Hearing aids can take a bit of getting used to. If you have just been fitted with hearing aids you might find that they feel strange or you might be struggling with suddenly being able to hear a full range of sounds again. Below are some top tips to help you adapt to wearing your new hearing aids.
Hearing at Home
It can take a little while for your ears and brain to adjust to hearing with hearing aids. You should begin by wearing your hearing aids around the home, which is generally filled with familiar sounds and noises. At first, you should avoid wearing your new hearing aids in very noisy environments such as supermarkets or restaurants as this could be uncomfortable or overwhelming. If you begin to feel overwhelmed take a break and be happy with each days progress.
Increased Hearing Aid Use
You should gradually increase the amount of time you spend wearing your hearing aids, from a few hours on the first day, until you are wearing them for the majority of your waking hours. There is no set time frame for how long it should take you to reach this point, for some people it might be 6 days and for others 6 months. Your aim should be to increase the amount of time spent wearing your hearing aids, until they begin to feel like an extension of your own body.
TV and Radio
Speech which is produced electronically can sometimes be be difficult to understand when wearing hearing aids. You should practice by listening to a TV or radio, as with practice you should be able to better decipher what is being said. When listening you should focus on the general meaning of what the speaker is saying rather than trying to understand each individual word.
Noisy Environments
Once you are comfortable wearing your hearing aids, you should wear them in noisy environments. If you have been living with hearing loss for a long time, you may have grown use to the reduced levels of sound. You should try to focus on what you want to hear and ignore unwanted sounds. At first this can be difficult but as your brain adapts to its new range of hearing, this should become easier.
If you are struggling to adapt to your new hearing aids or have any other questions or concerns, you should book an appointment with an audiologist who will be able to offer support and advice.
