Tanya is being fitted for a new pair of hearing aids by her hearing specialist. And she’s experiencing a little anxiety. Her anxiety isn’t actually that bad. But hearing aids are new to her, and she’s a little worried that she will be uncomfortable with a high tech gizmo sitting in her ear canal, particularly since she’s never been a big fan of earbuds or earplugs.
Tanya’s worries are not unusual. Lots of first-time hearing aid users have worries about the comfort and general fit of their hearing aids. Tanya has every intention of wearing her hearing aids. She’s looking forward to hearing her son’s jokes and listening to her television at a level not likely to cause trouble with the neighbors. But will those hearing aids be comfortable?
Adapting to Hearing Aids For The First Time
So, is wearing hearing aids uncomfortable? Simply put: some individuals find them to be a little uncomfortable when they first wear them. Early levels of comfort will fluctuate because, like many things in life, there’s an adjustment period. But you will feel more comfortable over time as you get accustomed to your hearing aids.
Recognizing that these adjustments are coming can help ease some of the concerns. Knowing what to expect will help your adjustment period be easier.
There are two stages to your adjustment:
In order to better your overall comfort and quicken the adjustment period, speak with your hearing specialist if you’re having trouble with the physical placement or sound quality of your hearing aids.
Can I Make my Hearing Aids More Comfortable?
Over the years, luckily, there are a few strategies that have worked pretty well.
- Practice: Once you get your hearing aids, the world isn’t going to sound quite the same. And it might take some time for your ears to adapt, especially when it comes to speech. In order to get the hang of it a little more quickly, there are numerous exercises you can do like watching a movie with caption or reading along with an audiobook.
- Start slow: You don’t need to use your hearing aids twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week at first. You can build up to that. Begin by wearing your hearing aid for one to four hours a day. Eventually, you will be using your hearing aids all day, when you become comfortable with them.
- Get the right fit: Hearing aids are designed to fit your ears comfortably. It might take a number of consultations with your hearing specialist to get everything functioning and just the right fit. You may also want to think about a custom fit hearing aid for maximum comfort and effectiveness.
Making Your Hearing Aids More Comfortable
For the first few days or weeks, there may be a little discomfort with your hearing aids. Before long you’re hearing aids will be a comfortable part of your daily life and the sooner you make the adjustments, the sooner this will happen. Wearing them every day is essential to make that transition work.
Before long all you will have to consider is what you hear, not how you hear it.