HOW TO GET USED TO YOUR HEARING AIDS

Day 1

Start by using your hearing aids at home where it is quiet for just a couple of hours or so on the first day. Try listening to the TV on your own, or talking to just one other person. Your own voice may sound a little strange, and you may notice more background sounds around the house.

Days 2 - 4

Try using the hearing aids for about an hour longer each day. Try using the hearing aids in noisier rooms of the home as well, such as the kitchen. Hopefully, you’ll find that listening becomes a little easier each day.

Days 5 - 14

Each day, try to increase the time you use your hearing aids by a further hour. You could wear them for a few hours in the morning and a few hours in the afternoon. As time goes by you’ll get more used to the hearing aids and start to feel more benefit. Try using them outdoors for a while – but don’t forget to take them out if you’re going to get wet, such as at the hairdressers, raining or when swimming!

Day 14 onwards

You should be working towards using the hearing aids throughout the day, from early morning to last thing at night. But don’t get disheartened if you cannot progress at this pace – it’s better to get real benefit during the periods in which you feel able to wear them. Remember, it can take a couple of months for your brain to get used to all the background sounds again. The world may be noisier than you remember! As the weeks pass, concentrate on focusing on what you want to hear and try to ignore background sounds. Hearing aids do not restore hearing to “normal.” Hearing aids do not “cure” your hearing loss, but they provide benefit and improvement in communication. They can improve your hearing and listening abilities, and they can substantially improve your quality of life.