Get Hearing Aids Before the Holidays
It takes time to become accustomed to wearing new hearing aids. When you get hearing aids, you’ll need to wear them on a regular basis to give your brain and body a little while to adjust to hearing again – especially if you have never worn hearing aids before! And you’ll need to learn how to use your hearing aids’ features, which is much easier if you’re wearing your hearing aids in different situations and areas.
For that reason, the best course of action if you plan to wear your hearing aids over the holiday season is to get hearing aids well in advance and jump right into wearing them!
If you get hearing aids before the holidays, you’ll have plenty of time to adjust to your new devices and learn all about them, so they’ll be working at top performance for you by the time you see your loved ones – whether your celebration will be in person or socially-distanced through screens!
Tips for adjusting to new hearing aids include:
Try to get to know your devices
As mentioned above, you should wear your hearing aids regularly. But also, just learn about them. Start with simple things, like making sure you know how to turn your hearing devices off and on and how and when to charge them or replace their batteries. Then move on to finding out how to adjust any settings that you have access to change, and how to use any accessories that came with your hearing aids.
Be consistent with wear, but be patient when it comes to getting used to your new hearing devices
If you need a break from your new hearing aids, take them off for a while and rest. At first, you will be getting used to hearing all sorts of new sounds – sounds you may have not heard in years! It is probably best to start by wearing your hearing aids for a short time – only a few hours – and then slowly increase the amount of time you wear them every day.
Don’t ignore pain
Your hearing aids may feel a bit odd when you first start wearing them. Just like when you begin wearing glasses, you will notice at first that you are wearing something new. However, you should quickly become used to the feel of your hearing aids, and after a time, you should barely notice they’re there, just like with eyeglasses.
The adjustment period should not be painful. If your devices are hurting you, it’s probably because they need to be readjusted or you may need a different tube or dome for your hearing aid. Your hearing aid should be comfortable for everyday wear.
Normal noises may seem overly loud to you at first
There may be a lot of noises you have gotten used to NOT hearing, such as the background noise of the air conditioner or the hum of the dishwasher. Or even the sound of traffic whizzing by on the road outside. It will take some time for those sounds to fade back into normalcy again. Don’t be alarmed if some noises seem overly loud in the beginning.
Practice talking alone (for example, by reading aloud) to get used to the sound of your own voice
You may notice that your voice sounds strange to you when you first begin wearing hearing aids. As you adjust to your hearing aids, that “strange” sound should fade. But it should fade faster if you practice talking while wearing your hearing aids
You also may need to get used to speaking more softly with your hearing aids. Oftentimes, people with hearing loss talk loudly because they can’t hear the sound of their own voice. Once you CAN hear your voice, you may have to get used to speaking more softly again.
Practice talking to others
Practice talking to other people, both in a one-on-one setting and in groups. Your hearing aids will help you hear your friends and family again, so enjoy those special conversations! The more you use your hearing aids in groups and public settings, the better.
Did you know hearing loss is left untreated by 85% of those affected by it? Don’t be one of those people! Treat your hearing loss now.
If you would like to get hearing aids before the holidays, contact us for assistance at (877) 344‑7744! We want you to enjoy your holidays to the fullest and appreciate every wonderful moment of conversation!