How Long Will It Take Me to Adjust to Wearing Hearing Aids in Waterloo, IA?

The amount of time it takes to adjust to wearing hearing aids really varies from person to person, and depends on a variety of factors, not the least of which is how long you waited to get treatment for your hearing loss (and the severity of that hearing loss).

Our ears collect noise from our environment, but it’s the brain’s job to translate those noises into sounds we recognize. Untreated hearing loss can result in atrophy of the auditory part of the brain, so it can take a little rehabilitation for the brain to start recognizing those sounds again. Ultimately, your best path to success is following your doctor’s orders to the letter.

If you’re new to wearing hearing aids in Waterloo, IA, here are some tips to help you adjust more easily:

• Give it time: Like we said, the adjustment period varies for everyone. You’re almost definitely not going to put your hearing aids in for the first time and then have no hiccups or difficulties with them after that. Whether it’s difficulties with hearing, a hard time getting used to the feeling of having your hearing aid in or simply not liking the way you look while wearing hearing aids, there are many aspects of hearing aids that can take some time for you to grow accustomed to. There’s no need to worry—this is completely normal.
• Talk to yourself more: You can help your ears and brain adjust to hearing aids more quickly if you talk to yourself more while you’re alone. This is especially true if you’ve been getting used to talking louder to compensate for your hearing loss. It can help for you to read out loud to yourself while you’re wearing your hearing aids, as it will help you get used to talking at appropriate volumes again while also giving your brain a chance to start recognizing speech again.
• Use audio books: Audio books are also great tools for people who are getting used to hearing aids. Have the audio book playing while you read the words on the page—pairing the audio and visual like that can be tremendously helpful for helping your sense of hearing readjust.
• Take notes: It can be helpful to keep a “hearing journal” in which you write down any noises you hear that are irritating or bothersome. Perhaps a clock is ticking too loudly, or you are unable to keep track of conversations in crowded, noisy areas. Having these notes helps you know what you should discuss with your hearing specialist to see if you need to make any adjustments.
• Don’t fiddle with the volume too much: Most hearing aids these days should be able to adjust to different listening environments. Fiddling with the volume controls could interfere with the hearing aid’s ability to properly adjust, and it could also result in you further damaging your hearing.

For more tips about adjusting to your new hearing aids in Waterloo, IA, contact the team at Potter’s Hearing Aid Service today.

Categorised in: Hearing Aids

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