The first steps to improving your hearing and quality of life is having your hearing tested and choosing hearing aids.
When you receive your hearing aids, you will need to have them fitted specifically to your loss to ensure they optimize your hearing potential. The hearing aid fit process usually requires just one appointment with three follow up appointments to get your hearing aids feeling comfortable and providing the correct level of sound. You could spend an hour having your hearing aids fit for the first time. You may attend further appointments to have your hearing aids adjusted. This is a very common process when auditory rehabilitation is recommended.
Programming Your Hearing Aids
Before your hearing professional can fit your hearing aids, they need to be programmed. Using your specific hearing exam, they will change the settings using special software so that they are programmed for your ears. It is always recommended to bring someone with you like a loved one that you talk to on a daily basis so their voice and be used to validate that you are hearing certain pitches and tones that you have been missing.
Another part of this fitting process is checking that your hearing aids feel comfortable. This means both that they feel physically comfortable in or behind your ear, and that they provide a comfortable level of sound. Your hearing professional might ask you to answer some questions to determine whether you are hearing the sound as you should. It should be clear and pleasant, although it might not sound exactly like it did before your hearing loss. Your hearing professional should be knowledgeable of your specific loss to counsel and guide you throughout your hearing journey.
Using Your Hearing Aids
Ask Questions! Your hearing aid fitting appointment is a great opportunity to learn all about your hearing aids. You will be using them daily, it’s recommended that you where them at least 8 hours everyday so understanding how to use them and how to care for them is essential. You will learn how to put your hearing aids in and how to take them out again, as well as how to control the volume and other settings. You will also learn how to change the batteries if they are not rechargeable. There are many features with todays new hearing aid technology like Bluetooth and streaming phone calls or music.
Your hearing professional can help you with how to care for your hearing aids too. They can talk to you about how to clean them and store them, as well as what you can do if you have any problems with them. Most people find it helpful to bring someone to their appointment, who can help them to remember the information that they are given. You can also ask for written instructions on how to care for your hearing aids or take some notes to help you remember. It can take a while to become comfortable with using your hearing aids, but in time you will become a pro!
Wearing Your Hearing Aid Is Like Taking Your Brain To The Gym
Wearing your hearing aids can feel strange at first, the physical feeling of wearing them and the sound that you receive. It’s not unusual to find the sounds that you rediscover overwhelming. There can be some things that you have not heard for a long time. You might feel many emotions about wearing your hearing aids and hearing things differently. Being honest with your hearing professional will help them to make the right adjustments. An average adjustment period for someone new to hearing aids is 2 weeks to 2 months. Just think, if you haven’t heard sound at a normal level in 5 or maybe 25 years your going to need to start with lower adjustments and then slowly increased over time to your prescriptive levels. Think about it like exercise for your brain. If you wanted to run 10 miles you don’t start day one trying to run 10 miles you start with a shorter distance and slowly increase your muscles get stronger. Think of your brain like a Hearing Muscle!
When you first start to use your hearing aids, you might only start wearing them for a few hours each day. It can be overwhelming if you wear them for too long, especially as your brain needs to adjust to the new sounds. As you start to use them more, you will get used to them. You will attend further appointments to adjust your hearing aids, which will help your hearing get back into shape. The first fitting is often just a first step, and you can later perfect how your hearing aids are programmed. Having a positive attitude and practicing with your hearing aids can make a big difference.
If you are or have been experiencing difficulty hearing CALL NOW we would love to help you get your hearing back! Absolute Hearing Care Centers are happy to offer a FREE consultation and give you all the information you need to make an informed decision.
CALL NOW: 843-839-1936