Like any new thing, be it a phone, pair of shoes, or even a haircut, it takes some getting used to. Everyone in your circle may say, “Wow! Your hair looks great!” over and over (and it may even be true!), but it can take some time for you to catch up.
When it comes to new hearing aids, this sensation is completely normal and even made easier by the fact that you will be hearing your world in a whole new way! While some get used to their hearing aids on day one, others need a short period of adjustment, so patience is key. And with hearing loss recently connected to Alzheimer’s, there’s never been a better time to explore hearing loss treatment.
Here are a few things you can expect from your new devices:
- Hear sounds you’ve been missing, such as faucets, ticking clocks, footsteps, children’s voices, laughter, traffic noise, etc.
- Feel something new in, or around, your ear
- Hear the sound of your own voice, as well as, internal sounds, such as swallowing
- Re-learn to speak at a comfortable volume
How long does it take to get used to these adjustments?
Because our brains are the processing center for our hearing, they are experts at noise filtration. This means that our brains have the ability to ‘turn down’ background noise that it deems unimportant to our current environment. When we introduce hearing aids, we are introducing all new sounds that our brains will need time to process. Within a couple of weeks, first-time hearing aid wearers report the joy of hearing chirping birds, laughing children, and rain on the roof and are no longer aware of insignificant sounds. Slowly but surely, the world will begin to sound in balance again!
I just received my hearing aids, what are some things I can do to speed the adjustment process up?
Some key takeaways for adjusting to new hearing aids are: ease in, fine-tune, and be patient!
Ease In
The best approach to acclimating to your hearing aids is to wear them for as long as they are comfortable. Some users find they can wear them all day almost immediately, while others need to take a gradual approach and wear them a few hours at a time throughout the day. Common recommendations to assist with acclimation are read aloud to yourself, have conversations with your family, watch TV and listen to soft music. When you’re ready to leave the house with your new hearing aids, start by going to quiet or low noise environments, such as a library or bank, and avoid large crowds and noisy places.
Fine-tune
Most hearing care professionals recommend weekly or biweekly visits for the first four weeks after you get your new hearing aids in order to make the proper adjustments that suit your unique wearing experience.
Be patient
The adjustment process can take a few weeks, but millions of happy hearing aid wearers will tell you that hearing well again makes it all worthwhile. So, take the plunge! And then, take your time. Soon, you’ll love how well you hear and forget all about your hearing aids.
Hearing Loss & Links To Alzheimer’s
Through several studies, researchers at Johns Hopkins found that people with hearing loss were 24% more likely to have Alzheimer’s. Furthermore, they found that the worse the hearing loss was, the more likely the person was to develop dementia. To read more about these findings, follow this link.
Conclusion
Take the next steps and request a free appointment from Beltone! Hearing exams are completely painless, and free of any obligation. It’s time to reconnect with the world around you!
