I just got hearing aids, now what do I do?
You, family members, or friends may have noticed that you had difficulty following conversation, especially at the dinner table, or when in a noisy environment. You may have also suffered from tinnitus or “ringing in the ears’. Whatever your difficulties were, you are now on the path to better hearing by wearing hearing aids.
Now that you are wearing hearing aids, there are several steps to take to ensure successful hearing aid use. The first step is being a ‘full time’ hearing aid wearer. Consistency is key when it comes to hearing. We hear with our brains so the more you wear your hearing aids, the quicker your brain will adjust to hearing sounds that you haven’t heard before or in a long time. If you only wear your hearing aids for an hour a day, the adjustment process will take longer. The more consistently you wear your hearing aids, the more natural they will sound.
The next step is understanding how to handle and use your hearing aids. As an audiologist, we will thoroughly review how to insert and remove your hearing aids along with the cleaning, care, and maintenance procedures. We want to make the transition from the office to home as easy and seamless as possible.
The final step in successful hearing aid use is proper follow up care. The typical follow up care schedule includes one appointment a week after your initial fitting. This allows the audiologist to ensure you are comfortable, satisfied, and receiving the benefit you need from your hearing aids. After that, a follow-up appointment every six months is recommended or if needed sooner. This follow up schedule is a general guideline, every individual and hearing loss is different and unique. In order to meet everyone’s needs you can be seen as frequently or infrequently as you prefer.
Overall, following these steps will allow the audiologist to ensure that you are successful with your hearing aids. After all, the goal is for you to be part of the conversation again. Hearing aids are meant to provide audibility, comfort, and effortless hearing.