If you are a first-time hearing aid user, you may notice a few bumps when adjusting to your new way of hearing. While this is perfectly normal, some people can become discouraged and even discard their device because they don’t feel it’s helping.
Let’s examine a few common mistakes new hearing aid users make so that you can avoid them during the adjustment phase.
Not Communicating Your Needs During the Fitting Process
Your audiologist is there to help you through every stage of the hearing aid process. It’s important that you are as open as possible about what works for you and what doesn’t. Make sure to:
- Be honest during the initial hearing test. Guessing of any kind may lead to you being fitted for a device that doesn’t match your hearing needs.
- Let them know if it feels uncomfortable or doesn’t fit right.
- Consider your lifestyle needs. Is it important for you to have a device with Bluetooth? If so, let your audiologist know.
Unrealistic Hearing Expectations
Some new owners may think that the minute they put on their device for the first time they’ll experience perfect hearing. However, it doesn’t work that way. Hearing aids improve your ability to hear speech and sounds, but they won’t restore your hearing to exactly the way it was before you experienced hearing loss.
It will take time to experience the full benefits of your device. Research shows that users take time to adjust and that the benefits improve over the first 10 weeks of hearing aid use.
It will take your ears and brain a bit of time to get used to hearing aids. Sounds you may not have picked up on for some time are audible again and places with lots of noise like TechCity Bowl might at first seem unbearably loud.
Start slowly. Have quiet conversations with your spouse or a close friend and see how that goes before going into noisier environments. Also, make sure to wear your hearing aids consistently. This will allow you to adjust more quickly.
If after several weeks you are still having issues, call your audiologist. They may need to reprogram your device to improve sound quality.
Forgetting to Clean Your Device
Proper maintenance is essential for your device to function well. Don’t forget to wipe your hearing aids off nightly and store them in a cool, dry place when not in use. This will help avoid the buildup of moisture, earwax and other debris that can distort sound and weaken your hearing aid performance.
If you have additional questions or would like to make an appointment with one of our experts, call Hearing Advancement Center today.
