Congratulations! Modern hearing aids are an impressive piece of technology, and you’ve recently become the proud owner of a shiny new set. But, as with any new device, there will be things that hearing aid owners wish somebody had informed them about.
Let’s go over nine common mistakes new hearing aid owners make and how to avoid them.
1. Not learning how hearing aids work
Or, more specifically, understand how your hearing aid works. The hearing experience will be dramatically enhanced if you know how to utilize advanced features for different settings like on the street, at the movies, or in a restaurant.
It may be able to connect 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. Modern hearing aids do more than simply raise the volume of outside sounds.
Practice using your hearing aid in different places in order to learn how to attain the clearest sound quality. Check out how well you hear by getting a friend or family member to help you.
As with anything new, it will get easier after a bit of practice. Just turning the volume up and down won’t even come close to providing the hearing experience that using these more sophisticated features will.
2. Expecting instant improvement in your hearing
It’s not uncommon for a new hearing aid users to think that their hearing will be optimal from day one. This assumption is normally not how it works. It typically takes up to a month for most new users to get comfortable with their new hearing aids. But stay positive. They also say it’s very worth it.
Give yourself a few days, after getting home, to get used to your new experience. It’s like breaking in a new pair of shoes. Usually, you will need to go slow and wear your new hearing aids a little at a time.
Begin by just talking quietly with friends. Familiar voices may sound different at first, and this can be disorienting. Ask your friends if you’re talking too loud and make the required adjustments.
Slowly begin to go to new places and use the hearing aid for longer periods of time.
You will have wonderful hearing experiences ahead of you if you can just be patient with yourself.
3. Being dishonest about your degree of hearing loss at your hearing test
In order to be certain you get the correct hearing aid technology, it’s crucial to answer any questions we may ask honestly.
Go back and get another test if you realize you might not have been entirely honest after you get your hearing aids. But it’s better if you get it right the first time. The hearing aid type and style that will be ideal for you will be determined by the level and kind of hearing loss you have.
For example, some hearing aids are better for individuals with hearing loss in the high-frequency range. People who are dealing with mid-range hearing loss will call for different technology and etc.
4. Neglecting to have your hearing aid fitted
There are several requirements that your hearing aids need to simultaneously manage: They need to efficiently amplify sound, they need to be easy to put in and take out, and they need to be comfortable in your ears. All three of those variables will be resolved during your fitting.
When you’re getting fitted, you may:
- Undergo hearing tests to calibrate the proper power for your hearing aid.
- Have molds of your ears made and measurements taken.
5. Not tracking your results
It’s important that you take notes on how your hearing aid performs and feels after you get fitted. Make a note if you are having difficulty hearing in a large room. If your right ear feels tighter than your left, note that. If everything feels right, make a note. This can help us make personalized, tiny adjustments to help your hearing aids reach optimum comfort and effectiveness.
6. Not foreseeing how you’ll utilize your hearing aids
Some hearing aids are resistant to water. However, water can seriously damage others. Perhaps you enjoy 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. Only you know which state-of-the-art features you’ll actually use and that’s worth committing to because if the hearing aids don’t fit in with your lifestyle you won’t use them.
You’ll be wearing your hearing aid for quite a while. So you don’t want to regret settling when you really would have benefited from a certain function.
Some other things to take into consideration
- Maybe you want a high level of automation. Or maybe you’re more of a do-it-yourself kind of person. Is an extended battery life essential to you?
- Speak with us about these things before your fitting so you can make sure you’re completely satisfied.
- How noticeable your hearing aid is may be important to you. Or perhaps you want to wear them with style.
Many issues that arise regarding fit, lifestyle, and how you use your hearing aids can be resolved through the fitting process. In addition, many hearing aid manufacturers will allow you to demo the devices before making a decision. During this trial period, you’ll be able to get an idea of whether a specific brand of hearing aid would be right for you.
7. Failing to take proper care of your hearing aid
Most hearing aids are very sensitive to moisture. If where you live is very humid, acquiring a dehumidifier may be worth the money. Storing your hearing aid in the bathroom where people bathe may not be the best idea.
Always wash your hands before touching the hearing aid or batteries. Oils encountered normally on your hand can impact how well the hearing aid functions and the life of the batteries.
The hearing aid shouldn’t be allowed to accumulate earwax and skin cells. Instead, clean it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
The life and function of your hearing aid will be improved by taking these basic steps.
8. Failing to have a spare set of batteries
Often, it’s the worst time when new hearing aid users learn this one. Suddenly, while 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 outside environment and how you use it. So even if you recently changed your batteries, keep a spare set with you. Don’t let an unpredictable battery cause you to miss something significant.
9. Neglecting your hearing exercises
When you first purchase your hearing aids, there might be a presumption, and it’s not always a baseless assumption, that your hearing aid will do all the heavy lifting. But it’s not just your ears that are impacted by hearing loss, it’s also the parts of your brain in charge of interpreting all those sounds.
You can start to work on restoring those ear-to-brain connections after you get your new hearing aids. This might happen quite naturally for some people, especially if the hearing loss was somewhat recent. But other people will need a more focused approach to rebuild their ability to hear. A couple of common strategies include the following.
Reading out loud
One of the best ways you can recreate those pathways between your ears and your brain is to spend some time reading out loud. It might feel a bit foolish at first, but don’t let that stop you. You’re practicing reconnecting the experience of saying words with the sounds they make. Your hearing will get better and better as you continue practicing.
Audiobooks
If you don’t like the idea of reading something out loud personally, then you can always try audiobooks. You can purchase (or rent from the library) a physical copy of a book and the audiobook version together. Then, you read along with the book while the audiobook plays. This does the same work as reading something out loud, you hear words while reading them. This will teach the language parts of your brain to understand speech again.
Resources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10900/