Why Is Getting Accustomed to Hearing Aids Challenging?
Like any other change involving the human body, wearing hearing aids comes with an adjustment period. It is more than likely that, due to your hearing loss, you have lost your ability to hear sounds in the speech spectrum, as well as environmental sounds such as traffic, wind, rain, the hum of the fridge, doors opening and closing, etc. and that over time, your brain has gotten used to not hearing those.
When you begin wearing hearing aids, however, your brain will all of a sudden start registering a lot of these noises, which can be overwhelming at first since it will need time to re-learn which sounds are important and which sounds can be ignored.
Tips for Easier Adjustment
Of course, your hearing care provider will be your best guide when it comes to getting accustomed to your hearing aids and following their advice is essential. However, there are steps you can take on your own to make the transition to wearing your new devices easier:
Gradually Building Up the Time You Spend Wearing Your Hearing Aids
When starting to wear your aids, it can be a good idea to begin by using them once or twice a day for about an hour or two, ensuring that you do so in quiet surroundings. When you notice that they are beginning to feel more comfortable, you can begin wearing them outdoors and slowly build up towards using them during the entire day. Generally, the more time you spend wearing your devices, the easier it will be to get used to them.
Participating in Conversations
It is a good idea that the first conversations you have while wearing your hearing aids take place in a quiet environment without background noise present. Another good tip is to only speak to one or two people at a time at first, positioning yourself in a way that helps you see their faces, making lip-reading easier.
Over time, you will start feeling comfortable participating in conversations with larger groups of people. You might find out that you enjoy group discussions a lot more thanks to the benefits of your hearing aids but try not to get frustrated if you are not able to follow every part of the conversation: this is a normal aspect of the adjustment process, and you can always ask a member of the group to sum up what has been said for you.
Using Your Hearing Aids in Loud Environments
Places with lots of background noise present such as restaurants or gyms are the most challenging listening situations. It is a good idea to give yourself enough time to ensure that you feel ready for using your hearing aids in environments such as these. The more time you have spent wearing your aids and thus helping your brain adjust to them, the better you will be able to manage background noise.
Gradually Introducing TV or Radio Sounds
Using your hearing aids while watching TV will help you adjust to hearing a wider variety of sounds. It can be a good idea to test out how you respond to different volume levels and compare your usual preferred volume level to the one that sounds best when wearing your hearing aids.
Using Hearing Assistive Devices to Help You Get Used to Your Hearing Aids
If you have invested in quality hearing aids, you may not initially realise or expect that even top-range devices sometimes have difficulties providing you with focused, clear sound in noisy environments. This is especially valid if, for example, the person you wish to speak to is positioned at a distance larger than 6ft from you.
Relying solely on your hearing aids to filter out noise in challenging listening situations can be unrealistic. This is where hearing assistive devices come in handy, especially if you are currently in the process of adjusting to your aids. Whether you are in a restaurant, at the office, or at the gym, special gadgets such as FM hearing systems or microphones can help you filter out unwanted noise and focus on the sounds you want to hear.
Furthermore, if you wish to enjoy an improved TV listening experience, it is a good idea to look into the different Assistive TV Products available that can help you seamlessly stream TV sound into your aids, while allowing you to enjoy your favourite programmes at an independent volume from other members of your household.
If you are currently in the process of getting accustomed to your new hearing aids and feel like you could use some help, why not have a browse through our shop? We offer a wide variety of assistive listening devices that can provide you with clear sound and improved speech discrimination, helping you transition smoothly and make the most of your hearing aids. Click here to discover the device most suitable for you!
