Congrats! Modern hearing aids are an impressive piece of technology, and you’ve just become the proud owner of a shiny new set. But new hearing aid owners will wish somebody had told them certain things, as with any new technology.
Let’s go over nine common mistakes new hearing aid owners make and how you can steer clear of them.
1. Neglecting to comprehend hearing aid functionality
Or, more specifically, understand how your hearing aid works. It probably has unique features that considerably improve the hearing experience in different environments like restaurants, movie theaters, or walking down the street.
It might be able to sync wirelessly to your smartphone, TV, or stereo. It may also have a setting that makes phone conversations clearer.
If you use this advanced technology in such a basic way, without understanding these features, you can easily become stuck in a rut. Hearing aids nowadays can do more than make the sound louder.
To get the clearest and best sound, take some time to practice using the hearing aid in different places. Ask a family member or friend to help you so you can check how well you can hear.
After a little practice, as with anything new, it will get easier. Simply turning the volume up and down won’t even come close to providing the hearing experience that using these more advanced features will.
2. Thinking that your hearing will instantly improve
In line with number one, many new hearing aid owners think their hearing will be optimal as they leave the office. This assumption is usually not how it works. It typically takes up to a month for most new users to get comfortable with their new hearing aids. But don’t get frustrated. The time you take is easily worth it according to those who are persistent.
Give yourself a few days, after getting home, to get accustomed to your new experience. It won’t be that much different than breaking in new shoes. Usually, you will need to go slow and use your new hearing aids a little at a time.
Begin by just talking quietly with friends. It can be a bit disorienting initially because people’s voices may not sound the same. Ask your friends if you’re talking too loud and make the necessary adjustments.
Slowly start to visit new places and use the hearing aid for longer periods of time.
You will have wonderful hearing experiences in front of you if you can just be patient with yourself.
3. Not being honest about your level of hearing loss at your hearing exam
Responding truthfully to the questions during your hearing test will assure you get fitted with the optimum hearing aid technology.
Go back and get another test if you realize you may not have been entirely honest after you get your hearing aids. But it’s easier if you get it right the first time. The hearing aid type and style that will be best for you will be determined by the degree and kind of hearing loss you have.
As an example, people with hearing loss in the high frequency range will need a particular type of hearing aid. Others will be better for people with mid-frequency hearing loss and so on.
4. Failing to have your hearing aid fitted
Your hearing aids need to handle a few requirements at once: They need to effectively boost sound, they need to be easy to put in and remove, and they need to be comfortable in your ears. All three of those variables will be addressed during your fitting.
When you’re getting fitted, you may:
- Have your hearing tested to identify the power level of your hearing aid.
- Have molds of your ears made and measurements taken.
5. Not tracking your results
Once you’ve been fitted, it’s important to take notes on how your hearing aid feels and performs. If you have problems hearing in big rooms, make a note of that. Make a note if one ear seems tighter than the other. If everything feels great, make a note. This can help us make custom, tiny changes to help your hearing aids achieve optimum comfort and efficiency.
6. Not planning how you will utilize your hearing aid in advance
Water-resistant hearing aids are available. Others, however, can be damaged or even ruined by water. Perhaps you take pleasure in certain activities and you are willing to pay extra for more sophisticated features.
We can give you some recommendations but you must decide for yourself. You won’t wear your hearing aid if it doesn’t fit in with your lifestyle and only you know what features you will utilize.
You and your hearing aid will be together for a number of years. So if you really need certain features, you don’t want to settle for less.
A few more things to think about
- Speak with us about these things before your fitting so you can be certain you’re entirely satisfied.
- You might care about whether people can see your hearing aid. Or, you might want to make a bold statement.
- You may prefer something that is really automated. Or perhaps you enjoy having more control over the volume. How much battery life will you need?
Many challenges that arise with regards to fit, lifestyle, and how you use your hearing aids can be addressed during the fitting process. Also, you may be able to try out your hearing aids before you commit to a purchase. During this trial period, you’ll be able to get an idea of whether a specific brand of hearing aid would meet your needs.
7. Not properly taking care of your hearing aids
Moisture is a serious challenge for the majority of hearing aids. If where you live is very humid, acquiring a dehumidifier might be worth the money. It’s not a good idea to store your hearing aid in the bathroom where everyone showers.
Consistently wash your hands before handling the hearing aid or batteries. The life of your hearing aid and the longevity of its battery can be impacted by the oils normally found in your skin.
Don’t let earwax or skin cells accumulate on the hearing aid. Instead, clean it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
The life and function of your hearing aid will be increased by taking these basic steps.
8. Not getting spare batteries
Frequently, it’s the worst time when new hearing aid users learn this one. All of a sudden, when you’re watching your favorite show, your batteries quit just as you’re about to learn “who done it”.
Your battery life depends, like any electronic device, on the external environment and how you use it. So always keep an extra set of batteries handy, even if you recently replaced them. Don’t let an unpredictable battery cause you to miss out on something important.
9. Neglecting your hearing exercises
When you first get your hearing aids, there might be an assumption, and it’s not always a baseless assumption, that your hearing aid will do all the work. But it’s not just your ears that are affected by hearing loss, it’s also the parts of your brain in charge of interpreting all those sounds.
Once you get your hearing aids, you’ll be able to begin the work of rebuilding some of those ear-to-brain pathways and links. For some people, this might happen quite naturally and this is especially true if the hearing loss happened recently. But other people will need a more focused strategy to rebuild their ability to hear. The following are a couple of prevalent strategies.
Reading out loud
One of the best ways you can restore those pathways between your ears and your brain is to spend some time reading out loud. It might feel a bit silly at first, but don’t allow that to stop you. You’re doing the important work of connecting the words (which you read) to the sound (which you say). The more you establish those connections, the better your hearing (and your hearing aid) will work.
Audiobooks
You can always try audiobooks if reading out loud isn’t appealing to you. You can purchase (or rent from the library) a physical copy of a book and the audiobook version of that same text. Then, you read along with the book while the audiobook plays. You’ll hear a word while you’re reading it just like reading out loud. This will train the language parts of your brain to hear speech again.
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Resources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10900/