Just as the road to better hearing can take time — hearing-aid users on average waited a decade-plus after diagnosis before getting hearing technology — it’s natural to need an adjustment period with your new devices.
Learning to embrace and enjoy your hearing aids could mean the difference between letting them help you confidently communicate or letting them simply collect dust, so check out these quick tips to make the most of your hearing tech.
Be Patient
At first, your hearing system may not sound normal, and your own voice may seem strange or hollow. You’ll begin hearing many sounds you’ve been missing, and you may also experience some unpleasant ones. Documenting your observations will help us adjust your technology as needed. With time and practice, your brain can adjust and interpret the sounds you’ve been missing.
Start Gradually
This will help your auditory system adapt to the new way you’ll hear sounds. Don’t be dismayed if at first you can’t understand low voices or hear a conversation clearly in a noisy environment. Some sounds may seem excessively loud — cars on a busy street, for example, or the screech of an electric can opener. Your technology can be programmed to filter out most of the unwanted noise.
Expect Adjustments
Your devices are designed to emphasize speech sounds, which will initially cause nonspeech sounds to seem altered and unfamiliar. During follow-up appointments, we can readjust your technology to significantly reduce nonspeech sounds. As an AudigyCertifiedTM practice, we offer complimentary reprogramming and recalibration of your devices to help ensure you’re receiving the maximum benefit for your lifestyle.
Explore The Capabilities
Today’s digital hearing aids pack a lot of features to help empower you in diverse listening situations. Whether streaming from media devices, connecting to hearing loops, interfacing with smart-home technology, tracking your wellness goals, or using geotagged sound settings for venue-specific hearing, explore all the capabilities your devices offer — and know that we’re always happy to share additional tips and tricks.
Protect Your Tech
Nothing can restore the damage that causes permanent, sensorineural hearing loss, but today’s digital hearing instruments greatly help in compensating for it. These powerful devices aren’t indestructible, however, so it’s important to care for and clean them regularly. Also, avoid wearing your devices while sleeping, bathing, or swimming, which can cause damage. Easy maintenance at home and periodic professional clean and checks will help you enjoy your technology for years to come.
Have questions about your hearing technology or the sounds you’re experiencing? Don’t hesitate to contact our hearing care team. We’re here to help!