Susan began her full time career with Welsch Hearing Aid Company in December, 1984 as the Office Manager. On March 5, 1985, she became a State Licensed Hearing Instrument Specialist. In 1994, she passed her National Board for Certification Examination.
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When you first start wearing hearing aids, sounds may seem loud or strange. Over a week or two, your ears and brain will adjust to your hearing aids, and you’ll be able to hear much better than you did without hearing devices.
Adjusting to the Feeling of Hearing Aids
Your hearing aids may feel strange during the first few days. Think back to the first time you wore glasses, and how they felt resting on your nose and behind your ears. They felt funny at first, but after a few days, you couldn’t even feel them on your face. Adjusting to the feeling of hearing aids will also take some time. You may notice the feeling of your hearing aids behind your ear or in your ear. Wear your hearing aids consistently for the first few days, and soon you won’t even notice them in your ears.
Adjusting to Loud Sounds
Many people live with untreated hearing loss for several years before getting hearing aids. During this time, they forget what it’s like to hear all the sounds around them. When you first slip on your new hearing aids, you may feel as though the sounds around you are very loud. You’ll start hearing sounds you haven’t heard in years, like the hum of the air conditioner or the ticking of the clock on the wall.
When you get new hearing aids, all these sounds can seem overwhelming. You’ll need some time to adjust, since your brain has to relearn to process sounds you haven’t heard in years. After a few days with your new hearing aids, your brain will get used to hearing all the sounds around you, and you’ll adjust to all the sounds you’re hearing.
Adjusting to Changes in Energy Levels
When you first get new hearing aids, you’ll experience a whole new world of sound. Your brain starts working hard to make sense of all these sounds and learn how to focus on the sounds you want to hear. Your first few days with hearing aids can be exhausting, and you may feel tired at the end of the day. This change in energy levels will only last for a few days while your brain adjusts to your hearing aids.
Once your brain is used to processing the sounds around you, hearing aids will give you more energy, and you will be able to hear each sound easily, without straining to hear.
Adjusting to Quiet Environments
The best way to get used to your hearing aids is to start by wearing them in quiet environments. You can sit in your living room and spend some time listening to the sounds around you. Maybe you can hear traffic noise, the hum of a fan, or someone in another room. These sounds may seem loud, but your brain will soon get used to hearing these sounds again. Have conversations with your hearing aids and see how it feels to hear voices with your devices. When you’re ready, you can start adjusting to your hearing aids in other environments.
Adjusting to Your Own Voice
When you first get new hearing aids, your own voice may sound strange. You’ll get used to the sound of your voice in just a few days, but you can make the process easier. Spend some time reading aloud to yourself so you can hear your voice. This will help you learn to speak at the right volume, and it will make it easier for you to focus on others when you have conversations.
Adjusting to the TV
Ask a friend or family member to adjust the TV volume to a normal volume. Chances are you’re used to listening to the TV with the volume far too high. As you turn down the volume, your hearing aids will help you hear the TV at a normal volume. As you adjust to watching TV with hearing aids, turn on the subtitles so you can also read what’s being said.
These are just a few tips for adjusting to new hearing aids. If you need help getting used to your new devices, contact us to learn more ways you can adjust to your hearing aids.