According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Hearing Disorders, a whopping 28.8 million adults in the United States could benefit from using hearing aids. Yet, despite the abundance of hearing loss, many prefer not to wear their hearing devices or opt out of getting a hearing aid entirely.
This likely comes from the social stigma surrounding hearing aid users,But much of this stigma comes down to one thing: A lack of understanding. At Francis Audiology, our team of hearing specialists is dedicated to educating those with hearing loss, as well as the general public, about the many benefits that wearing hearing aids can have on your auditory health.
So, whether you've already acquired your prescription hearing aid or are still on the fence about starting your journey to improved hearing, this article will serve as your guide to making this life-changing adjustment.
Why Should You Wear Your Hearing Aids Daily?
Because of the way that hearing aids work, consistency is key. It's essential that, once you've gotten the hang of your new hearing aids, you wear them as frequently as you can. Initially, this may seem difficult – all of the new sounds can be overwhelming to some. Still, though, the quicker that you can get used to your new hearing aid, the quicker you’ll be able to reap its many benefits!
Think of adapting to your new hearing ability as a new skill. If you leave the skill alone for an extended period, you're not going to be as adept at it when you pick it back up. But, if you work at it little by little each day, the progression will continue to advance and things that you've had trouble hearing at first will become far easier.
Understanding The Limitations of Hearing Aids
While hearing aids are incredibly beneficial and will do wonders at helping you understand speech and most natural sound, some limitations come with these devices. It's imperative that you don't get discouraged if your speech understanding doesn't immediately improve, or if it takes you a while to adjust to listening environments with an excess of background noise.
Since hearing aids are designed to amplify sound, that means that all sounds will be quite loud. To prepare for this, build up to busy environments and start your listening off with one-on-one conversations or other relatively quiet areas. This will help ease you into the adjustment period while also allowing you to get comfortable with your new device and how it's changed the way that you process sound.
Building A Support Network
Even the best hearing aids have limitations, and even the best of friends might not be able to understand what you're struggling through. That's why it could be beneficial, whether digitally or in-person, to take the time to find other people with hearing loss to bond with and talk to about your experience. It may be worth it to contact your hearing care professional for advice on how to find other, local members of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing community.
Learning The Features of Your Hearing Aids
As you adjust to wearing them, you should begin to familiarize yourself as best as possible with your hearing aid's features. These medical devices have come a long way in recent years, and have grown to develop several beneficial settings.
Some types of hearing aids have Bluetooth compatibility, for instance. This allows the user to decipher voice sounds with a lot more ease, and is especially helpful when trying to hear music or videos in different listening environments.
Another interesting addition that some digital hearing aids have are called telecoils. These coils give your hearing aid settings that enable you to connect to hearing loops in certain settings (commonly theaters, museums, or stores).
Your hearing aid's features are going to depend on their make and model, so it's worth it to mention these specific abilities to your hearing care professional before you finish purchasing hearing aids.
Keeping Your Prescription Hearing Aids In Good Condition
Hearing aid devices are many incredible things, but indestructible is not among them. If you want your hearing health to consistently improve, you must keep your hearing aids in good shape for as long as possible.
Here are some longevity tips for your hearing aids:
- At night time, or when otherwise not in use, store those hearing aids in a dry, cool place.
- Conduct daily spot checks for ear wax, and clean them according to the OTC hearing aid manufacturers' instructions as frequently as possible (do not use household cleaning items)!
- Take an annual hearing test and medical exam so that you know your device is well-optimized.
- Open up the battery compartment at night if you'd like to save some of the battery life of your hearing aids.
- If you're showering, swimming, or applying excessive hair products, be sure to remove your hearing aids first! (You can also get yourself a pair of custom ear molds to protect yourself from swimmer’s ear or waterlog while you’re at it!)
Typically, a quality hearing aid will last you up to five years of quality use. If you have a newer hearing aid that begins experiencing issues like distorted noise or low volume, it may be worth it to have the aid examined for possible repair. (This is especially true if your hearing aid has a warranty!)
Talk With A Hearing Specialist at Francis Audiology Today!
Navigating your hearing aid trial period is never easy, but it doesn't have to be isolating. Francis Audiology is here to answer any questions you might have during this delicate yet exciting process.
If you are interested in learning more about the connection between hearing and the brain or want to know how hearing aids could help improve your life, contact our team of highly skilled audiologists at Francis Audiology or schedule an appointment directly online today!
