on 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 disappointed, not because the devices are doing anything wrong. When the brain has to pay attention to all those voices, it can become overwhelmed at first. Sticking to one-on-one conversations can help make that transition smoother (and give you a little extra practice, as well).
- Only use your hearing aids for short periods of time to begin with: When you’re just starting, you can practice by using your hearing aids for just a few hours at a time. They may feel a little funny at first (this is normal), so it’s okay to start a little bit at a time. As your hearing aids get more comfortable, you can use them for longer durations.
- Begin by using your hearing aids at home only: You’ll be less likely to encounter noise pollution at home and you will be able to have a better degree of control over the sounds you’re hearing. This will help you concentrate on individual voices.
Tips that help you get extra practice in
Much like any other skill (and hearing is a skill, among other things), there are certain activities that can help you practice with your hearing aids. You might even have some fun!
- Watch TV with the closed-captions enabled: It’s easy: put in your hearing aids, turn on the television, and watch your favorite show. Your brain will begin remembering what certain words sound like when you read along with the voices you’re hearing. This can give you some practice hearing and adjusting to speech.
- Simply practice hearing: That’s right: sit in a quiet room and let your ears do the hearing. Begin by tuning in to the sound of wind blowing through the trees or birds chirping or nearby running water.
- Listen to an audiobook while you read the printed book: This comparable exercise can also be very enjoyable. Reading and listening to an audiobook concurrently will help your brain make connections between words and sound.
Tips to keep your hearing health strong
Keeping your ears as healthy as you can, after all, is one of the main purposes of hearing aids. And there are a few tips you can do to keep your ears happy as you get accustomed to using your new hearing aid:
- Keep visiting us: You might not think you need to get hearing evaluations anymore after you get your hearing aids. This would be a bad idea. We can continue to track your hearing, make sure the fit is comfortable, and make any required adjustments. These follow up appointments are really important.
- Be certain to take note of and report any pain: Your hearing aids shouldn’t hurt. So it’s important to let us know about any issues with fit or any pain right away.
Go slow and maximize your time as you get used to your hearing aids
Working your way up to wearing your hearing aids full time is the objective here. Everybody’s different but the slow and steady approach often works best. You’ll want to get individualized advice from us on the best way for you to get used to your new hearing aid.
Sticking with these tips (and tips like them) can help make sure that you enjoy having your hearing aids and that you keep wearing them because they continue to improve your life.
