If you have hearing loss, hearing aids can make your life better in so many ways. They can make it easier to understand speech and follow conversations whether at work or out spending quality time with your family at Splash Café. They also can benefit your mental, physical and even cognitive health.
In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that about 28.8 million U.S. adults could benefit from using hearing aids.
While hearing aids absolutely improve your ability to listen in any environment, they do take a bit of getting used to. Let’s go over a few tips that will make the adjustment process easier and your user experience more enjoyable.
Be Patient With Your Hearing Aids and Yourself
It can take up to four months to fully adjust to using hearing aids. During that time, it’s important that you stay patient, not just with your device but with yourself as well. It’s totally normal for certain sounds to seem louder or overwhelming. Even your own voice can sound a bit odd at first. Know that it takes time, and don’t be hard on yourself or stop using your hearing aids if you run into a few bumps along the way.
Start Slow in Quiet Environments
While the eventual goal of hearing aids is to wear them during most of your waking hours in all different kinds of listening environments, no one expects you to do that right away. Wear your hearing aids at home first and then in other quiet environments. Practice having one-on-one conversations with a family member or a close friend before going out to a busier restaurant or other crowded area with lots of background noise.
Be Consistent
To build up to regular hearing aid use, wear them consistently more and more each day. Start off with a couple of hours the first few days and then gradually but progressively build up from there. While you can take some breaks if you’re feeling overwhelmed, in general, being consistent will help you adjust faster.
Attend Follow Up Visits with Your Audiologist
It’s not just the initial hearing aid fitting that matters when it comes to getting the most out of your device. Have regular follow-ups with your audiologist so that they can fine-tune your settings and make any other needed adjustments, as well as address any questions or concerns you might have.
To learn more or to schedule an appointment with a hearing expert, call M.K. Larson Audiology today.
