Finally, you got a pair of hearing aids. Well done, it’s a great start to improving the quality of your life. There is a lot to understand when you buy new technology such as modern hearing aids, and that includes the things you shouldn’t do. It’s not a long list with hearing aids, but it is an important one.
It’s not only about taking care of your hearing aids, either. The device will be less useful and your adjustment time will be slowed by the things you fail to do. It’s time to learn from the mistakes other people in your shoes have made; contemplate these four things you shouldn’t do with those new hearing aids.
1. Straight Out of the Box Into Your Ear
You might be ignoring powerful features if you don’t take some time to understand the basics of how your hearing aid works and check out the features that come with the brand. If you just turn on your hearing aids and put them in, more than likely they won’t work efficiently. Bluetooth and noise filters are some of the best features that you may also ignore.
You can practice adjusting the hearing aid and determine how to obtain the best sound quality by taking your time and reading the user manual.
When you pick your hearing aids you will have a general understanding of what they can do. Now you have to figure out how to use them which takes a little patients.
2. Take Into Consideration The Adjustment Period
Your eyes need to adjust to the difference in the lenses and the shape of the frame when you get new glasses. This also goes for hearing aids. Some new hearing aid owners believe they will immediately experience this fabulous new sound quality. That’s an unrealistic expectation.
If you haven’t ever worn hearing aids, it’s a significant difference and your ears will require some time to adapt. Quick adjustment depends on consistent use.
Put them in your ear and don’t keep taking them out. At first, you might have to fight the need to take them out every few minutes. If you are not comfortable, think about why.
- Are you overwhelmed by the background noise? Every day when you first put them in you should go to a quiet place for a few minutes. Sit with a friend and talk. Ask them if you are talking too loud. In this way, you can balance the sound out by making adjustments.
- Is the audio too loud? Perhaps you need to turn the volume down.
- If it is uncomfortable, take the hearing aid out for short time periods until you get used to it. If the hearing aids just don’t really fit right, go back to the seller and have them examined.
The biggest mistake you can make is to give up. If you just forget about your hearing aids, leaving them in a drawer somewhere, they won’t do you any good.
3. Fail to Get a Professional Fitting Upfront
There is a lot involved in getting the right hearing aids, and it begins before you even start looking. When you are at the audiologist, if you are not honest about what you can and can’t hear at your exam, that’s an issue. You may wind up with hearing aids that aren’t the correct ones for your level or type of hearing loss. For example, some hearing aids by design pick up a high-frequency sound. If your hearing loss interferes with your ability to hear mid-range or low sounds, the hearing aids won’t work correctly for you.
Your lifestyle, in certain cases may not seem well suited to hearing aids. If you have to be on your phone allot you will want to get a hearing aid that has Bluetooth technology.
Make a note of when you feel your hearing aids aren’t working right or you wish they did something different while you’re still in the trial period. You can go back and talk about those issues with your hearing aid technician. An adjustment might be needed or you may need a different device.
Most retailers do free fittings so be certain to find one of them when you purchase your hearing aids. They can’t be too big for your ears or they won’t work properly.
4. Careless Maintenance
Successful upkeep of your hearing aids starts with understanding how and when to do it. Even if you’ve had hearing aids before you should take the time to understand how to care for your new device.
After you buy the hearing aids, look closely at the warning signs listed in the documentation including using hair care products with your hearing aids in or not turning them off when you remove it.
Always, read the troubleshooting instructions and the maintenance guide.
Understand exactly how to clean your hearing aids as that’s a big part of correct maintenance. The hearing aid is not the only thing that requires cleaning. You also have to properly clean your ears.
You have to take the initiative if you want to get the most out of your hearing aids. It’s an ongoing process from shopping to use. Make an appointment with a hearing care professional to find out what type of hearing aid will best fit your needs.