What Hearing Aid Owners Should Know

Your audiologist has doubtlessly hammered home the message that wearing a hearing aid takes some getting used to, but it's a point that deserves to be made more than once. The amplification process these devices use is not simply like turning up the volume on a stereo. It is a complex process that can seem very strange, especially for someone who isn't used to listening to speech, background sounds, and even the television at this level. Once your ears adjust to the difference, the device can make a big difference in your ability to cope with your impairment. Until then, here are some things you should know.

Improvement

While it's important to understand that a hearing aid can be a tremendous source of comfort and a very helpful communication tool, it's also important to realize that it isn't going to turn back the clock. When doctors say that auditory loss is frequently irreversible, they mean just that. The future may bring new technology and even corrective surgeries that allow modern medicine to restore the full ability to hear to someone who has lost it. For now, only a certain degree of improvement is the best science can do. A wheelchair doesn't restore the ability to walk in someone paralyzed from the waist down, but it can help them get around. Much the same can be said for the hearing aid.

Practice Makes Perfect

Not only should you give your ears and brain a chance to adjust to this new way of listening, but it doesn't hurt to speed the process along by actively practicing. Focus on your listening and try it out in several different environments. A good setting for a movie theater may be terrible for a busy restaurant. A good setting for a quiet evening in your living room may be all wrong for the commute to work. Don't get locked in to any one setting, if you have a hearing aid capable of being adjusted easily and smoothly. If you don't, try to find out which environments you may be better off avoiding for a while.

Go Back for Adjustments

When buying a hearing aid, it pays to do so through a provider that includes a follow up appointment as part of the payment. Though the technicians will do all they can to get your settings perfect before you walk out the door, you may realize with time that the fit could be a bit better or some of the settings could be tweaked. Go in and get it done, as it can only improve your experience.