Hand written blue letters spelling the words common mistakes on a lined paper notebook

Congrats! Modern hearing aids are an impressive piece of technology, and you’ve recently become the proud owner of a shiny new pair. But, as with any new device, there are things that hearing aid wearers wish somebody had informed them about.

Let’s examine how a new hearing aid owner can eliminate the 9 most common hearing aid errors.

1. Not knowing how hearing aids work

To put it simply, learn your hearing aid’s functions. The hearing experience will be greatly improved if you know how to use advanced features for different environments like on the street, at the movies, or in a restaurant.

Your wireless devices, including smartphones and televisions can probably connect wirelessly to your hearing aids. Additionally, it might have a special setting that helps you hear on the phone.

If you use this advanced technology in such a basic way, without learning about these features, you can easily become stuck in a rut. Hearing aids these days can do more than make the sound louder.

Practice using your hearing aid in different places in order to learn how to attain the clearest sound quality. Check out how well you hear by asking a friend or family member to assist you.

After a little practice, as with anything new, it will get easier. And your hearing experience will be much better than when you simply raise and lower the volume.

2. Thinking that your hearing will automatically improve

It’s not uncommon for a new hearing aid users to think that their hearing will be optimal from the first day. This is an incorrect assumption. Some people say it takes a month or more before they’re entirely comfortable with their hearing aid. But don’t get discouraged. The time you take is well worth it according to those who are diligent.

After getting home, give yourself a couple of days to become accustomed to the new experience. It’s like breaking in a new pair of shoes. You may need to use it in short intervals.

Begin by just quietly talking with friends. Simple voices might sound different at first, and this can be disorienting. Ask about your own voice volume and make adjustments.

Slowly increase the time you wear your hearing aids and gradually add new places to visit.

Be patient with yourself, and you’ll have countless great hearing experiences to look forward to.

3. Not being honest about your degree of hearing loss at your hearing assessments

In order to be sure you get the correct hearing aid technology, it’s important to answer any questions we may ask truthfully.

If you already have your hearing aid and realize that perhaps you weren’t as honest as you may have been, come back and get retested. Getting it right the first time is better. The hearing aid type and style that will be best for you will be determined by the degree and kind of hearing loss you have.

For example, some hearing aids are better for people with hearing loss in the high-frequency range. Others are better for those with mid-frequency hearing loss and so on.

4. Not getting a hearing aid fitting

There are numerous requirements that your hearing aids need to simultaneously manage: they need to be comfortable on or in your ears, they need to be easy to put in and take out, and they need to boost the sounds around you efficiently. All three of those variables will be resolved during your fitting.

During hearing aid fitting sessions, you might:

  • Have your hearing tested to identify the power level of your hearing aid.
  • Have molds of your ears made and measurements taken.

5. Not tracking your results

Once you’ve been fitted, it’s worthwhile to take notes on how your hearing aid feels and performs. Make a note if you are having a hard time hearing in a big room. If your right ear feels tighter than your left, note that. Even make a note if everything feels right on. This can help us make custom, minute changes to help your hearing aids reach optimum comfort and effectiveness.

6. Not thinking about how you will utilize your hearing aid in advance

Water-resistant hearing aids are available. Others, however, can be damaged or even destroyed by water. Maybe you enjoy certain activities and you are willing to pay extra for more sophisticated features.

We can give you some recommendations but you must choose for yourself. You won’t use your hearing aid if it doesn’t fit your lifestyle and only you know what features you will utilize.

You and your hearing aid will be together for several years. So if you really need certain functions, you don’t want to settle for less.

A few more things to think about

  • To be entirely satisfied, discuss these preferences before your fitting.
  • How obvious your hearing aid is might be something you’re worried about. Or, you may want to make a bold statement.
  • Perhaps you want a high degree of automation. Or perhaps you enjoy having more control over the volume. Is an extended battery life important to you?

Many issues that come up regarding fit, lifestyle, and how you use your hearing aids can be dealt with during the fitting process. Also, you may be able to try out your hearing aids before you commit to a purchase. During this trial period, you’ll be able to get a sense of whether a specific brand of hearing aid would fit the bill.

7. Not correctly caring for your hearing aids

Most hearing aids are very sensitive to moisture. You may want to get a dehumidifier if you live in an extremely humid location. It’s a bad idea to keep your hearing aid in the bathroom where everyone showers.

Always wash your hands before handling the hearing aid or batteries. The performance of your hearing aid and the duration of its battery can be impacted by the oils normally present in your skin.

The hearing aid shouldn’t be allowed to accumulate earwax and skin cells. Instead, clean it based on the manufacturer’s guidelines.

The life and function of your hearing aid will be increased by taking these simple steps.

8. Failing to keep a spare set of batteries

Often, it’s the worst time when new hearing aid users learn this one. Suddenly, while you’re watching your favorite show, your batteries quit just as you’re about to find out “who done it”.

Like many electronic devices, battery life varies depending on your usage and the outside environment. So even if you recently replaced your batteries, keep an extra set with you. Don’t miss something important because of an unpredictable battery.

9. Neglecting your hearing exercises

When you first get your hearing aids, there might be a presumption, and it’s not necessarily a baseless assumption, that your hearing aid will do all the work. But the parts of your brain responsible for interpreting sound are also impacted by hearing loss not just your ears.

You can begin to work on rebuilding those ear-to-brain pathways once you get your new hearing aids. This might occur quite naturally for some individuals, especially if the hearing loss was somewhat recent. But for others, an intentional approach might be necessary to get your hearing back to normal again. The following are a couple of prevalent strategies.

Reading out loud

Reading out loud is one of the best ways to restore those connections between your ears and your brain. It may feel a little foolish at first, but don’t let that stop you. You’re doing the essential work of linking the words (which you read) to the sound (which you say). Your hearing will get better and better as you continue practicing.

Audiobooks

You can always use audiobooks if reading out loud isn’t attractive to you. You can get a physical copy of the book and an audio copy. Then as the audiobook plays, you can read along. You’ll hear a word while you’re reading it just like reading out loud. This will teach the language parts of your brain to hear speech again.

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Resources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10900/

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.

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