How to Get Used to Hearing Aids

Are you having trouble getting used to your new hearing aids? Don’t worry, it’s completely normal. Wearing hearing aids is not as simple as turning up the volume. Your brain needs time to relearn how to process and filter sounds. Sometimes this can take several weeks, other times it can take several months. Here are some tips that have helped other first-time hearing aid wearers adjust. Try them out and see what works best for you.

1. Start Slow and Work Your Way Up

When you first get home, only wear your hearing aids for short periods of time. If you start to get overwhelmed by all the sounds, take a break. Start out wearing them in quiet rooms to help your brain identify and interpret individual sounds more easily. As you gradually get used to them, wear your hearing aids more each day and even out in public. You may find that it’s still difficult to hear in noisy places, but this is normal, and even people with unimpaired hearing experience this. Eventually, you’ll get to a point where you feel comfortable wearing your hearing aids throughout waking hours. The more you wear them, the faster you’ll adjust.

2. Practice Listening and Talking

Before you got hearing aids, you probably found yourself talking louder and turning up the volume on your TV and radio. Now that you have them you'll want to get back to lower volumes and speaking without raising your voice. Ask your friends and family to use normal volumes around you to help make the adjustment. It’s also helpful to get in the habit of reading out loud or listening to audio books while you read. Not only can these techniques help your brain recognize patterns faster, but they can help you get used to regulating your voice as well.

3. Stay Positive and Be Patient

The most important thing you can do is to stay positive. It’s tempting to get discouraged and leave your hearing aids at home. While this is understandable, the only way to get used to hearing aids is to wear them. During the adjustment period, lean on your hearing aid specialist and your loved ones for support. For many individuals, it's also a good idea to keep a journal. This can be a great way to let out your frustrations, track your progress and see how far you’ve come.

4. Seek Help if Needed

While it's essential to be patient and do your best to adjust, in some cases extra support is needed. If you can't seem to get comfortable or experience problems with unexpected sounds and other issues, make sure to speak to your specialist. He or she can help make adjustments to ensure your hearing aids work as expected.

The Adjustment Period Doesn’t Last Forever

How long does it take to get used to hearing aids? That depends on multiple factors. Whether you’re about to get your first hearing aids or you’ve already started the adjustment period, hopefully these tips can help. Ask your provider and your friends who use hearing aids for additional advice. It won’t be long before you get fully used to your devices and can use them to communicate fluidly and effectively every single day.