Terri Ramsey Beavers Hearing loss is a common part of the aging process, but thankfully, hearing aids can restore our ability to hear normally. The downside to wearing hearing aids is that they can feel uncomfortable, especially when you are getting used to wearing them. If you have recently been given hearing aids, here’s how to make wearing them more comfortable.
Have Your Hearing Aids Properly Fitted
No two people have the exact same shape ear, so hearing aids don’t come in a one-size-fits-all package. It is very important to work with your audiologist to ensure the hearing aids you get fit correctly. It can take around 45 minutes for hearings aids to be fitted and you will probably need follow-up appointments to check everything is working correctly.
Choose the Right Style
An experienced audiologist will help you choose the right hearing aids for your needs. There are different styles of hearing aids:
- Receiver in the ear (RITE)
- In the ear (ITE)
- Behind the ear (BTE)
- In the canal (ITC)
Let your audiologist advise you but also do some research, so you know how each type of hearing aid works. It’s important to make a more informed decision. After all, you’ll be the one wearing the hearing aids every day, so it has to be right for your lifestyle. For more information, click here.
Don’t Rush the Process
It is unrealistic to expect to wear your hearing aids for hours at a time when you first get them fitted. Even if you are desperate to get your hearing back, try and be patient. It may have been some time since you could hear properly, so your brain will need some time to adjust to the new sounds you can hear. Hearing loud noises and background sounds will likely feel intrusive to start with, but you will adapt.
Start slowly, only wearing your hearing aids for short spells. This will help your body get used to them and allow your ears to adjust. Wearing hearing aids for less than three hours at a time is sensible. Gradually increase the amount of time you wear your hearing aids until eventually, you have them in all day without even noticing.
Go for Follow-Up Visits
It’s very important to go for your follow-up appointments with the audiologist. They will check how your hearing aids are working and can fine-tune the sounds you hear. They’ll also adjust the fit if necessary, so if your hearing aids don’t fit terribly well, now is a good time to let the audiologist know.
Don’t Ignore Long-Term Discomfort
Hearing aids are custom fitted, so they are designed to be comfortable for your ears. Some short-term discomfort is inevitable but long-term pain is not. Audiologists will expect you to report ear tenderness while you get used to wearing your hearing aids but let yours know if you find wearing your hearing aids really painful. That shouldn’t happen.
Getting hearing aids requires some adjustment and with a bit of patience, you’ll love being able to engage with the world once again.