Tips for First-Time Users of Hearing Aids in Waterloo, IA

April 11, 2019

It’s understandable to feel a little disoriented if you’re using hearing aids in Waterloo, IA for the very first time. This is especially true if your hearing loss was very gradual—you’re suddenly going to be thrust back into a world of sounds you might not have heard clearly in years.

With this in mind, here are a few tips for new hearing aid users to better adjust to the experience:

Understand that it’ll take time to fully adjust: Hearing aids will take a little bit of time to get used to. Your brain has to get caught up on how to hear and interpret sounds instantly—it’s been a while since it’s had the opportunity to do that. The physical feeling of having the hearing aids in your ears will also take some time to get used to, but think of it like wearing a wedding ring—after a certain period of time, you won’t notice it at all.
Start by using in short bursts: Don’t feel like when you get your hearing aids that you’re required to keep them in at all times. It might help you to start by just wearing them for a few hours at a time. If you start to feel overwhelmed, you can remove them, but increase the amount of time you wear them each day.
Read to yourself out loud: One way to adjust to the sounds you’re hearing is to read out loud to yourself when you’re alone. This can help you learn once again how to regulate your own volume, so you don’t feel like you’re shouting in social settings. It’ll also give you a good sense of where you should set the volume of your hearing aids.
Start a hearing journal: Many people find it helpful to keep track of any noises that irritate or bother them in any way. Is the clock ticking too loud? Are conversations in crowded restaurants difficult for you to deal with? These are issues you should write down so you can discuss them later with your audiologist or hearing aid specialist, so they can make whatever adjustments are necessary.
Get family and friends to help you out: Your loved ones can be an invaluable part of your adjustment process when you first start using hearing aids. They give you a comfortable setting in which you can practice engaging in conversation so you can feel confident getting out into public again.
Be patient: Again, the hearing aid adjustment process can take you a little bit of time. Be patient with your progress, and don’t expect that you’re going to hit all your goals immediately. You’re essentially retraining your brain to locate and interpret sounds after that function hasn’t been used for quite a long time. The wait and the effort are worth it to get your hearing back.

For more information about how you can adjust to your new hearing aids in Waterloo, IA as a first-time user, contact Potter’s Hearing Aid Service today.