If your hearing loss has progressed to the point that you have ordered your first pair of hearing aids, then you are well on your way to better hearing and a much higher quality of life. While you may be concerned about your adjustment period with your new hearing aids, there are some tips that will help you adjust more quickly and easily, such as:
Introduce Singular Sounds
As you begin to wear your new hearing aids, you will need some time to adjust to all of the normal sounds around you. To help make this process easier, start by sitting in a quiet space in your home and slowly introducing sounds one-by-one.
For example, sit next to the ticking clock in your living room and get used to how it sounds. Once this sound no longer distracts you, then call your home phone from your cell phone and listen to the ringing sound. Sit and listen to each sound until you are okay with how they sound before you introduce additional sounds, such as a television or radio.
You should also use this simple technique to help you get used to the sounds associated with driving a car, walking in outdoor spaces, and working in your office environment.
Ask Family and Friends to Help You with Voices
Since you also need to adjust to the various sounds of people speaking, ask your family and friends to come over and sit and talk with you. Start by speaking one-on-one with people until you are comfortable with their speech.
Once you have spent time speaking with each person individually, then ask everyone to sit around a table and talk with you and to also talk with each other in the same way they would at a dinner party. In this controlled environment, you can adjust to the sounds of conversation without missing out on important pieces of conversations, feeling self-conscious, or being embarrassed.
Look For Additional Assistance
If you need additional tips to adjust to your new hearing aids, you should speak with your audiologist or internal medicine physician. Both of these professionals have extensive experience with hearing aids and will be happy to help you adjust more easily and quickly. Your life is greatly improved by the ability to hear well, so enjoy your new hearing aids and hang in there during the adjustment period because it will be over soon and your life will be enhanced by your ability to hear better.
