Treating your hearing loss with hearing aids can help you navigate a hearing world and reconnect with your loved ones. Even with these great benefits, putting on a pair of hearing aids for the first can be overwhelming. Below is a breakdown of what you should know to help ensure the adjustment period is as seamless as possible.
The Basics
First things first – you need to know how to put your hearing aids in, turn them on, take them out, clean them and change the batteries. Your audiologist will go over the directions for each of these steps before you walk out the door with your new devices.
When wearing hearing aids for the first time, there is an adjustment period. You will start off wearing the hearing aids only a few hours a day and slowly build up to being able to wear them for all waking hours. Your ears and brain need to get used to processing all this new auditory information, so it is important not to rush through this gradual buildup phase.
What Is Normal?
Getting used to wearing hearing aids is a process. Understanding what is normal and what is a problem can help motivate you to keep the devices in your ears.
It is normal for the devices to feel a little uncomfortable. This is just because you are not used to having a hearing aid in your ear. After a little while, you won’t even notice they are there. If wearing your hearing aids is painful or hurts your ear, this is not normal. You should schedule an appointment with your audiologist for the hearing aids to be refit.
It is normal for your voice to sound weird or too loud at first. Your will slowly get used to it. If it is bothering you, talk with your audiologist.
It is normal for background sounds to seem louder. Your hearing aids may pick up and amplify these sounds, especially if you are in a busy area such as the Reno Tahoe Farmers Market in addition to important sounds. If this becomes a problem or the background sounds are too loud, speak to your audiologist.
It is not normal to hearing a whistling sound. This is known as feedback and occurs when your hearing aid is not perfectly fit or if there is earwax or fluid within the ear. If this happens, schedule an appointment with your audiologist.
To learn more about the hearing aid fitting process or to schedule an appointment with a hearing aid professional, contact LeMay Hearing & Balance today.
Learn More About Hearing Aids
Call LeMay Hearing & Balance at (775) 323-5566 for more information or to schedule an appointment.