What to Expect When Using Hearing Aids for the First Time
You’ve seen the audiologist, you had your hearing tested, and you decided to get hearing aids for the first time. Congratulations!!! That is awesome. Now when you go home, everything sounds different and you didn’t realize how strange this process would be - that’s okay, just keep reading and we’ll work through what to expect and what not to expect when using your hearing aids for the first time.
What to Expect
You’ll feel like you have superhearing
You might feel like you hear everything and that is absolutely normal! Sounds like your footsteps, the floorboards squeaking, paper crinkling, clicking on a keyboard, your refrigerator running, your dishwasher humming, leaves rustling, wind blowing, and the faucet rushing are completely normal. Just keep in mind…
After a couple of weeks, things will start to feel more normal
You’ll get used to the sound of your squeaky floors and the hum of the refrigerator and your brain will naturally filter out what’s unimportant.
Hearing those soft sounds will improve communication
Sometimes it feels like the background sounds and details of life are unimportant. However, a lot of the details in conversation are actually consonants, which means hearing these very soft and subtle sounds are super important when socializing.
Your voice will sound strange
It’s a bit like listening to yourself in a video - you’ll hear your voice differently at first.
Your ears might be a little itchy
Your ears will be getting used to something new and they might feel odd or a bit itchy at first. You can use drops to soothe the itch or just wait until you naturally adjust.
It will take time to adjust, but it will not take forever
The longer you’ve had hearing loss, the longer it often takes to get used to amplification. This is okay - your brain can adapt, it just needs some time. Expect this adjustment to take weeks or months.
Your hearing aids might need lots of cleaning
A clean set of hearing aids should work well, but just a little bit of wax blocking the speaker can really dampen the sound.
What Not to Expect
Discomfort or pain
If your hearing aids are causing any soreness or discomfort, let your audiologist know right away. The fit likely needs to be adjusted to be comfortable.
Your hearing aids falling out of your ears
If your hearing aids aren’t staying in, they’re either not pushed in all the way or the fit needs to be adjusted. It’s never fun to lose a set of hearing aids!
Constant whistling or squeaking
If a hearing aid is falling out, fitting too loosely, or being pushed passed its comfortable limits, it can be prone to whistling or feedback. This can be addressed by your audiologist.
You still can’t hear
Properly fit hearing aids will help you hear better. While they can’t restore perfectly normal hearing, you should notice a very clear improvement. If you don’t, make sure to understand why that is and what can be done about it.
To feel normal with your hearing aids overnight
It usually takes weeks or maybe even a few months to fully adjust to wearing hearing aids. In the beginning, work closely with your audiologist to address any roadblocks and set yourself up for success. If you’re struggling getting used to new hearing aids, reach out to your audiologist for support.
