"I have Hearing Aids - Now What?"

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"I have Hearing Aids - Now What?"

Posted by The Island Hearing & Balance Center Team on January 01, 2015

Congratulations, you have officially taken that next step to improve the way you hear by purchasing hearing aids! Prior to wearing hearing aids, you may not have heard the beautiful sounds surrounding you, but now you are clearly hearing them. In your journey to better hearing, are you still thinking, “Now what?”

Here are some tips to keep moving forward: 

Train Your Brain: Due to the minimal number of signals your brain previously had to interpret, it gradually lost its ability to process speech and sound. Even if it feels overwhelming, it is extremely important to wear your hearing aids as long as you can each day to help familiarize your brain with the new noises surrounding you.

• Start Simple: After wearing your new hearing aids, sit in a quiet room and absorb the simple sounds surrounding you such as the ticking of a clock or the squeak of the floor. Introducing yourself to simple listening situations will help make all these sounds seem less overwhelming and also educate your brain to focus on the new sounds it is now interpreting. Eventually you will graduate to places with more sounds like restaurants and group gatherings.
• Talk to Yourself: Do you feel like you are now talking too loud? You may not have been able to clearly hear the sound of your own voice before hearing aids. Practice talking to yourself to get a feel for the correct and appropriate volume for speaking. Also try speaking to many different people to understand the varying sound patterns and volumes.
• Take Notes:  If you discover certain situations or noises that irritate your ears when you are wearing your new hearing aids, make sure to inform your hearing professional so you can work together to modify the hearing aid setting so it is comfortable for you.

• Be patient: You may feel overwhelmed by all the new sounds around you, but if you gradually continue to introduce yourself to new situations and sounds every day, you will adapt to hearing with your new aids. 

It is important to understand your hearing aids and how they can benefit you. If you have any follow-up questions, please email or call Island Hearing and Balance Center at one of our 3 convenient locations. We are happy to help you continue on your way to better hearing!