If you have just invested in new hearing aids, congratulations are in order! Often, addressing hearing loss and investing in new hearing aids can take people an average of a decade! The next step is making sure you stay committed to them, which can sometimes be tricky. New hearing aids can take a while to get used to and all too often people give up before these amazing devices, before they truly have a chance to help to their optimum degree. Here are a few techniques to help you adjust to your new hearing aids.
Reacquainting Yourself with Sounds
Hearing loss can develop over years and it takes most people on average seven to ten years from the time they suspect they have a hearing loss to finally seek treatment. During this time, it’s easy to normalize the loss of these sounds. There is a possibility that the sound of birds or the leaves rustling in the wind may have been absent from your hearing for many years. The return of these sounds can feel shocking as they return all at once. Even the sound of your own voice may feel jarring. Give yourself time to get used to all the new sounds you now have the ability to hear.
Start Slow
It’s okay to start slowly and only use your hearing aids a little bit at a time. You can start with just an hour or two at home or in a familiar environment. However, it’s important not to stop there. Hearing aids are most effective when you commit to wearing them during the majority of your waking hours. Over a two week period increase the time you wear your hearing aids until you are wearing them all day.
Challenge Yourself
You are learning to hear sounds again that you have not heard for years and this can take more skill than many give credit. It can be hard at first to fully understand where a sound is coming from. Practice your localization of sound by trying to determine the direction and the proximity of sounds around you. You can also try reading aloud to yourself to get used to the sound of your voice.
Attend Follow-up Visits
Everyone’s hearing loss is just a bit different. Hearing aids are programmed to only amplify the specific sounds, which are individual to your hearing loss. While an audiogram is essential in determining the approximate tones and thresholds of hearing you need to amplify, it can take some time for us to get it completely right. Make sure to schedule and attend follow up visits. We can fine tune your hearing aids so you get the best possible experience with your hearing.
Care for Your Hearing Aids
Hearing aids are meant to be worn every day you are out and about and this means that these devices receive a lot of wear. It’s important to commit to cleaning them and inspecting them for damage at the end of each day. Add this to your evening routine and take just a few minutes to check your hearing aids for cracks or missing parts and wipe dirt and debris away with a dry soft washcloth.
Ask for Help
Take advantage of the people in your life who care for your hearing health. Ask them to read aloud to you while you read along silently. This can help you learn how to recognize particularly difficult sounds. Another successful exercise for your ears is to have someone quiz you for sound recognition. Certain sounds can sound alike, aside from a consonant and this can be a real obstacle in relearning to hear. Have your someone read the similar sounding words and observe their lip movements to help you decipher the subtle differences. This will help you in more unfamiliar settings.
A New World of Hearing
When you fully commit to healthy hearing with hearing aids you can soon enjoy the beauty of clear communication. Even after a few weeks, speaking and following conversation will come much easier. You will be surprised at the confidence you can feel when you don’t have to wonder what the people in your life are saying to you. This can eliminate stress anxiety and chronic depression which may have been building for years. You may even find that you have more energy every day now that you’re no longer taxing your brain by struggling to hear all day. Make a commitment to hearing aids today and enjoy a higher quality of life in the future.
If you are new to hearing aids and have questions, we’re here to help! We provide follow-up appointments and adjustments to ensure that you are always hearing at your best. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.