9 tips to help you adjust to hearing aids

By Dr. Dawn MacMillan, Audiologist

1. Realize that getting used to new hearing aids takes time. You probably didn’t lose your hearing overnight; you won’t adjust to new hearing aids overnight.

Ask anyone who wears hearing aids and they’ll tell you their hearing aids probably didn’t sound “good” when they first put them on, they probably sounded “different”. Not necessarily ‘bad different’ but just different. Hearing aids may feel strange at first on your ears, especially if you wear glasses. Wearing glasses with hearing aids is ok! You may just not be used to having both glasses AND hearing aids behind your ears, don’t be alarmed if you need to wear them for a few days, or even weeks, before they become comfortable.

When your Audiologist first puts your hearing aids in your ears, you may notice a big difference or no difference at all! This alarms some users but is normal. Depending on your level of hearing loss, you may have heard your audiologist in their quiet office even without your hearing aids! This is the reason why there is an adjustment period and while audiologists tell their patients to go and do all the things they normally do in those first few days and weeks after being fit with hearing aids. The real-life road test.  Jot down notes in a journal, in your phone, in your user’s manual—wherever you can quickly make notes as questions and comments arise.

2. Start small. Be patient.

Re-acquiring your hearing skills takes practice. While some people can wear their hearing aids 8-12+hours a day after they are fit, some start by wearing them for only a few hours at a time. If it gets to the point where you feel exhausted or overwhelmed you can remove them, but try to wear them a little longer every day. The longer you wear them, the better you’ll get at identifying sounds, interpreting voices, and focusing on what you’re hearing. You may do best while finding a quiet spot at home and listening to all the sounds around you—a humming refrigerator, a ticking clock, a trickling fountain. If you live with other people, you will likely be listening to their voices, perhaps television too. Depending on your hearing loss, you may notice an immediate improvement in hearing television and movies and conversations around you and involving yourself. It’s important to make notes about your experience so you can work with your audiologist to maximize the journey to better hearing.

3. Read aloud.

A good way to get used to the sound of your own voice (which will sound different after you get hearing aids) is to get in the habit of reading to yourself while wearing your hearing aids. It doesn’t matter what you read! Whether the newspaper, Bible, your user’s manual. It not only helps you determine the appropriate volume for speech, but it also will help you get better at recognizing the sounds of words and speech again. Your voice may sound funny; you may sound like you have a lisp. Some people say it sounds the way they hear themselves on an answering machine or other recording. It’s perfectly normal!

4. Enlist the help of family and friends—they are likely a big reason why you finally got hearing aids to begin with!

What we as audiologists hear consistently from our patients is that someone they love told them “you need to get your hearing checked!” or “You need to get hearing aids!”. Once you have made the choice to be fit with hearing aids, loved ones can be helpful during the hearing aid adjustment process. Try to practice with people you know well, since these familiar voices are the easiest for your brain to identify and interpret.  This is one of the reasons we encourage you bring a someone with you to your fitting appointment.

Your loved ones also can help you adjust by setting the television at a comfortable volume to their ears, giving you the chance to listen and adjust to these new volumes. You shouldn’t be turning the volume on your television higher than a person without hearing loss would, or you could further damage your hearing.

A special note **

It’s not realistic to expect to hear people from the next room, around corners, through walls, while someone is walking away from you. While hearing aids can help make things louder, brighter, sharper, clearer, they aren’t magic! Depending on your level of hearing loss, you may hear them. However, expecting to hear someone 40 feet across a room with time, space, and distance—just isn’t realistic for someone with normal hearing, much less for someone with hearing loss.

5. Keep a journal of your journey to better hearing.

At your fitting appointment, your audiologist will likely fit your hearing aids to your prescription (your hearing test). Those first few weeks, it’s important to keep notes about your experience. What you like, what you don’t like, what is uncomfortable, etc. Keep track of and write down any noises that you hear that bother or irritate you. If your clock’s ticking seems too loud and starts to annoy you after a couple days, make a note of it. If you still struggle to hear conversations in a crowded restaurant, write it down. By keeping track of your hearing struggles, you can later discuss these issues with your audiologist. Subsequent hearing aid appointments will be used to customize your fitting to make it more for you and your lifestyle.

6. Be realistic.

While we sometimes compare wearing hearing aids to wearing glasses, it is a very different experience. While your eyeglass prescription may correct your vision to 20/20 while wearing your glasses or contact lenses, there is no equivalent of 20/20 in hearing. With your hearing aids, once they are fit and adjusted to your prescription (which may take a few weeks!) you should be able to hear most people in most situations. This doesn’t mean you’ll hear everything every time. Think about phone conversations. Even with the best phones, there is still that subtle difference to the sound as a voice is transmitted over a phone line or via cellular signal. The same goes for the sounds you hear with your hearing aids.  You’re going to experience those sounds a little different through hearing aids than you remember experiencing them before hearing loss. That’s okay! Celebrate the improvements to your hearing, even if it’s not the same as before.

7. Take advantage of telecoil technology.

Hearing aids now have the ability to wirelessly connect with other electronic devices with what is called “telecoil technology” or “telecoil mode.”  This can be especially helpful when using a land-line phone or in environments that are looped such as performance halls, banks, and churches. If you aren’t sure if you have a t-coil, ask your audiologist. If you are considering hearing aids and frequently attend performances with looping technology, make sure you tell your audiologist how important this is as not all hearing aids have t-coils or can be made with t-coil technology.

8. Recognize you may need a little more extra help.

Today, hearing aids can be paired with assistive devices such as remote microphones, phone clips, and remote controls in addition to pairing with certain smart phones. This is so that the sounds being emitted (like the voices on a cell phone) can be sent directly to your hearing aid, further improving the clarity with which you hear these devices. This can also help you hear people from a distance, such as in a meeting or at a long table. This is especially helpful as the background noise increases. Depending on your level of hearing loss, realistically, it may require you to use your hearing aids along with these assistive devices. Talk with your audiologist to determine if these devices are right for you.

9. Be patient.

When it comes to helpful tips for first time hearing aid users, we cannot stress this enough: the new hearing aid adjustment process takes time. In Georgia, patients have no less than 30-days from the date of fitting to decide if hearing aids are right for them. Most states have similar laws.  Many times, you can have more time if you need it just communicate this desire to your audiologist. You need to be patient with yourself and your hearing aids. We want you to have ample time for the hearing aid adjustment process before you decide if the hearing aids are right for you. And with time, you should grow accustomed to hearing again.

We are waiting for you!