When you get your new pair of hearing aids, you might be tempted to put them in at our offices and never take them out! Despite this inclination, you might find that it takes some time to adjust to your new aids. Hearing aids don’t work like eyeglasses. When you put on eyeglasses for the first time, your vision becomes sharper in an instant. With hearing aids, you are likely to begin a long process of learning to understand what you hear and becoming comfortable. The discomfort you feel with hearing aids at first might simply be surprised at the new sounds that you hadn’t noticed before. When you hear your hair brushing against your aids or the crinkling of plastic when kids are eating candy, you might find it disturbing at first. The following are some of the helpful approaches you can take to acclimate to your hearing aids. With a little time, you will find that you are accustomed to the benefits they provide and the new range of sounds you hear.
First Encounters
Your first encounters with hearing aids should take place in a quiet and familiar environment. For most people, this first encounter will be at home on a day when there isn’t a lot of activity at home. You can insert your aids and take a mental inventory of the sounds you hear that are new to you. Many people notice not only the refrigerator and HVAC system but also traffic outdoors and birds or other animals. If these sounds are unsettling or uncomfortable, it’s okay to take out your aids after a few minutes. The key is to wear your aids for at least one session every day. With exposure, you will adjust to these new sounds and many of them will even become pleasant to you. Increase the time of your sessions at home before you take your hearing aids out in public.
Public Places
When you are comfortable with your aids at home, you’re ready to wear them in a public place. A good idea for a first public encounter is your local grocery store. Don’t drive with your hearing aids, but insert them once you arrive. Walking into your grocery store might bring a lot of sonic surprises! If you run into someone you know, you can have some small talk, noticing how the conversation flows in that context. As you proceed through the store, you might overhear others talking with the families or companions. When you arrive at the register, you can take the opportunity for a quick exchange with the cashier. Take note of what is easier with hearing aids and anything that remains uncomfortable or unsettling.
Time to Party
Once you’ve become adjusted to hearing aids in your quiet home and while doing errands out and about, you’re ready to try your hearing aids in a social setting. The first time you try this, you might experience some awkwardness, learning to listen to the person speaking to you while tuning out all the background noise. This skill that was commonplace before hearing loss might be unfamiliar now, and you will need to relearn how to focus on that speaker with your hearing aids.
Don’t hesitate to disclose your process to the person with whom you’re speaking. You can simply tell them that this is your first time wearing hearing aids at a party, and you’re still getting used to it. When you explain what you’re going through, others will no doubt jump to your aid if you need any help. If you become fatigued by the newness of wearing hearing aids in public, it’s okay to take them out. Over time, you’ll become accustomed to the amplification and new sonic profile they provide.
Take care wearing your hearing aids in certain settings, such as driving a car, until you have become adjusted to wearing them in other environments first. Only then are you ready to wear your hearing aids in any situation that comes your way? Though it might take a few weeks to fully adjust, the benefits available through hearing aids are certainly worth the wait for those who are patient!