Tanya is being measured for a new set of hearing aids by her hearing specialist. And it’s the reason for some anxiety. Not, you know, a ton of anxiety. But she’s never had to use hearing aids before, and she’s somewhat stressed that she will be uncomfortable with a high tech gadget sitting in her ears, especially because she doesn’t really like earpods or earplugs.
These concerns are not only felt by Tanya. Lots of first-time hearing aid users have doubts about the comfort and general fit of their hearing aids. Tanya wants to wear her hearing aid. She’s anticipating hearing her son’s music and listening to her television at a level That won’t cause trouble with the neighbors. But will those hearing aids be comfortable?
How to Adapt When You First Use Your Hearing Aids
So, are hearing aids uncomfortable? The short answer is: some people experience them as a little uncomfortable at first. Initial levels of comfort will vary because, as with many things in life, there’s a period of adjustment. But over time, you’ll become accustomed to how your hearing aids feel and become more comfortable.
Knowing that these adjustments will occur can help ease some of the stress. Knowing what to expect can help you get accustomed to your hearing aids in a sustainable, healthy, and comfortable way.
There are two steps to your adjustment:
- Adjusting to the enhanced sound quality: In some situations, the improved sound quality takes some adjusting to. For the majority of people who have been coping with hearing loss for some time, it will probably take some time to get used to hearing a full range of sound. When you first start using your hearing aids, it might sound a little loud, or you might hear frequencies that you aren’t used to hearing. At first, this can be annoying. For instance, one patient complained that he could hear his hair rubbing against his jacket. This isn’t uncommon. In a short period of time, your brain will make the required adjustments to sounds it doesn’t need to hear.
If either the sound quality or the physical placement of the hearing aids is bothering you, it’s critical to consult your hearing specialist about adjustments to improve your overall comfort and quicken the period of adjustment.
Can I Make my Hearing Aids More Comfortable?
Thankfully, there are a few strategies that have proven to be fairly effective over the years.
- Get the right fit: Hearing aids are made to fit your ears comfortably. It could take a few appointments with your hearing specialist to get everything functioning and just the right fit. And for optimal effectiveness and comfort, you may want to consider a custom fit hearing aid.
- Start slow: You don’t need to wear your hearing aids twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week when you first get them. You can take your time and work your way up to it. From one to four hours per day is a great way to begin. Having said that, you’ll want to work up to using your hearing aids all day, but you don’t have to start there.
- Practice: Once have your hearing aids, the world isn’t going to sound quite the same. And it might take a while for your ears to adjust, specifically when it comes to the spoken word. In order to get the hang of it more quickly, there are lots of exercises you can do including watching a movie with caption or reading along with an audiobook.
You’re Hearing Aids Can be More Comfortable
For the first few days or weeks, there may be a little discomfort with your hearing aids. But the faster you adapt to your new hearing aids, the faster they’ll become a comfortable part of your day to day life. In order to make that transition, it’s essential that you wear them on a daily basis.
Soon all you will have to consider is what you hear, not how you hear it.