Change is inevitable. As we live, learn, and experience new things, our lives change. Sometimes that change is drastic, and sometimes tha change barely affects our lives. For some people, they have spent their entire lives with normal hearing, and then suddenly, they get hearing aids. While you may be new to hearing aids, your life does not have to change too drastically.
In this blog post, we will outline some tips for new hearing aid wearers. These tips will help to assimilate your hearing aids smoothly into your life, so you can continue with your life, with minimal modifications due to the hearing aids.
Listen to Your Audiologist
This one seems the most intuitive, but it is surprisingly the hardest to follow. Your audiologist knows your ears the best, and they know the hearing aid that was given to you. They have worked with you to choose the best hearing aid that works for you, so trust their opinion. Follow the advice and recommendations of your audiologist. They are the experts, and they know the devices inside and out.
Make sure that before you do any of the suggestions listed in these tips for new hearing aid wearers, you check with your audiologist. Keep yourself safe and healthy!
Do Regular Cleaning
Hearing aids can be cost-intensive, so it is important that you care for them properly, like any device. You can clean and maintain your hearing aids at home, which can then ensure a long and healthy life for your hearing aids. Your hearing aids are sitting in your ear, where they are constantly bombarded with moisture and earwax, so they need some maintenance.
Cleaning your hearing aids is surprisingly not that complicated. Make sure you first talk to your audiologist about how to use your hearing aids and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for cleaning. Overall, you will need the proper tools to clean, specifically a wax pick and a brush, which both will help to remove ear wax that accumulates at the end of the hearing aid. You will also want to make sure that you wash your hands well before cleaning to avoid bacteria spreading. Finally, make sure you clean your device every night, so that you can properly and cleanly hear well for the entire next day.
Avoid Extreme Temperatures
Like any technological device, try to avoid extreme temperatures. If you’re planning to go for a walk in the snow or go for a run in the extreme summer heat, consider leaving your hearing aids at home.
Avoid Liquid
This tip seems obvious, but it’s worth mentioning. As you get used to wearing your hearing aids, you will begin to forget that they are in your ears, as you get more and more acclimated. Make sure that you are mindful of where you are going, though. If you are planning to for a swim or it is raining outside, leave your hearing aids at home. Your ears are not protected from the water, and the water can cause damage to your hearing aids. Make sure to also take your hearing aids out before you shower.
Make Sure Your Hearing Aids are Charged
The most annoying thing is when you are going to use an electronic device, and you find that it is not fully charged. Avoid that with your new hearing aids. Especially if you are new to hearing aids, you may not notice when they die, so find a regular time that you charge them, so that they are always charged. Adding this step into your regular schedule is instrumental in ensuring that you are always able to use your hearing aids when you need.
Your audiologist can advise you on how often you need to charge your hearing aids, based on the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Start by Talking to Yourself
This tip is mostly for getting used to hearing through your hearing aids, not necessarily maintenance. Sound through a hearing aid sounds different than sound without a hearing aid, and that change can be really jarring at first. To best acclimate yourself to your hearing aids, try talking to yourself and listening to the sound of your own voice. When you are talking to other people, you will still be able to hear yourself and how loud you are talking, so you will have to get vocal control down now that you have had a big change in hearing.
Talking to yourself can feel weird at first, but you are helping your ears and brain get acclimated to having sound come through your new hearing aid. Start with some light noises, like “Ah” or “Oh”, and then move into words and sentences. Be patient with yourself – it will take some time to find your perfect voice again.
Avoid the Concerts at First
Avoid areas with loud noises at first, when you first start using your hearing aids. You do not want to overwhelm your ears before you are used to using your hearing aids. Start using the hearing aids in your house, then start introducing your hearing aids to louder environments and more people. Eventually, you will be able to work your way up to louder, more distracting environments.
Lastly, Be Patient
Be patient with yourself! Having a new device in your ear can feel so frustrating, but hearing aids can help you. It takes some adjustment, but with some patience and grace for yourself, you will become totally used to your new hearing aids.
Using hearing aids for the first time is definitely an adjustment, but it is totally doable. With these tips, you will soon be able to adjust to life completely, barely realizing that you are wearing hearing aids.